Hey, welcome. I too was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder not long ago. I also have had it most of my life in a weaker form, but it went misdiagnosed as unipolar depression.
It's good that you have a psych and therapist, great start for anyone who is having serious mental issues. My only concern is that your doctor and therapist agreed to not try anymore meds. Of course, I can't justifiably question your doctors, but I'm sure it's common knowledge that Bipolar patients need medication, considering it's an organic disorder rooted physically into the brain, and it can't be controlled completely by therapy singularly. Meds are normally used as your first line of treatment, next would be some sort of therapy. I'd be concerned about the meds personally, but it's your doctors and also your situation [which I don't know much about, really]. Only you can make the judgement. I'd be suspicious though.
I know you also said the medications you've tried irritated your stomach problems. I have IBS [primarily nausea, a weird uncommon symptom], and I know Lithium tore my stomach up. Not long after I would take a dose, I would get pretty severe stomach pain and burning, on top of that a good deal of nausea. My doc switched me to Lithobid though. Lithobid is another form of Lithium Carbonate. The medication is the same, the fillers are different [I believe that's how it goes]. I've had no problems since. Perhaps it would be a nice direction? Lithium is kind of the staple drug, cheap, mostly effective, few side effects.
The other mood stabilizers can get kinda messy though. Lamictal is pretty good if you have coexisting depression. I'm on both Lithobid and Lamictal at the moment [add to that Neurontin], and I'm doing pretty good. No manias at least, occasional depressive episode. Meds work differently for everyone, and also suggesting meds to a doc doesn't always work. It just sucks that it sounds like they are blowingg your treatment.
But yeah, glad your here. Hope you like it. Hope you get the help you need.
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