Trileptal
Trileptal questions and answers
Learn more about Trileptal.
Q: trileptal???????????
i take lithium and effexor and xanax as well for bipolar and generalized anxiety disorder. i am supposed to start this new drug and i am scared to...i took respidal and ended up in the hospital..i was just wondering if anyone had ever taken this drug and if they had any effects....
A: I started originally (for mood stabilizer) on lithium, then to depakote, and eventually ended up about 6 years ago on trileptal....in addition I take lexapro (anti-depressant), seraquel, and clonazapan (generic for Klonipin). I love this trileptal as easy to adjust to.....I even asked the doctor a month ago if I could get off the trileptal as I couldn't tell it made any difference . He said "NO"....that it worked well for me. (I wouldn't want to take anything as strong as respidal either!!!!) Seroquel is as strong I can take.....some slight anti psychotic benefits......then when things get really tough I switch for a short time to zyprexa which just knocks my socks off.....as soon as possible, I go back to seroquel at night.....makes me sleep like a baby. How much trileptal will you be taking....I am down to 300 in the am and 300mg at night now. good luck.....
Q: Trileptal?
I recently was prescribed this to stabilize my mood... I'm bipolar. Just curious if anyone has ever tried it, and if so, was it effective. Were there any side effects... weight gain/loss, were you tired more or have more energy, etc. And does it help with the depression too or just the manic episodes? Serious answers only please...
A: Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) can be effective if it's the right med for you. It doesn't work for everyone but give it a chance. The dosage is titrated slowly until it's in a therapeutic range and this helps to prevent adverse effects.
As far as adverse effects the most common are fatigue, headache, dizziness, somnolence, ataxia, abnormal gait, tremor, vertigo, nystagmus, diplopia, abnormal vision, nausea, vomiting, URI and abdominal pain. A less common adverse is weight gain. It has less weight gain than some others meds used for biploar disorder.
Trileptal is used as a mood stabilizer in bipolar, so it should help to even out your moods and prevent the swings.
If you ever have questions about any medications you've been prescribed, direct your questions to the prescriber while you are still face to face. Ask about adverse effects and what to expect from the med.
Q: will Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo not work when taken with Trileptal? What are the chances of my getting pregnant?
I take Trileptal and am wondering if I can take Ortho Tri Cyclen lo with it and have the birth control work. What are my chances of getting pregnant by accident with the interaction?
A: Here is your answer, you might get pregnant using both medications
What other drugs will affect ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate?
Some drugs can make ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Before using ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
phenylbutazone (Azolid, Butazolidin);
St. John's wort;
an antibiotic;
seizure medicines such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), topiramate (Topamax), and others;
a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton); or
HIV medicines such as amprenavir (Agenerase), atazanavir (Reyataz), indinavir (Crixivan), saquinavir (Invirase), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), ritonavir (Norvir), and others.
http://www.drugs.com/Ortho_Tri-Cyclen/index.html
Q: Is it dangerous to take both Trileptal and amphetmines?
Trileptal is a mood stabilizer and amphetamines are used to treat ADHD. I plan on asking my psychiatrist but for a faster response, do you know if it is dangerous to take both of them together daily? I know Trileptal is bad when mixed with antidepressants, alcohol, etc but I can't find any information on it with amphetmines. Thanks!
A: Trileptal is a mild anticonvulsant and has an off label use in treating bipolar mania. While it's prescribed as a mood stabilizer, it's a very old drug and is less prevelant than Depakote, Lamictal and Topomax.
There are no negative interactions between trileptal and antidepressants, as they are commonly prescribed together to treat bipolar depression.
There are no negative drug interactions between Trileptal and amphetamine.
Unless you are eplieptic; you will not feel anything from taking trileptal. If you are bipolar, you may or may not feel something from trileptal.
Q: my 12 yr old son is starting on Trileptal.is there anything not listed in reactions that I should watch for?
He is now taking 1750 mg of keppra daily and 400 mg of topamax.He had a seizure last night and Doc wants to add Trileptal 150mg one half a tablet 2 times a day for 7 days then increase to 1 tablet 2 times a day.
A: Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Trileptal can reduce the sodium in your body to dangerously low levels, which can cause a life-threatening electrolyte imbalance. Contact your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, weakness, thirst, loss of appetite, headache, confusion, hallucinations, muscle pain or weakness, and/or increased or more severe seizures.
Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;
jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
fever, swollen glands, flu-like symptoms;
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
urinating less than usual or not at all; or
increased seizures.
Less serious side effects may include:
mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea;
problems with speech, balance, or coordination;
blurred vision;
mental slowness, trouble concentrating;
tremors or shaking;
dizziness, drowsiness; or
skin rash
Q: I heard the medicine trileptal is used for epilepsy. Is it also used for Bipolar Disorder?
I heard the medicine trileptal is used for epilepsy. Is it also used for Bipolar Disorder?
A: I've found that a lot of mental health meds were originally used or developed for epilepsy. When I read the inserts that come with my prescriptions several say for epilepsy. I suppose that is because they all work on brain chemistry.
Q: Can anyone tell me their experience with Trileptal in your child?
I am doing my homework about Trileptal befoe giving it to my daughter who is ten. She was prescribed this drug but I want to be sure about it before giving it.
Thanks
A: It made my son way moodier. He was six years old when he took it. He has been on everything in the book. and now he is on nothing, because it couldnt function on it. I will NEVER put him on medicine, besides his clondines to sleep. He would cry for hours, scream, hit hisself over nothing in the face. And it made him sleep, also, but he would just fight it.
