I still take quite a few medications, but fewer than the OP. At one point I took more, especially if supplements are counted. I did almost always manage to get my pill boxes right, but the following became too distressing psychologically:

1. Going to the pharmacy and dealing with mail order prescriptions.

2. Just looking at the heaps of pills in my hand and thinking how I possibly got to that point of "sickness".

3. Taking meds 4 times per day and often forgetting two of my doses (usually my morning Synthroid and afternoon med -- I was more reliable taking my breakfast and evening meds).

I just HAD to simplify! I started with the supplements. I asked myself "Which ones clearly do zip?" My answer? Most of them, so I stopped those and only kept a couple. Strange thing was that some reasons I took them improved more AFTER I stopped them. Good riddance!

Another question (to my psychiatrist): Can I please start taking meds A & B's afternoon doses divided as add-ons to meds A & B's morning and evening doses? Answer-- Yes. And I experienced no ill affects from doing so. That totally eliminated the need for afternoon pills, which I often forgot anyway. In the end, I was taking my full daily doses of those meds more reliably.

A question for GP: Can I please take my Synthroid with my breakfast meds instead of 30 mins plus before, which made me often forget the Synthroid? Answer: Well, ideally it should be taken on an empty stomach, but give it a try and we'll see if that affects your TSH level. In my case, it didn't. Hooray! Gone was that extra dose. Now I only take meds twice per day and rarely forget them.

Sometimes you need to ask if a med (or two) really is necessary or if raising another could allow for an elimination (or two) without sacrificing stability or bringing on or worsening side effects. In my case, my psychiatrist and I were able to eliminate Lithium (which was affecting my kidneys) and Geodon (which gave me wicked akathisia and whose elimination was compensated for by increased Seroquel XR, a relatively friendly med for me).

Currently, I take 2 anticonvulsant moodstabilizers, one antipsychotic, 1 benzo, another benzo prn, a beta blocker, Synthroid, a multivitamin, and an iron supplement (during my period). Still a lot, but much less than before.