Bipolar Depression

Diagnosed bipolar at 48 and 50 now... I have had a normal, successful and great life minus two severe depressions 1 year apart. Im on Lamictal and Wellbutrion. I feel great now for the most part but never want to go down again. Question: do I have to really take meds the rest of my life? Is there a magic cure (cognitive therapy, holistic medicine, etc) that I can try.

Rock,
My husband just got put on Lamictal and Wellbutrin yesterday and I want to thank you for your post, not that he will have the same outcome as you but it is nice to hear that someone has had great success with these two drugs. I guess coming from someone that takes heart medication for life, if it works why question if it is for life, just enjoy and go with it. A dietbetic has to take insulin for life, I take heart meds for life. I dont know if taking two meds for life is such a bad thing.
I wish you good luck and thanks for the words of encouragement even though you didnt know you would be encouraging. One more question, when you started taking the meds how long was it before you noiticed a difference?
Baby

Sadly I do think it will be medicine for the rest of our lives. I'm BP also been on meds for four years now. I hope for a miracle cure and dream that one day I can just be me even without medicine. I doubt it will be in my lifetime though.

Rock,

If you have only had depressions, how do you know you are BP? So you have had NO mania, or hypomania episodes? If you don't have any "highs" maybe you are just prone to depression?

Just curious. I think that sometimes shrinks use BP as a "catch-all" diagnosis because it's "trendy" at the moment. And, it allows them to throw some meds at the patient and "fix" the problem.