I totally agree with you. Look at most people here having major episodes while on meds, and the episodes often continue despite med changes. I want off meds but both my T and pdoc say no. At the moment I have a new pdoc so I am giving him a chance to stabilise me but have little hope. I do have stable periods and if i find one long enough most of the meds are going to the pharmacy. However, last time I went off meds I was fine for a couple of months and was then hit by a series of increasingly severe mixed episodes so I went back on them.

To add to the conversation another horrible thing about bipolar is the inability to know when the episode will hit. For example; I want to go to the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, for a holiday in July but am scared to commit as I could be really sick at the time.