Hi BipolarWolf. I'm happy to share my experiences with the medications you listed, but I will add that I know many people who experienced some differently than I did.

Geodon - I took this medication twice in the past. The second time was for about 6 1/2 years. I'm not really sure how much it lessened my depression (I had been depressed when I started it the second time), but it sure didn't exacerbate it. As fern46 mentioned, it can be quite sedating in the beginning. As fern also wrote, it stopped being sedating after a while. Like most, I started at a low dose, and went up. I mostly took 160 mg per day (80 mg morn/80 mg evening) for almost all of the years I was on it. It was somewhat helpful for my mania, but it eventually fell short in that respect. I needed a second antipsychotic added to tame my manic beast. As for other side effects, there were ZERO until five years in. At that point, I started to develop akathisia. The akathisia grew worse and worse. I had to stop it. Geodon is known for having difficult withdrawal symptoms when weaning off. It did for me. The akathisia did go away as I was taken off. Geodon was weight neutral for me. In fact, I had even lost 40 lbs, dieting, soon after starting it, and maintained most of that weight loss for years. I had heard of the heart issues. I never experienced them, but would recommend anyone on Geodon have annual physicals and occasional EKGs. I did.

Lamictal - When it comes to getting rid of depression, I think Lamictal is about the best moodstabilizer. When Lamictal was added to my Geodon and Lithium, about 9 years ago, my depression quickly went away after having had a year of severe depression and ECT. It was really a hero medication for me. Actually, for me, Lamictal can be a bit too activating. It's not helpful for my mania at all, so I rely on antipsychotics with it. I'm lucky that I only need 100 mg (a small dose) for the purpose it serves. I have basically ZERO side effects from 100 mg Lamictal. I had taken up to 300 mg years before. That higher dose gave me some cognitive dulling. I know people with bipolar 1 that are very well served by Lamictal, but I think it's best known as a bipolar type 2 medication. Back when I took the 300 mg, I took it only with Abilify. I ended up hospitalized with psychosis after a most delightful "honeymoon period" (elated hypomania to mania).

Seroquel - Seroquel regular and Seroquel XR have their bad points and truly great points, for me. I call them my "Do everything" medications, because they are helpful for curbing my anxiety, depression, agitation, and mania, and also help me sleep. Frankly, no other medication I have tried did all of that. Both Seroquels can be quite sedating, but like Geodon, the sedation eases over time. My mother always said "Patience is a virtue." Patience can be required to wait for your body to adjust to Seroquel. For me, it was worth it. I happen to prefer XR (extended release) over the regular release. I find the XR slightly friendlier when it comes to weight gain. Once I adjusted to the sedation effect, it was weight neutral for me up to about 500 mg. Seroquel regular was not as weight friendly, but likely because many take it twice per day. Seroquel XR is usually only taken at night. I say also that the sedation "peaks" are different. My only other gripe about Seroquel/Seroquel XR is that I think they increase my cholesterol. Other than that, they're great. They are comparatively less likely than other antipsychotics to cause akathisia (or other EPS) or hyperprolactinemia, and related issues. That big! That doesn't mean no one gets these conditions from Seroquel, but I haven't. I have been taking Seroquel XR for about 7 1/2 to 8 years now. I take regular Seroquel "as needed", but at much lower doses than my XR. Many years ago, I took regular Seroquel as a base med for about 1 year. To avoid morning "hangover", I take my Seroquel XR at 7 or 8 pm, at the latest. It used to knock me out quick, but now it takes a few hours.

Abilify - I believe Abilify is helpful at curbing depression. For many, it is great for both depression and mania control. It was not effective at controlling my mania (see Lamictal above). For that reason, I was taken off of it. I found Abilify weight friendly, but I have heard others say it wasn't for them. My sister takes Abilify and seems to like it. She is much heavier than me, even though I take Seroquel XR, a more notoriously weight unfriendly medication. [I have about 4X her energy.] I did develop akathisia from Abilify. My sister never did. I took Abilify for maybe 6 months only. My sister has taken it for years.

For my particular "flavor" of bipolar disorder type 1, I would say that my most useful medication to date has been Seroquel XR, despite its negatives. Others wouldn't say that.