Hi ABaker -

I have been bi-polar most of my life although I did not know it and was not diagnosed as such until my late 40's.  I felt like I was my life was a pendulum.  I was either swinging from one up down to the bottom to another high.  The problem was I never stayed very long at any one place, and that did not help me in social situations - make friends, or feel like I belonged anywhere.  When I was younger my mood swings were pretty rapid but as I got older, like a grandfather clock winding down I tended to stay at the bottom longer, and my depressions got deeper and deeper, and I stayed there longer and longer, and it became more evident to the people around me that something was wrong.  That is how I eventually got some help. Prior to that the highs were so high and jolly, and I was enjoying them so much, and they did not last long enough to do any real harm to me or others, no one noticed.  Now if I go into a manic phase it lasts for quite a while, and it can do quite a bit of damage to me, and others, and has to be caught early.  Lucky for me I have some good people around me who recognize the signs and will call my psychiatrist and let him know immediately that my meds have to be changed. 

Now to answer your question.  I hated Lithium.  It made me see double, and feel worse so I got off it right away.  I did not have a good experience with Lamotrigine either.  Since I have a lot of other complications besides bi-polar, I have worked very hard with my doc to find a med that will keep the cycling down to a minimun and keep my moods stable as much as possible and work with all the other meds I have to take for migraines, PTSD, and depression - all of which are related to the migraine disease, but are not caused by it.  They are just typically comorbid issues seen with migraine disease.  I would check with your doctor, and look at your entire health situation and make sure that there are not any other lurking neurological issues hanging around that are complicating the bi-polar disease. Often one comes with another.  This is not a medical opinion it just comes from a lot of reading and listening to other people's stories.  

It is worth talking to your doctor about.  I don't know what kind of doctor you are seeing, but if it is not a psychiatrist who specializes in bi-polar disorder, then switch to one immediately.  They will be up on all the medications that are used for this disorder off lable.  There are many many meds developed for one thing that have been found to be useful for something else, and a psych doc who specializes in bi-polar will know this, a PCP won't.  It may take you a while to find one, and get an app't, and you may have to fight your insurance to pay for it, but it will be worth it.  Every person is different and what works me may not work for you.  

Keep educating youself, and find a doc that will work with you as a partner.  It is importan than your doc is not someone who tells you what to do, and won't listen to you.  These people you don't want to see more than once.  When you find a good doc, keep him/her and work with them until you find the meds that work.  It is a bit of a haul, but you will eventually get answers.  

There are also clinics around that may help.  I don't know them because this was never my main problem, but I am sure there are.  This site is a good one, and there is a lot of information on it, so be sure to read everything. 

Good luck, and let us know how you are doing.  Sorry I was so verbose on all this.