How many meds have you tried before finding the one?

For a few years I was diagnosed with depression and took escitalopram. But after mixed episode, this autumn diagnoses changed to BP2.

I was hospitalized 3 times and tried escitalopram, agomelatine, sertraline, fluoxetine, lithium and small dose of mirtazapine.

What worked very well was lithium. But none of antidepressants worked as supposed to and only made me feel worse. So, my doc. advised to stop antidepressant cold turkey (fluoxetine, that I took for 2,5 weeks) and stay only on lithium.

It’s been 20 days with no fluoxetine. At first I was feeling a lot better, but for the last few days I’ve been feeling out of it, slightly depressed and apathetic.

I’m just so tired from med changes and waiting for weeks to see what works and what not. It’s been 5 months. I’m unable to work and that depresses me even more.

Please, share, how long did it take to find the right meds? How many have you tried?