azalea82 was right on the mark.Some meds get under the symptoms and others work to bring you to a more confort zone.Get use to the terms you will hear them a lot.I hope you have a good doctor and not a general practioner.Bi-Polar is complex to say the least.Feel free to go to my sight if you have more personal questions.Be Blessed
Mood stabilizers are the standard treatment for bipolar. There are many options for mood stabiliziers; some work from the bottom up and others from the top down. Perhaps you just haven't found one that works well for you.