I was about 12 when my illness really started to kick in. I wasn't medicated or even seeing a therapist until I was 28 years old. My advice to you, from a BP kid who struggled all through middle school and well into high school, is try to deal with the illness first and foremost. (It didn't help my case in junior high or high school that I had teachers who were very condescending and parents who were in denial about my mental state.)

I think that lowering the number of classes or whatever is fine until you guys get his illness under better control. There is always summer school (or intersessions in year round classes) to play catch up later on.

I think it is great that your son has you, an understanding person, as a parent. I never had that until recently when I came out to my parents about why I was in treatment. But when I was 15 or so, I came to my mom and asked her to see a mental health professional about my issues but was told, "you're fine." So the fact that you are right there with your son is great!

Don't worry too much about academics right now. Worry about his treatment plan and let him be a kid and allow him to do as much school work as he feels he can. Pushing a kid of any age too hard and making college expectations of them at such a young age is not good for any kid. It will only add stress to their young lives and stress can only add to the hell of BP. College; that comes later. In time, I am certain your son will find something he is passionate enough about to pursue a career in it with great interest, but for now, focus on treatment of his BP the best you can because, regardless of how much or how little academic activity he is involved in, school and life are much easier when you are as close to stable as possible. I didn't really get my life together until I started treatment. Treatment is what allowed me to go back to school (in a certificate program) and has allowed me to enjoy life more and manage stress better.

I'm sorry his pdoc sucks. I can only imagine having a crappy pdoc and not really being able to switch, so, I cannot really offer any advice on that front. But I do hope everything works out for the better for you and your son.