I can write more later, because I have to go work. Most care centers for mental illness have a psychiatrist working in conjunction with a therapist. Mine does. I see the psyc. for meds and my therapist for everything else. She helps me stay on the right track with the illness and helps me w/ life stuff. I will write more later, but wanted to give you that line of advice! I am on Lithium, BTW and never have had a problem thus far.
I was diagnosed when I was 14 but doctors had their different opinions. I do have a psychiatrist, but I never talk during my sessions, so I don't see how it is helping me. I was in the mental hospital for a little while, when I was 18, they told me I was not bipolar when I first went in there, and not too long after they told me I am bipolar, and I have BPD. I have always refused the lithium because anyone I know who has taken it has told me it was a very bad experience. I do get very manic when I am on an antidepressant alone. I get lazy and zombyish when I am on all the meds they want me on. But if I take no meds I feel like a normal person, but with more mood swings, some manic episodes, not that often, and some depression episodes, but not too often. Without the meds I atleast feel I have the energy on some days to clean, and cook, other days I don't feel like even getting out of bed. But when I was on the meds, I just sat around all of the time not wanting to do anything, not depressed, but lazy and tired as hell. I have been through a lot for someone my age, and i take that into consideration for myself. I brought it up when I first saw my psychiatrist, just like I have with all of the others, but he doesn't really bring any of my past situations up, which I kind of prefer. But he doesn't really bring anything up, spends more time asking me about the meds, I really don't like talking about my problems, I am better at writing them out. I get really stressed out when I have to go to the psychiatrist, always have, so I make my visits as few and as short as I can.
I would also suggest a new dr.
I also agree with the Effexor being a horrendous drug! Apparently some ppl do have really good luck with it though. Personally I will never get near the stuff again.
In my opinion, being un-medicated with bipolar sucks big time. I still feel bad a lot on meds, but much much better than w/o. When were you actually diagnosed bipolar? I was started on Lithium and then they tried 10 different other meds to work with it. Well that did not work and I ended up in the hospital. They started me on Wellbutrin in there and it is helping alot. Most anti depressents will make you manic w/o a mood stablizer in place first. Have you found a good psychiatrist yet? That makes all the difference. I went through a few myself to find a really good one. Hope this helps some!