Oh I do great! Until I crash sometime I last a year or two but then I'm either manic or depressed and end up right back to square one. I used to be able to go for several years but no longer

You're halfing your dose because you're feeling better. Then go down to nothing and what makes you think you won't crash. Then all the misery of living BP unmedicated. Then if you make it back, it takes weeks for the meds to kick in, what are you trying to prove at your own expense and possibly your life???????

I've tried quitting my meds several times, and now, I really can't understand why anyone would want to take that risk, especially without a doc's consent, If you're feeling better, it's probably because your medication is working. Why do you want to come off them? I know some people don't like having to depend on meds, but if you have an illness, taking meds is just something you have to do...unless you want to crash and get worse.

I wish you luck, but I don't see any good coming of it. Everytime I have tried to quit mine, I end up in the hospital wishing I could die, and with hundreds of cuts. Be careful. Use logic and reason, and do what's best for you, and definitely talk to your doc. You have a doc for a reason, so don't do this without him or her knowing.

UUUMMMMMM.....BIG mistake my friend! You MIGHT do well for a while, some people with Bipolar have gone for days..weeks...years and a few have even gone the rest of their lives...BUT....guaranteed YOU WILL CRASH! A couple of years ago I went off all my meds too...one by one...inbetween doctor visits over a 3mnth period, my bdoc was not impressed but he knew how much I didn't like being on meds so we did the waiting game. I went on a "manic" high for 15mnths then....CRASH...my world fell apart and swallowed me up! That was back in March of this year and I am still recovering. I have been on a variety of combo's that haven't worked for me and a couple of months ago my bdoc took me off everything and started me on a mood stabilizer called Lithium....we are hoping this med works for me. Us Bipolar's don't like to take meds, that is understandable, meds control our emotions!...who wants to be controlled..not me! But, because of the chemicals we are missing we need to stay on meds...the rest of our lives...or be yo-yo's! Please call your doc and let him know what you are doing. He will be able to best advice you as he knows you the best. My bdoc and I have very good communication and I have learned the hard way to work with him not against him. Right now my friend I feel like going off my meds but after that last scare I keep thinking twice about it. Hope all works out best for you. Take care of yourself. Love and Prayers Ramona xoxooxox

So the opposite. Bloody awful.

Yes went off and on meds so many times I have ost count...most of them with out success. I'm a very stricty mood calendar keeper as in every day at a specific time measure my mood and see where I am...I follow a WRAP plan Wellness Action Recovery Plan from www.mentalhealthrecovery.com. OK to go off meds only with pdoc's permission and monitoring and only with several plans in place....for when the inevitable happens...if you want to be a grown up you have to act like one...that's the sadder side of the story....

I think you are doing the very wrong thing my friend especially without the consent or supervision of your pdoc...The crash is going to be a the global type. It will take a very long time to drecover from because by the time you do crash you will have deplete everything that was in your system and you will have to start from scratch again...

I hate to be one to have an "opposite" of success story here, but this is something I do feel strongly about. I tried a couple of times to go unmedicated. Each time I tapered down as you have mentioned, I also was not under a doctor's consent though. I have been under the care of 3 different psychiatrists now & none of them would ever approve the idea of me going off of my meds unless it was to switch to different ones.

I will spare you the grizzly details, but let's just say that I only made it a couple of weeks each time before a relapse occurred & I next thing I knew I was back in the hospital. I would really suggest some careful consideration before attempting this, particularly if your diagnosis is one of BP I or Rapid Cycling. Also, why haven't you gotten you doc's permission? If you are truly ready, then it shouldn't be a problem. I wish you the best.

I get nutty even when they tweak my meds a little or try to switch one. I certainly wouldn't try going off of them. I strongly recommend you do so only under medical supervision.

Tried it to try to prove to my ex that I was strong and independent. Well, guess what? It landed me in the E.R. I had nasty episode of rapid cycling and mania , it was awful I cried and paced around the house for 3 days until I crashed and didn't shower for a week, finally he dumped my sorry ass off in the E.R. , told them I was an out of control crazy bitch and left me there.

Yep. I quit all meds abruptly in 1991-2? because the pdocs were crazier than me.

Didn't do fine but stayed off meds from then till 2005, which is 13 years. No hospitalizations either.

But was life fine? No it was not. It was not hell either. It was nothing. Just nothing, trying to keep myself straight without meds, trying to keep others from knowing my diagnosis.

Some seriously wacky manic stuff cost me a job - a good job in a field that I dearly love.

Depression followed which cost me another job in the field that I dearly love.

Picking up the pieces, may take years.

Would I go off meds again?

Nope, not on your life. But then my meds don't give me any side effects (Tegretol, love it).

I just got up and got back on my meds before I saw this thread. Have been off 2 of them for awhile now and after finding this board yesterday realized I am playing with fire. I never stop my meds when I'm good, only when I feel horrible and figure they aren't working anyway. Why spend so much money. However, being on this board has brought me to my senses and I am back on, have a surplus since I haven't been taking them. If you are truly BP you feel good because your meds ARE working. That is not always the case, my advice don't change anything, enjoy it while it lasts. good luck!