I too have recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorer (type 1) by multiple psychiatrists. I am 20 years of age and can relate to you with never feeling up whatsoever. I have had chronic depression from around the time of my early teen years.

The only manic episode I have had was induced from an anti depressant and put me in the emergency psychiatric center. Since then I have tried lamictal (lamotrigine), ativan, lithium, and trazadone. I hated the side effects from both the lamotrigine and lithium so I stopped taking those.

The only thing I am still taking is trazadone to help me fall asleep.

I really have no felt great since I can remember and have questioned my diagnosis many times. It seems that it is most likely correct due to family members sharing the mental illness genes, but I still haven't found a medication that works. I find it really hard to juggle finding a med while going to college.

Let me know if you find anything that works and i'll do the same.