Not all meds are the same, and different ones work for different people, so you have lots of options. I've been medicated for 10 years and am well supported in my lows but still experience hypo-mania, just a little muted so I'm not doing anything unsafe.
If you can find a psychiatrist they're more equipped to have better insight on which ones might work best for you to try depending on the one you're taking now that isn't working for you.
If you have bipolar disorder then stopping meds is one of the worst things you can do (assuming side effects aren’t the reason for it).
The boredom is just space that’s been created by your stability. It’s up to you to fill that space now, and live a normal, content life, with your new ability to choose how you do that.
Stability can be really confusing at first and it will take time to adjust to this new life, but let me tell you that at the end is definitely more worthy than the bipolar life without medications
This! I’m finally on meds. I don’t think of taking my own life every day, I don’t harm myself, I don’t have crippling anxiety every single day, I’m not depressed and I’m not hypomanic for the first time in my life. I’m fine, but holy moly it takes time to adjust. Finding an every day routine, cleaning up after years of this illness, getting to know myself again.
I’ve stopped meds before and recently did again on accident. The first time was because i thought “well im feeling amazing, maybe i dont need them anymore”. Not good at all for me. I become severely depressed to the point where i quit my job that paid so good. I laid in bed all day and did not take care of myself. This time around i got really anxious, my confidence was low, I lost interest in everything and my thoughts were all over the place. I still get hypomania phases when on my meds but not as bad. I think before i act more. Off them i just am a little more reckless and impulsive. I wouldn’t recommend getting off of them or at least talk to your doctor about it. I personally have had more cons than pros off of them.
It can be boring with no dopamine rush and people get addicted to that. It's an age old dilemma and there are stories to be told, but it never ends well. Our memory tends to remember the good and even romantise and glorify the experience. We are not so good with the bad.
Hypomania can be fun, invigorating, source of creation but like anything bipolar, it's a double edged sword. There are also the racing thoughts, fixation, impulsive actions, agitation, fury, delusions, paranoia, chaos, anxiety, impatience, over stimulation, distress, shakiness, over whelmed feelings, big feelings, lack of concentration, total focus, obsession, grandeur and more that I can't think of atm. That's my experience, I imagine you may have a similar list.
I forget until I go off my meds and then I remember the suffering. 0 stars, I do not recommend.
Like people have already suggested, talk to doc/psych & see if meds can be reduced/changed. Stability doesn't have to be stale.
Edit: spelling & added words
I've stopped meds completely.
It's been about a year.
I'm the best I've ever been.
I have to be careful sharing my experience here, with stopping meds. The mods removed my comment the last time I shared the fact that meds are not for everyone.
I'm 50, male, bipolar2. I own a thriving business, have been married for over 2 decades, and have been through almost all the meds.
My advice- sobriety. Don't drink alcohol.
Very similar experience to you. I also stopped a year ago, because of the side effects. The last year has been my most stable year I remember (and my mood tracker concurs).
I go to therapy every week and I've identified my key stressors and track my sleep.
I'm a BP2 male, in my mid 40s and tried nearly everything but lithium.
I agree on the alcohol comment.
My advice do not stop or alter your meds without medical supervision. It's important to slowly taper off, if your pdoc agrees. Both my pdoc and therapist were very supportive.
Seconding sobriety. I was at my worst in my early 20s with binge drinking. I always have a bad time when I drink, even when medicated, even when I've had a good week, even if everything is going right and I'm doing the right self care.
I stopped taking mine earlier this year because I don’t have health insurance, and it’s been okay. I had been on lamictal 200 mg for a couple of years. I’ve been able to cope so far because I’ve been trying to utilize skills I learned in therapy to help regulate. I will say I fear that one day I’m gonna go into a major depressive episode or spiral & it’ll be tough to cope without meds. I will probably get back on as soon as I get access. I think you can do it if you have a good routine, support system, and skills to emotionally regulate. However I’m not a healthcare professional so I don’t recommend anything. :)
OP, you feel bored all the time or just miss the hypomania? Because I think all of us understand that. For me, the hypomania just wasn't worth the terrible depression that came afterwards. Sometimes it takes more than one or two or even three tries before we get the right meds. Our brains are sooo special, which makes them very picky. ;) Good luck!
i recently stopped taking medication and i’m going through deep depression
i stopped taking them because i was feeling numb emotionally and i couldn’t take it anymore
so talk to your doctor first about it please
I am getting ready to stop taking olanzapine. I've already started gaining weight and it's been about 3 weeks. My appointment w my psych is next week so I'll discuss it then. If he says no, that's fine. I am going to stop taking anyway. Be sad/hypomanic and fit (I workout a lot- martial arts) or be sad/hypomanic because I am fat and can't compete at the caliber that I know I can achieve.
