Hi, Rob!!!!!!

Welcome to the world of Bipolar Disorder!!!!

My story is nothing like yours. But the result is the same in one respect. I lost my 'real life' too, and am now consigned to .... to .... to whatever the Hell THIS is!!!!

I'm sorry that you have gone through all the things that you have. And that you're still having to deal with messages.

There's so many meds out there. I hope that you can find something besides Seroquel that will do a better job with fewer side effects.

I hope that, as time goes on, your 'new' life will consist of more and better things than just feeling regret for the life that you used to have.

It can take a long, long time to find just the right med cocktail, sometimes.

You're never going to get your 'pre-manic depressive life back, but you very well MIGHT get to a much, much better place than you are right now!!! This is NOT as 'good as it's gonna get'.
If you are extremely unhappy with the quality of your life right now, be sure you stress that to your Pdoc. I guess if it came down to getting messages or feeling over-sedated, I'd choose the sedation -- but I doubt that those are the only two options!!!
There are so many more drugs out there!!! I hope you find one that works better for you. (((((Hugs)))))