Posted by creepy on December 27, 2010, at 14:03:38
In reply to Going Off Meds - Possible Misdiagnosis Of Bipolar, posted by BearNCrow on December 22, 2010, at 22:13:32
If you have had hypomanic symptoms without a medication contributing to them that greatly increases the odds its bipolar.
There are other illnesses that can mimic hypomania (like PTSD hyperarousal) and its hard to pick them apart. This is where a second opinion is valuable.
If you do have hypomanic episodes you will probably want to be on something. It doesnt necessarily need to be lithium or a drug that needs blood tests.
That you got sick wasnt lithiums fault, blood levels will change and you need regular tests and dose adjustments to keep it at therapeutic (versus toxic) level.
Be very careful in dropping lithium.. if your symptoms return you may need someone to keep an eye on you, preferably your doc.
Ever considered lamictal? Not very powerful against mania but its usually good on depression.
poster:creepy
thread:974354
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101218/msgs/974890.html