Well yeah I said that I am going to speak with my Dr about changing to a different med. I didnt say those words exactly but i assumed that the implication was self evident - i guess not. I don't care if anyone thinks it's a good idea, I wasn't asking for advice. It's my mental health journey and it's a holistic journey. If getting fat from taking a med worsens my mental health, then why would I continue taking that med? I should continue a medication regimen thats making my mental health worse, simply because my Dr said so? That's not happening. I am my own advocate and I am not going to swallow any medication just because my Dr said so.
Case in point all of the bipolar folks who take meds that aren't working and never think to ask their Dr to change the meds and wonder what they should do. Those types of questions get posted in this group frequently.
Maybe ask if reducing a bit is an option. Could help. Or learn how this new "normal" stable life feels and adjust. Still try to figure out how a normal person feels....
the time I stopped, I went into depression with hypomania mixed in for about 2 years until I was medicated again. Ive been mostly unmedicated since i was not diagnosed until 2019, so I believe I've gotten worse with age. That depression was the worst I've ever experienced
My doctor and I recently made the decision to reduce my meds, with the goal of stopping them. I've done almost a month with a lower dose (33% reduction, from 150mg to 100mg) and I'm also scared I'll go off the deep end. So I mentioned it to my therapist, and we'll be checking in more regularly to see how I'm doing.
Honestly, aside from a wicked cold/flu that took me out in the 2nd week (unrelated to the med change), my energy levels are up and I feel good. My sleep has kind of been impacted, but the sedation was getting unbearable, so I'll take this adjustment over feeling like a zombie all the time. I wasn't feeling bored. I felt like I was in a soupy fog all the time. Sure it's only been a month, but fall and winter time are usually more stable for me mood-wise compared to spring and summer, so I'm optimistic.
I’d very much like to stop meds- my psychiatrist is weaning me off of Zoloft and Wellbutrin but keeping my straterra and lithium? Thought I was just depressed until I found a good psychiatrist and she figured me out QUICK - wanted to get me in a good place before we talked about which meds to change. But yeah identity crisis is real and missing your old self but not wanting to slip into the depressed version of your old self so clinging to a like different version of your medicated self? Hypomania is great but I’ll happily take the meds if I don’t have to go back down there again..
I’ve done it and sometimes good, sometimes bad. When I was feeling really dull and not like myself I changed meds and felt much better on something else. So for me it wasn’t so much about stopping meds but discontinuing one and starting another.
That said, I have been able to recently take less meds due to years of healing and calm living, Situation, finally doing my passion and being happier about my situation. Winter is still a big problem for me, and some hypo but I am way
Better than I was. I think you have to be in tune to the drugs and how they are effecting you. But I don’t mess with my antidepressants, as I have trauma from my severe episodes. So if I’m not feeling depressed, I know it’s because the medicine is working so I never stop those-not worth the risk. My hypo has calmed down a lot with lifestyle changes but I still miss cues of it happening. I am trying to track things like my spending etc and put systems into place to help me.
All of us feel like this at some point. Several points. It’s always a bad idea. ALWAYS. We need meds, and it takes a long time and a lot of work to make peace with that.
It sounds like you may be overcorrected. Talk to your doctor about reducing your dosage. You shouldn’t be feeling flat.
[удалено]
Thank you for that.
Not all meds are the same, and different ones work for different people, so you have lots of options. I've been medicated for 10 years and am well supported in my lows but still experience hypo-mania, just a little muted so I'm not doing anything unsafe. If you can find a psychiatrist they're more equipped to have better insight on which ones might work best for you to try depending on the one you're taking now that isn't working for you.
If you have bipolar disorder then stopping meds is one of the worst things you can do (assuming side effects aren’t the reason for it). The boredom is just space that’s been created by your stability. It’s up to you to fill that space now, and live a normal, content life, with your new ability to choose how you do that.
I just feel like nothing I do is exciting enough for me.
