I think you mentioned you take lithium and lamictal? Why did you go off the lithium in the first place? Also WE ARE BOTH LUCKY if at the end of this we can both say we were off meds with no consequence.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest people who go off meds suffer permanent consequence- usually because either their bipolar gets worse, or the the same med doesn't work as well the second time around.
I will be lucky if I can say I and beat those 2 above scenarios. Really fucking lucky.