I have been diagnosed bipolar also. I too believe I was born with it but didn't get it properly diagnosed until 2002. The severity of my symptoms vary from day to day of course and have interfered with my ablity to function normally. I like others who are bipolar have a tendancy to self-diagnose and self-medicate which is very common. It has amazed me how this illness can blind me to the reality of my situation. yet again that is another symptom of this disorder, poor judgement. A big struggle I have had is to stay on my med.s. My illness tells me they just aren't working to they're working so I don't need to take them anymore which is typical bipolar judgement. I have found some grounding and copeing tools. I have also come to the realization that unless I got and stayed in treatment, stopped treatment prematurely or did not comply with a recovery plan my life would stay out of control and it would lead up to further difficulties, even death where I'm concerned. I have a chemical imbalance in my brain and part of my treatment is to stay of medication for it. I've tried several combinations and like most was frusterated and discouraged most of the time. I quit more than I succeeded. With persistance and stubborness I found the right med.s for me. I still hate popping pills every darned time I turn around but I'm better for it. I have to for myself to take them but now with the understanding that they are better than being in that horrible dark place I was in for so long. I hope this helps. :o) Any feedback, fell free to write me. Shari

hi lorna.
what kind of tools have you found that help you inplace of meds? i just had abilify added to my regime, and its driving me dizzy.
Dawn

You sound like you have infrequent episodes. I just use resperidol when I feel too up or down.

It's funny, some people seem to do really well with meds, and others don't, for one reason or another. Personally, I try to stay away from meds, as i know they are not particularly good for you, and the side effects can be obnoxious. I have used 3 different antidepressants with minimal results. But I suppose if I had to, I would go on them. I am interested to know more about your helpful tools.

I have spent many years of my life learning to cope without medication but always knowing that they were possibley a necessity at somepoint. I went almost ten years without them and last November crashed harder then ever. I am back on meds and dealing with their side effects. My best advice is give them time to work. Find a doc that will see you weekly until you can get the right combo but more importantly therapy of somesort either individual or group is the best medicine. Being with people that will will keep you grounded is the best coping mechanism I have ever found. Meds alone don't cut it. But support alone doesn;talways do it either. There are books available written byothers that were both successful and not. YOu should go to the library and see what you can find before and get a doctors advice prior to making a decision.

I quit taking my meds a little over three years ago. I have previously taken litium, depakote, buspar, zoloft, and effexor. The final things I was taking were depakote and effexor. I felt NOTHING and got tired of it. I decided to try to learn why my behavior changed and beware of it. Sometimes my kids would tell me to take my meds, but usually just when being scolded. Everyone seemed to like me better on the meds because they could get by with more. I explained that I wanted to be able to "FEEL" if I was angry, hurt, sad, happy, or whatever, and the rest of the world would have to deal with it. If they didn't wan't me pissed of, then don't do stuff to get me there. Sometimes I get sad and depressed, but that is when i seclude myself to keep it from hurting others. If I am talking on the phone and they trigger me, I hanf up to keep myself from saying something I don't mean. After awhile of seclusion when i go back and find out that I was missed, it makes me feel good. So far, so good.

Must be an extreme case to use no Meds, and a lot of tools in your toolbox too.

Taking medications "as needed",is not a good way to manage bipolar..for good mental health,a CONSTANT regimine of meds,Pdoc appointments,and healthy life style choices,will give you a better shot ,at stability,and lessen the brain damage that occurs when meds are not used regularly.

Still a Member too !

i decided to be totally med compliant and was doing great i was so happy that i finally found what worked and that i felt normal that i never wanted off of them but then my whole treatment clinics went to shit and i have not been able to get samples, scripts, or appointments for two weeks, and i really really do not want to stop and am terrified that when (if) i am finally able to get them again they won't work this time... and i am trying like hell to get them

To control BP succesfully,a constant regimine of meds,Pdoc appointments,healthy life style choices,will increase your ability to be stable and maintain stability.
Staying on meds also decreases the brain damage from BP.

you know i have been wondering this too.

I take my meds for the most part and lead a pretty healthy life, but it feels like there is always something missing. Like I'm not completely myself, I tend to not be as funny and slightly more serious when I'm on the meds. I exercise very heavily as I am now involved in many different sports and am actively taking up meditation. I guess my question is that if I continue to do these things and eat right could I break off the meds?

Daggy, did you pull this out of your 2007 toolbox? Have not seen you on here recently. Where have you been?

Meek - FYI - Daggy's last post to this thread was back in May.