[Samicat]

Recently realized I had been misdiagnosed as Bipolar II. I have never had a manic or hypomanic episode, and I didn't realize this is not "optional" for a bipolar diagnosis. I went through the descriptions of such episodes with my husband and family and they agreed I am not bipolar. So I came off the bipolar meds months ago, and seem fine.

Also I came off my Effexor which I had been on for 10 years. It was awful coming off it, but I got through and am now taking no medications of any kind. I have Aytpical depression which is less likely to respond to meds, and I have been on many with no noticeable effect. But was scared to come off them.


Luckily therapy helped and practices like meditation helped me a lot more than meds. Just wondering if anyone else is going med free, and how it's going for you. I know meds are a life saver for many, but they have never worked for me.

I ate a grapefruit today for the first time in years (can't have grapefruit on many meds). I love grapefruit.

[Fuzzybear]

Congratulations Samicat! I only take benzos and also seroquel occasionally. The other meds I've tried including paxil had very severe side effects. I weaned myself off paxil after about 12 - 14 years. It was horrific, but now I'm ok (compared to then anyway) I also have lost most of the massive weight gain I put on on that med.

[Samicat]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

Congratulations Samicat! I only take benzos and also seroquel occasionally. The other meds I've tried including paxil had very severe side effects. I weaned myself off paxil after about 12 - 14 years. It was horrific, but now I'm ok (compared to then anyway) I also have lost most of the massive weight gain I put on on that med.

Very interesting. I attributed my weight gain to hormonal factors, but since coming off the Effexor I've noticed I have a much reduced appetite. I was already on a weight loss program and have lost 20 lbs so far, but have more to go (still in the "obese" range). It will definitely help if I'm less hungry!

[Nammu]

Congratulations. I’m bipolar 1 so meds are a fact of life for me. But my journey started way back in the 80’s. They kept putting me on antidepressants which send me manic or mixed and in the aughts I took myself off all meds. Life was calmer off meds than on but it was still a roller coaster. I ended up in the psych ER and a very wonderful pdoc there explained that they now knew antidepressants were not good for bipolar 1 people and that he wouldn’t give me any. Yay! I’ve been very stable since that encounter and I tell every new doc no antidepressant’s and no steroids. I do miss grapefruit. I love it too. While off meds I went down to my school weight without trying and I got to eat grapefruit! Congratulations

[MuddyBoots]

Congrats, sounds like things are working out well.

I'm schizoaffective so will probably always be on some meds like Nammu, but recently got dx'd with BPD and over the past year or so we learned a lot of my problems stem more from trauma and addiction. I did some DBT in individual therapy, did a group for a bit, went to a residential program and did a follow-up IOP, and I'm on a wait-list to get back into the DBT group. As a result I was able to significantly reduce my med load. I was way overmedicated.