Hi Fencer and
Your doc would know the best course of action for you, but I can tell you some of my experience.
I have tried numerous meds, some work well and others need to be changed or tweaked depending on what cycle I am in.
Cycling is different for everyone. I go about every 6-8 months between cycles. Some people change very very rapidly, thus the rapid cycling diags.
The roller coaster sucks and makes for a miserable ride, but if you find the right meds, the ups and downs aren't too hard to handle.
Just remember that the first part of the diag is really hard to take sometimes. For me, I was in denial for a very long time (years) and then when I started reading up on it and what the diag meant, I took it and ran with it.
Now, I am on a major down, but instead of doing what I used to do (go to hospital or run away) I am looking for a new Pdoc, calling people that might be able to help, talking here with friends and just trying to be pro-active.
Talk to your doc, tell them that you want more help understanding what diag you have, what you can do to help yourself, what resources are available and read...a lot. There is so much information out there.
I know it's hard, but keep talking here and asking questions. It has helped me so much!