Why dont any of these psych meds work for me?

[DeserttGuy]

I am male 41 years old with bi polar disorder. I have been on a lot of different meds in the last 10 years. Geodon and topamax were the worst. Both made me suicidal and a completely different person--rage ,throwing things, severely depressed to the point that I couldn't get out of bed. Now I am on lexapro (which I have been on for years) 20mg , Wellbutrin ( my new psychiatrist just upped me to 450 mg), temezapam 15 mg. I am also tapering off of lamictal 250 mg. this new psych typed in a bunch of stuff into his computer and then said that he didn't think I was bi polar thus reducing lamictal.  After all of these years of doctors telling me I am bi polar, this seems strange to me. None of these meds or any combination of them have made me feel any better. If anything I feel worse than 10 years ago and I have gone through some real traumatic side effects from some of them. Is it time to stop the meds?  Is it just putting chemicals into my body for no reason?  I am kind of scared to try yet a different set of meds.   Any advice?

[helplogan]

I have a really long list of the medications I have taken for rapid cycling bi bi-polar disorder, when your doctor says ' you know how each medication works each section of your illness a lot better than I ever can ' worry, she's really after a holiday really  :-D
All jokes aside , my key word in this would have to be combination, in bi-polar disorder depending on your diagnosis can be as important as the diagnosis.
My illness has a mood stabilizer to treat the mania,  a moodstabiliser for help with depression because like alot of people with bipolar I can't take antidepressants!  I take an antipsychotic and when I have to an anxiety Medication to help with anxiety and panics. I also take Modafinil for ADHD as using a frontline medication that would normally be prescribed can't be used in my case. We improvised a little, it helps
I take these constantly as I rapid cycle around every couple of weeks. Treating all moodstates is, I feel paramount to someones hopefull recovery. There isn't a cure but people can have a good quality of life when under control. As I rapid cycle constantly I don't have any rest, or recovery operiods, just a part that any of my prescribed medications have been successful in treating. My medications can at times be adjusted accordingly, a good relationship with your doctor is always helpful.
Reading the above has now made me  feel like a hypochondriac, that or I know Way too much about medications and I should be worried,! Happy hunting

[DeserttGuy]

Yes I agree. I need to talk to my doctor in more detail next time. The last vist I had was as a new patient. They kind of hurried things along and by the time I knew it I was out the door.

[ILADVOCATE]

  Yes Geodon can be activating for some people. Topomax is generally used as a secondary mood stabilizer and is often of partial help and can cause mental changes. Lexapro and Wellbutrin are standard anti-depressents but anti-depressents alone wont treat bipolar and what is needed is a full mood stabilizer. Lamictal is generally helpful in this regard. However each person responds differently to each medication.  
   The most important thing is to discuss with your psychiatrist why they are changing your diagnosis. Even if a medication is causing side effects and only of partial benefit its essential to stay on it as it could still be helping and also if a person discontinues medications with other than a psychiatrist's tapering schedule withdrawal symptoms can occur. There are still other options but right now what seems to be the problem is they are trying to find out more about what they are treating and it would be worthwhile to discuss that concern with them further and note what changes you encounter on a daily basis and over time.