The right medications?

How do you know when you're on the right medications? I've been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder for over a year now and I've pretty much stayed on the same meds. My manic and depressive stages aren't so drastic, but I still have them. Sometimes I think that's all the medicine is supposed to do.

Right now I have this incredible urge to just go drive far away (which isn't possible with my work schedule)... I feel like there's something else I should be doing, like no matter what I'm wasting my time. My friends invite me to go places but I turn them down because I feel like it'll interfere with my everything I had planned. I end up usually doing nothing because I forget what I wanted to do in the first place. Then I feel sorry for myself for being alone with nothing to do. I've also been living on 2 hours of sleep per night.

Normally I would have an appointment once every month. I just switched jobs and I don't have insurance right now, so as a favor, I was told I only have to schedule appointments if its absolutely necessary, to cut down on the money spent.  The medicine HAS helped a little bit, and I've already tried stronger doses and it made me too "out of it". Should I just deal with it?.... Or should I go ahead and spend the cash and see if there's something better?