[Miswimmy1]

Is going on and off meds bad in the long run? In my mind, I compare it to yo-yo dieting. In the long run, that sort of dieting where you diet and then gain it back and diet and gain it back wreaks havoc on your metabolic system and each time, it gets harder to lose the weight again. Is it similar with going on and off meds?

I ask this because I'm 19 years old. I have been on a cocktail of different medications since I was 15. Since I am relatively young, I worry about the long term consequences. My fear though is that I will end up worse if I go off of them. From the time I started, I have only gone completely off meds once and I quit them cold turkey and ended up in residential treatment because everything got so out of control. If I do try going off them, I will do it with my pdoc's help this time. But I'm still wondering if it will do more harm than good.

[splitimage]

I think it depends on the individual and the condition being treated. Somethings, like Bipolar, you generally need meds for life. Other things like depression, Dr's will take you off the meds, once you've been depression free for a certain period.

If you want to try life without meds, I'd have a careful discussion with your Dr., about why you want to come off them, how to do it safely, and what warning signs you need to look for that you maybe need to go back on them.

splitimage

[unaluna]

Ive heard that if you stop taking a med, it might not work again for you if you want to take it again. I have been on psych meds only for the past fifteen years - i think the most important thing is getting as stable as possible on them so you know what that feels like. You have at keast five years before you might need to stop to have kids - i would worry about it them. Give yourself a year or two to clear them out of your system. But have a reason.

[ChipperMonkey]

In my experience, the only drawback has been that the med didn't work as well the second time around. But to be fair, my body chemistry has indeed changed over time.

[ologist]

The only med I was not keen to be on was lithium and after 4 weeks I told my psych it wasn't working so I could stop taking it. Others with potentially awful side effects I've been fine with taking.

I don't want to need meds for the rest of my life, but my psych said I'll need to. We'll see.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I have bp2 and from past experience id say I need to be medicated. There were periods when I quit meds altogether and ended up self medicating with substances which just lead to a downward spiral. I have had medical issues like losing my period but that could be from going off the bc pill too. However I have a feeling it has something to do with long term psych med use. But at the same time, I can't risk going off meds anytime soon.