Bipolar Type II Support Group

I decided a few weeks ago, after the last aggravating experience with the office of my 3rd p-doc I've had in the past 2 and a half years, that I'm going to make a huge change. Please know that I'm not promoting this to anyone and I know it may seem foolish to all, but wanted to tell this anyway.

To start with, I've been trying to find the right meds/p-doc/and counselor for the last 2 and a half years, to absolutely no avail. I am not a hard to please person, I don't expect too much nor am I unrealistic about healthcare, I'm a nurse and know how it is. However I cannot get any satisfaction and often lose my respect for my p-docs, the treatment, or the whole mental health "thing." My meds, well either they work for awhile, then they stop working, or never work, or they have horrible side effects. I get very little help from counseling.

So, since I'm spending an outrageous amount of time and money driving the hour to -p-doc (can't get closer), meds that don't work, I've decided that I would rather deal with what I have minus all the crap I've had to deal with. Nothing helps with treatment, so I'm just going to spend less money and not have horrible side effects and be broke.

I have weaned myself off all but one med so far and have about 2 weeks to go with it. canceled my appts and I'm surprised to be feeling very well so far. I know time will tell, but this is a risk I am willing to take. I've talked to my husband about this and he wants me to do what I feel is best. I just told him to please support me and watch me and work with me through this.

I also can't read much about this disorder here because if I do I want to focus on it all the time and for me, If I feel good, it does not help me to talk about the disorder, only makes me start ruminating over it. So I may not be here much anymore, but will check in from time to to time.

Again, I do NOT suggest anyone do what I'm doing. Just wanted to let you all know where I'm at, and where I'm trying to go. Please wish me success.

Hey,

Maybe this is a good thing. I'm weaning off seroquel and still feel good. I sleep a lot less though but i'm much more in touch with my emotions (sometimes a good thing, sometimes a bad thing). I work-out a lot and eat really healthy and I find that that makes a huge difference in my wellbeing.

I often think that all the meds can only do so much and lifestyle changes and attitude changes are the main key. Our type of meds aren't like antibiotics where you can just sit back and watch the magic work. Our type only 'help' and only so much.

Good luck with your quest

I don't want to say that I totally agree with what you are doing, but I definitely understand why you are doing it. I wish you much success in this endeavor and would only ask that you make sure someone close to you is looking out for you and will alert you to mood issues that may arise (sounds like it would be your hubby). I am sorry you won't be around much anymore, but I know what you are saying about reading posts here and ruminating. That makes total sense. Anyway, I hope you feel well during this transition. One other piece of advice... I know unsolicited, but important... try and chart your moods. I think this is the only way to truly see how you are doing during this time. If you are doing ok... sleep, mood (relative to baseline), etc. then what you are doing is working. If not, please, please try and find another pdoc so you can get help (by the way, I use Moodtracker.com to chart my moods). We will miss you very much. Please drop in occasionally and update us on your progress. Best of luck.

Hugs,

Susan

I agree with redphoenix on what she was saying. It's scary going off meds for a variety of reasons. I hope that your husband supports you and that you keep a mood chart.

i think that you can make positive changes in your lifestyle (not that i'm doing anything!) that will make it possible to take a lower dose or lesser amounts of meds. as someone who has only recently started treatment...there is nothing that would make me want to feel as bad as i did before a mood stabilizer. i hope that i will always remember just how sick i was, relationships ruined, career lost.

i support everyone's rights to stop treatment. i wish you the absolute best. please use caution and take good care of yourself.

Ditto to all the good advice posted by others. Good luck dagny and I hope you'll drop in on occasion and let us know how you'e doing. You'll be missed.

Thank you all for your support even though what I'm doing might not be thought of as being the best for me. It's just the only thing I know to do at this point. I'm still doing absolutely fine. Still having some mild brain zaps from weaning off the Effexor (going off Effexor was a p-doc instructed thing to do) and have gotten off my last psych med a few days ago (weaned Depakote) and so far I'm really good. I will keep a mood tracker and is a good idea. I so want this to work.

One thing that did me a world of good was to go ahead and clean out and redecorate my youngest daughter's room. She went off to college 3 years ago and I kept it the same for when she came home. Now that she's in medical school, I know she won't be back except to visit once in awhile so I redecorated, put away her awards and sentimental things, threw some things away, and gave away others. This helped me work through my empty nest syndrome I've been dealing with for three years now. Time to put away the little girl things and move on.

Again, thanks everyone and I will always visit you all because you all have helped me so much. What I'm doing may not even work (I hope it does) but I know you will all accept me anyway.

I am weaning myself off oof Paxil and it has been real hard because of the withdraw symptoms. My doc said it will take a long time to do It but I think it is doin me more harm than good. Goodluck to ya.

When they decided to take me off Prisiq, they weaned too. Even after that, I was still getting "brain zaps".