Well smiles4you this is probably a topic best discussed in another thread but I don't want to leave you hanging. You seem to have had a diagnosis longer than I have but my advice is to see a different doctor (if that resource is available to you) and talk about what your options might be given your negative experiences with meds before. It sounds like not being on meds at all is not working but there may be some other options to explore, or some middle ground to find. Best of luck to you

Anyway--back on topic. I'm bipolar II and had been searching for the right meds to control my anxiety disorder and my depression for about two years until a severe depressive episode landed me in the hospital (voluntarily) for suicidal ideation/thoughts of self injury a year ago. They diagnosed me and put me on lithium right away, and I've been searching for the right balance of meds ever since.

I'm currently on a cocktail of several different mood stabilizers plus a couple others: Lithium, Lamictal, Neurontin, Inderal (anxiety), and Lunesta (sleep). Seems to be working sort of well right now but I've been having memory problems and might have to change something.