Sorry to hear about your pain, mom2boys. Finding the proper medication that results in the best treatment for you is a long, hard process. This past year, all of my p-doc visits resulted in some type of change to my medication. On my insurance paperwork, he submits my condition categorized as "moderate" (it falls exactly in the middle of the categories he can select).

I am closer than I've ever been to having an optimal medication plan- but I still experience hypomania- and it is something where I've had to learn to realize from the on-set that it's not good and search for ways that I can mentally level myself and have a "planned crash."

From reading what you've written- it sounds like there is a lot for you to benefit by adding a therapist to your treatment mix. It'll help you gain a better understanding of your emotions & how it affects your health, give you some insight on how to strengthen your relationships, as well as ways that you can better cope when you start to have BP symptoms.

Keep fighting! You are doing all of the right things to get the best long-term treatment plan in place- try not let the tendency to have self-doubt get in the way.