The goal is to get a med combination that keeps you level without constant additions and subtractions. In the beginning it can feel constant but eventually your doctor will have a better awareness of what works for you. I think it's common to have a mood stabilizer and/or AP with an AD and sometimes it takes more than one med in one or more of those groups to work. Sometimes you'll have a med that the dose changes a bit with how you are doing. My AD is like that; right now I've had depression and the dose is at the top but it will be backed down in a month or so when the depression is gone because it's not good to not have the ability to adjust it. On the other hand my AP is a middle dose and adjustments are easier although we try to stay where I am because of side effects.