Anyone else bipolar and gone off medication?

Question

I was diagnosed bipolar probably 7 years ago at age 20 or 21. I had been on Prozac for years and started to have somewhat of a mental breakdown. My first diagnosis was schitzophrenia but, after 3 doctors, every antipsychotic/ antidepressant/antianxiety med on the market as well as 3 visits to the hospital and lots of therapy, I wasn't any better.

I finally got the doc I presently have. He told me flat out that, if I was schitzophrenic, I would not be able to hold a conversation with him and tell him, step-by-step, what I've been through mentally and physically. So, I was diagnosed then as schitzoaffective bipolar.

I was on and off all sorts of meds, but the longest regiment I had was Cymbalta/Lamictal/Ativan. Started out 2 x a day, then once. Then I got in a bad car accident and I thought it's been over 7 years and I wanted off the meds. So, I weaned myself off them. It's been about 9 months.

Anyone else done anything similar? If so, what were your experiences?

Answer 1

This time last year I went off my meds for a few months. I managed to get seven traffic tickets and had a couple of overdoses on some other stuff. So for me my meds reel me in and give me a box to work with when everything else is getting crazy. Be sure to let your doc know what you are doing along the way. I let mine know the other week that I was taking a couple week break. Its just good to know that someone else has an idea of whats going on just in case things blow up.

Answer 2

I tried and failed when I weened myself off of Risperdal.
I was told by my doctor that was an unhealthy decision on my part. I started going through hallucanations again before I got back on the Risperdal. Now that I've been back on Risperdal I'm not going to ween myself off of it again!

Answer 3

Yes, my EX-son-in-law. His decision to go unmedicated was unwise.