Doctors often prescribe Valproate when you suffer from bipolar disorder and also have kidney problems.
Because Lithium can affect your kidney adversely, you can take Valproate as the medication of choice.
Valproate can be very helpful in either mania or depression, but often it is better in dealing with manias.
In Europe, Carbamazepine is extremely popular for the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Again, it is a medication that works best for dealing with the manic phase of the disorder, and not as good for depression.
As can be expected, it has not yet received global approval.
But who knows - it might, in the not too distant future, especially if it can be further improved upon.
Indeed, the reality is that in treating the disorder, you have to be very careful with your medications.
Since the treatment of mania alone can cause you to slip into depression, and the treatment of depression alone can trigger off mania or a rapid-cycling manic-depression, you have to see that you get the best medication all the time.
Speaking to a qualified psychoanalyst may just be your best shot at treating the syndrome.
By and by, you are going to have to blend your bipolar disorder medications with a better grip on your mental state and thought processes, a better feeding diet, and a lot more exercise than you are doing already.
Moreover, if you are going to take any drug as medication for bipolar-disorder, it is advisable that you talk to your doctor first.
This is very important so as to avoid any side effects that may come with the drugs.