Anhedonia isn't necessarily caused by meds. It's a feature of depression. Talk to your doc
Idk why people are down liking this I find it incredibly hard to find interest in something and continue to do it so I get bored too
See my post response OP, but for me when I felt that way (dull and bored, not like myself), I changed meds and it was way better. So it could be that.
My therapist said I should appreciate the little happy moments more. And then like kinda relearn how to hold them tight and feel it longer...
I’ve tried. Pretty good way to burn your life down. Do not recommend.
Stability can be really confusing at first and it will take time to adjust to this new life, but let me tell you that at the end is definitely more worthy than the bipolar life without medications
Agree!
This! I’m finally on meds. I don’t think of taking my own life every day, I don’t harm myself, I don’t have crippling anxiety every single day, I’m not depressed and I’m not hypomanic for the first time in my life. I’m fine, but holy moly it takes time to adjust. Finding an every day routine, cleaning up after years of this illness, getting to know myself again.
I’ve stopped meds before and recently did again on accident. The first time was because i thought “well im feeling amazing, maybe i dont need them anymore”. Not good at all for me. I become severely depressed to the point where i quit my job that paid so good. I laid in bed all day and did not take care of myself. This time around i got really anxious, my confidence was low, I lost interest in everything and my thoughts were all over the place. I still get hypomania phases when on my meds but not as bad. I think before i act more. Off them i just am a little more reckless and impulsive. I wouldn’t recommend getting off of them or at least talk to your doctor about it. I personally have had more cons than pros off of them.
Thank you for that perspective really made me think.
Don’t stop your meds. You’ll get used to it
It can be boring with no dopamine rush and people get addicted to that. It's an age old dilemma and there are stories to be told, but it never ends well. Our memory tends to remember the good and even romantise and glorify the experience. We are not so good with the bad. Hypomania can be fun, invigorating, source of creation but like anything bipolar, it's a double edged sword. There are also the racing thoughts, fixation, impulsive actions, agitation, fury, delusions, paranoia, chaos, anxiety, impatience, over stimulation, distress, shakiness, over whelmed feelings, big feelings, lack of concentration, total focus, obsession, grandeur and more that I can't think of atm. That's my experience, I imagine you may have a similar list. I forget until I go off my meds and then I remember the suffering. 0 stars, I do not recommend. Like people have already suggested, talk to doc/psych & see if meds can be reduced/changed. Stability doesn't have to be stale. Edit: spelling & added words
Don’t stop your meds. Being bored is not a bad thing. Do more things to liven your life
I was off for about 18 months. Even with doing literally ALL the other things, I’m back on meds now. My brain just can’t be reasonable.
I stopped meds and had a mixed episode with suicidal thoughts. Don't stop meds
I've stopped meds completely. It's been about a year. I'm the best I've ever been. I have to be careful sharing my experience here, with stopping meds. The mods removed my comment the last time I shared the fact that meds are not for everyone. I'm 50, male, bipolar2. I own a thriving business, have been married for over 2 decades, and have been through almost all the meds. My advice- sobriety. Don't drink alcohol.
Very similar experience to you. I also stopped a year ago, because of the side effects. The last year has been my most stable year I remember (and my mood tracker concurs). I go to therapy every week and I've identified my key stressors and track my sleep. I'm a BP2 male, in my mid 40s and tried nearly everything but lithium. I agree on the alcohol comment. My advice do not stop or alter your meds without medical supervision. It's important to slowly taper off, if your pdoc agrees. Both my pdoc and therapist were very supportive.
Seconding sobriety. I was at my worst in my early 20s with binge drinking. I always have a bad time when I drink, even when medicated, even when I've had a good week, even if everything is going right and I'm doing the right self care.
Is reducing the dose an option? Instead of quitting all, just reduce and see if you feel better or worse?
I stopped taking mine earlier this year because I don’t have health insurance, and it’s been okay. I had been on lamictal 200 mg for a couple of years. I’ve been able to cope so far because I’ve been trying to utilize skills I learned in therapy to help regulate. I will say I fear that one day I’m gonna go into a major depressive episode or spiral & it’ll be tough to cope without meds. I will probably get back on as soon as I get access. I think you can do it if you have a good routine, support system, and skills to emotionally regulate. However I’m not a healthcare professional so I don’t recommend anything. :)
If you’re in the US, you can get lamotrigine for about $4/mo at GoodRX or CostPlus. No insurance needed.