Q: What can you tell me about Trileptal?
I have OCD and either Bipolar II or Major Depression. (A definitive diagnosis hasn't been made.) I take Prozac and Klonopin for the OCD and depression, but the Prozac makes me VERY hyper (which is why they think I might actually have Bipolar II). My doctor has just added Trileptal to the mix. I hear it's supposed to be good for OCD AND Bipolar, and have fewer side effects than Tegretol, which made me exhausted. Any comments? Thanks.
Hi, Sara,
My doctor, whom I actually do trust, is not sure if I'm bipolar. If I am, it's very slight bipolar triggered by Prozac.
I have SEVERE OCD and Prozac is the best drug for it, the one I have had the most success with--but it does make me hypomanic. That's why we're trying the Trileptal, to see if it will help balance me out.
Thanks for your advice.
A: As a bipolar person who spent years getting her meds sorted out, I am afraid I have a question and not an answer. Why is your doc giving you Prozac when the research shows anti-depressants like this do not help with bipolar depresssion and can trigger mania?
(If you click the link below and scroll down through the blog entries you can see about the latest evidence on this.)
The natural supplement inositol has been proven to be effective for OCD.
Finally, why not try lithium - still the gold standard for bipolar? I take it with no side efects and it has ben the only thing that has helped me - kind of obvious given its history and teh overwhelming research and evidence on it.
have a look at the links below and go back and talk to your doctor. Hard experience has taught me that finding the right doc is more important than finding the right meds if one realy wants to get well. Good luck and hang in there. It is difficult going through the trial and error of trying everthing, but SO worth it when you finally find the right treatment :)
Q: Teens getting high off Trileptal and Vicodin?
I've heard of teen (and others, but mostly teens) getting high on cold medicine containing Dextromethorphan. I've heard from from some people that Trileptal and Vicoden (not together) are also used. Has anyone heard about this? How do those drugs affect you if at all? Thanks for all your help, I'm writing a paper on the subject and appreciate all help I can get. These are only things I have heard from friends, and I'm not sure if there even being used. The only one I know for sure is Dextromethorphan. Any others and any information about them would be great. I need quite a bit more information about teens and over the counter medicines and only have one drug I've heard about. Thanks!
A: Vicodin is a favorite among many who abuse prescription drugs. I don't know why.... I've gotten it for back problems before and it just made me sleepy and dizzy. Not exactly what I would call a great feeling. However, I read that it is the number one script abused by teenagers. (see article below)
Q: I'm looking for long term personnel experiences from Trileptal and Seroquel cocktails?
PTSD people or any one else pleas apply, what where your negative and positive responses long term.
Thank you for you're time.
A: Seroqel was the worse Rx I've ever taken. It turned my mild PTSD into severe Agoraphobia (fear of leaving your home). It also gave me Cataracts & facial twitches which are on the contraindications listed. Seoquel seems to have some long-term problems I'd check into before I personally ever took it again.
Good luck, depression is such a horrible thing to have, especially when people around you think you can turn on a switch and be totally normal.
Q: Could someone explain bipolar disorder and the use of trileptal to treat it?
I went to my doctor today and she doesnt think I suffer from depression anymore. She thinks I have bipolar disorder but didnt really explain it to me. I just feel kind of confused.
A: Hi there Jennifer,
I suffer with Bipolar myself and it has taken me around 3 or 4 years to fight for a diagnosis, i have had several opinions from many a doctor and never the right one, so i go to a centre which is based in Solihull and asked to speak to a leading Psychiatrist Consultant and explained my symptoms. One minute you are whats known as Hyper Manic which means you are usually bouncing of the walls, rapid speech, grandious ideas, know better than anyone else, spending too much, and then you hit rock bottom without a real come down and sink to the depths of the earth. There is no middle bit in Bipolar, you are never really stable (in the middle).
The best medications to hand to try and sort it is known as Lithium, yet Consultants are wary of giving this out as too much is a killer and too little will do nothing for you, and then there is something called Depakote (Sodium Valporate), which is really the next best thing, that would keep your manic phases under control followed by maybe an anti depressant like Sertraline for instance.
You really must speak to your GP about this as they do have to rule out other things first. I hope this helps
Paul
Q: Has anyone here ever been on or are currently taking Trileptal?
My Dr. diagnosed me with severe anxiety and prescribed me Trileptal. I had never heard of it and was wondering if anyone here knows anything about it.
A: trileptall is a seizure medicine that is used off label for many different mental conditions. Works well however I had to stop taking it due to muscle weakness.
Q: What exactly does Trileptal mean when they say "you need to stay out of the sunight"?
Does it mean I will burn easier or does it mean I am more apt to overheat or what?
A: Some antibiotics can cause you to be especially susceptible to sunburn, and this can happen very fast. And it can be very painful, so stay out of the sun from 10:00 Am to 2:00 PM and when you do go out at other times use sunscreen.
Q: Anyone in here taking Trileptal or oxcarbazepine as amood stabilizing drug?
Just started taking this med this week for bi-polar disorder. I am so sleepy instantly when I take it. Is this something that will pass in time, or will I continue to feel like a slug as long as I take it? Thank you.
* a mood not amood, lol
dj, it is used for both epilepsy and for mood stabilizing.
A: yeah, it only happens the first few times, it passes.
Q: Can I take Trileptal at bedtime only?
I take Trileptal twice a day. However, it is so sedating that I can't function during the day. Can I just take my entire dosage at bedtime?
A: This is a prescription drug for some neural symptoms, you should consult your doctor about the dosage and when to take it.