Yikes, Double Edged. Sounds like you have a lot going on. To really ease yourself into the medication- here are some things you might be able to do that will help:

A). Limit your decisions. Academia is one of the most unstructured lifestyles there is. Build out your schedule as much as you can- designate specific time blocks for paper writing, grocery shopping, getting yourself to sleep, getting yourself up, studying for classes, when you eat. The more predictable and the more stability you can bring to your life while undergoing to the medication change will pay off in six months. Re-reading it, it sounds incredibly dull but just remember- you have a LOT going on right now.

B). Practice mood charting. Start to be able to pinpoint triggers that bring out strong feelings (either depression or mania)- and start to reflect and figure out how you can alleviate it.

C). Google "mindfulness"- you'll get some really neat articles about how to enjoy just being in the moment and slow your mind done. It doesn't require any adherence to a particular faith- they are just good meditation exercises.

Hope this helps! It will get better.