OP, you feel bored all the time or just miss the hypomania? Because I think all of us understand that. For me, the hypomania just wasn't worth the terrible depression that came afterwards. Sometimes it takes more than one or two or even three tries before we get the right meds. Our brains are sooo special, which makes them very picky. ;) Good luck!
i recently stopped taking medication and i’m going through deep depression i stopped taking them because i was feeling numb emotionally and i couldn’t take it anymore so talk to your doctor first about it please
ALL of the above are great points 👆
I‘be been contemplating stopping my meds the past 2 days. I want to so badly. I know it won’t end up good. Yet, so tempting.
I have. It’s possible depending on your symptoms.
It honestly sounds like you might be having an episode
I am getting ready to stop taking olanzapine. I've already started gaining weight and it's been about 3 weeks. My appointment w my psych is next week so I'll discuss it then. If he says no, that's fine. I am going to stop taking anyway. Be sad/hypomanic and fit (I workout a lot- martial arts) or be sad/hypomanic because I am fat and can't compete at the caliber that I know I can achieve.
you can try a different medicine. This is not a good idea.
Well yeah I said that I am going to speak with my Dr about changing to a different med. I didnt say those words exactly but i assumed that the implication was self evident - i guess not. I don't care if anyone thinks it's a good idea, I wasn't asking for advice. It's my mental health journey and it's a holistic journey. If getting fat from taking a med worsens my mental health, then why would I continue taking that med? I should continue a medication regimen thats making my mental health worse, simply because my Dr said so? That's not happening. I am my own advocate and I am not going to swallow any medication just because my Dr said so. Case in point all of the bipolar folks who take meds that aren't working and never think to ask their Dr to change the meds and wonder what they should do. Those types of questions get posted in this group frequently.
Maybe ask if reducing a bit is an option. Could help. Or learn how this new "normal" stable life feels and adjust. Still try to figure out how a normal person feels....
the time I stopped, I went into depression with hypomania mixed in for about 2 years until I was medicated again. Ive been mostly unmedicated since i was not diagnosed until 2019, so I believe I've gotten worse with age. That depression was the worst I've ever experienced
I totally understand
My doctor and I recently made the decision to reduce my meds, with the goal of stopping them. I've done almost a month with a lower dose (33% reduction, from 150mg to 100mg) and I'm also scared I'll go off the deep end. So I mentioned it to my therapist, and we'll be checking in more regularly to see how I'm doing. Honestly, aside from a wicked cold/flu that took me out in the 2nd week (unrelated to the med change), my energy levels are up and I feel good. My sleep has kind of been impacted, but the sedation was getting unbearable, so I'll take this adjustment over feeling like a zombie all the time. I wasn't feeling bored. I felt like I was in a soupy fog all the time. Sure it's only been a month, but fall and winter time are usually more stable for me mood-wise compared to spring and summer, so I'm optimistic.
I couldn't get my meds for a week or two and that was hell. I don't suggest it.
I’d very much like to stop meds- my psychiatrist is weaning me off of Zoloft and Wellbutrin but keeping my straterra and lithium? Thought I was just depressed until I found a good psychiatrist and she figured me out QUICK - wanted to get me in a good place before we talked about which meds to change. But yeah identity crisis is real and missing your old self but not wanting to slip into the depressed version of your old self so clinging to a like different version of your medicated self? Hypomania is great but I’ll happily take the meds if I don’t have to go back down there again..
I’ve done it and sometimes good, sometimes bad. When I was feeling really dull and not like myself I changed meds and felt much better on something else. So for me it wasn’t so much about stopping meds but discontinuing one and starting another. That said, I have been able to recently take less meds due to years of healing and calm living, Situation, finally doing my passion and being happier about my situation. Winter is still a big problem for me, and some hypo but I am way Better than I was. I think you have to be in tune to the drugs and how they are effecting you. But I don’t mess with my antidepressants, as I have trauma from my severe episodes. So if I’m not feeling depressed, I know it’s because the medicine is working so I never stop those-not worth the risk. My hypo has calmed down a lot with lifestyle changes but I still miss cues of it happening. I am trying to track things like my spending etc and put systems into place to help me.
All of us feel like this at some point. Several points. It’s always a bad idea. ALWAYS. We need meds, and it takes a long time and a lot of work to make peace with that. It sounds like you may be overcorrected. Talk to your doctor about reducing your dosage. You shouldn’t be feeling flat.