I wish I can just be on an AD and AP for depression and to keep mania in check. Some APs actually have antidepressant properties. However, being able to use just two meds is not the case with me. I am on a mood stabilizer to help make me stable by minimizing the frequency of mood swings. This is important. I also have significant problems with sometimes debilitating anxiety. So I am taking something for that. All APs make my hands shake, much of the time allot. I cannot function well in my life this way. So I may need to go back to a med that helps with this problem. In the past, I sometimes needed two ADs to simply function. I want to try to come off the MS to see what happens. However if I am to go back to work, I need to be functioning 100% with ideally no lapses from work and without shaking hands. We shall see.

I think it should be a goal for a person with an illness to function on a minimal amount of medication. Maybe this should be periodically reassessed for this reason. Sometimes I think I should start all over with my meds to find a combination that uses the minimal amount of meds. I do want this to happen. But the first priority is for me to functiin well enough to manage my life which will include work. Keep in mind that there is reason I am on SSDI disability for me being BP. IMO the truth is that the higher functioning BPers can function well on just a few meds. Not all of us are that fortunate.