Hello -- I'm back!

My diagnosis is Bipolar II disorder. I have had it since childhood. I didn't get any meaningful help until I was in my 50s. I am now in my early 80s, and have been stable on medication for nearly 30 years. But I am considering telling my psychiatrist that I want to spend the next two years tapering off all my bipolar meds. The reason is, I used to have mystical/ecstatic experiences, but since medication, I do not have these anymore. I have joined a spiritual practice, and want to know God, and be able to pray sincerely. This is not a cult -- it doesn't have "one person" as leader, nor does it ask me for a lot of money. But I feel like I'm not able to pray sincerely because of the dulled emotions from my medication.

Is there anyone here who has successfully (with professional help, gradually) gotten off their meds?

I mean, I won’t say I successfully got off meds, but I learned while yes, I am very much bipolar, my bipolar is relatively tame compared to the severity of my CPTSD symptoms (or if you go by DSM and don’t believe CPTSD is it’s own beast, then the severity of the BPD, PTSD, ADHD, anorexia, and SUD in my charts to explain the very same symptoms).

I haven’t been on something considered a mood stabilizer in a few months, but have taken my Clonidine (for anxiety/sleep/ADHD stuff) and sporadically my Adderall (off it I’m emotionally dysregulated and chaotic to a dangerous point, and on it I have continued the weight loss trend I started months before trying it so on it they worry about the appetite suppressant effect so have skipped many doses to see if my trauma-induced eating disorder will be cured by stopping a med I started after relapsing). I have PRN diazepam I mainly use for sleep or HI/intense active SI.

If I sleep all is somewhat okay in the bipolar sense. I have had times this combo or not using this combo right has led to sleep issues that led to bipolar symptoms emerging, but out of the past 4 hospitalizations I’ve had (according to them) none of them were for bipolar episodes.

Welcome back.

I've never successfully been off meds. Just IP unfortunately when I tried to go med free. Didn't end well.

Well, I can't even get off one of my meds without disastrous results, let alone all of them (and I've tried at least five of them now), so for me no.

I'm soon going to be off medication as soon as my shot wears out. Not looking forward to it.

I haven't tried it and right now I'm at a good point of stability and really wouldn't want to try it. Without meds, I'm either nearly suicidal or flying sky high, and either way the aftermath has been disasterous. I don't think either my husband or daughter would be okay with my going off meds at this point.

There is no way I would be able to stop taking my meds, especially antipsychotics.

When manic, especially before I was diagnosed and started meds, I also get mystical/ecstatic experiences. But, these have led me to horrible decisions that (when stable) showed me these were nothing more than my brain leading me in the wrong direction. It was an adjustment, and sometimes still is, to not have these be a regular part of my prayer life, but I'm glad they're gone so I know my prayer life is sincere and not just a figment of my bipolar disorder.

Thank you all for sharing your very bad experiences with trying to get off meds. Another reason I want to get off gradually is that in the USA the chances are the the administration will cut off Medicare and Medicaid, and I'd be forced to quit them all at once.

The drug companies have assistance programs if that happens. You can also look how much your medication and change to the $4-10 list of medication Costco has good prices. I'm scared of that too, my medication for a month is close to $5k.My back up is about $50 still a lot for me but more doable. My husbands heart failure meds are more expensive and can not be changed. But if that is your main reason look through the walmart discount list of meds and try switching to them.

Thank you, Victoria'smom. I had forgotten that the drug companies have ways to get less expensive medications. I am hoping to get off the meds completely.

I'm all for no/little meds and hope you can do it. Remember to keep a schedule and eat as healthy as you can. Good luck, we're here if you need to vent or anything while getting off them.

Thank you, Victoria'smom. I'm hoping I can do it, because when my bipolar (former diagnosis) was bad, I was in situations where I was in abusive relationships. For years now, I have had no abusive relationships. So I am feeling very hopeful. I've also taken up a new spiritual path, and do meditation several times a day. I never used to be able to do meditation, but now it is wonderful for me.