Hi-
I'm bipolar and recently stopped taking topomax, cold turkey, which I don't know was the right thing to do. I couldn't take the constant need to pee! I had to go every 5 minutes and had major urgency. My anger seems to be increasing though and wonder if stopping the mood stabilizer causes this. What do people think of Triliptal? Effectiveness? Side effects? Weight gain uggggh? I'm on Geodon, Wellbutrin, synthroid (hypothyroid), Trazadone, Ambien, and have also been prescribed, which I take occasionally, Ativan and visteral. Any help would be appreciated, I'm not stable!
Bella

Bella,

Eek, stopping any med cold turkey is never a good idea. Does your doctor know you did this??

I did some searching and this is what I've found:

Oxcarbazepine - brand name Trileptal - is an anticonvulsant closely related to Carbamazepine, which has a variety of brand names, including Tegretol.
Carbamazepine has been used for several years in the treatment of bipolar disorder as a mood stabilizer.

Warnings and Side Effects

According to an article at Drug Infoline, Trileptal can reduce the effectiveness of hormonal birth control medication and may have a potential risk of birth defects, so additional birth control measures should be used by a woman taking this medication. Be careful with
alcohol and sedating medications, since Trileptal may have a sedative effect, and there is the usual warning not to drive or operate heavy machinery until you have gauged your response to this drug.

Oxcarbazepine's most common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, diplopia (double vision), fatigue, nausea, vomiting, ataxia (unsteady on your feet), abnormal vision, abdominal pain, tremor, dyspepsia (acid indigestion), and abnormal gait. A fairly rare side effect was hyponatremia (low blood sodium). Symptoms of this condition include not passing much urine, headache, confusion, tiredness and, if very severe, seizures and coma, so contact your doctor if you suspect this may be beginning.

Hope this helps a little. Hang in there. Take care.

Lilmissme http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif

Thanks for the response-
The doctor knew I was stopping the topomax and didin't seem to think it is a problem. But I'm not sure. I'm feeling tremendous anger and unhappiness right now. Thanks for the info about Triliptal. I wish somebody could tell me their experiences on it. I'm so sick of medicine and all its side effects, I'm ready to cry!
Bella

I surely hope you see this, Bella, since it's been so long since you posted your message! But I want you to know that my husband was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and has tried many meds to get better. It takes a very long time, and lots of different meds and dosages of meds to get it right, doesn't it!!! But now my husband is on Trileptal only, and he's stable - has been for about a month, now. I'm a bit nervous that he'll remain that way, not celebrating yet, since it's been a few years of difficulties, but, cross our fingers and toes, it's working! He just saw his med doc today, and not changes were made in the med. He takes 450mg in the morning and 450mg at night. He's also taking blood pressure meds and a sleep aid (Imovane). Good luck to you, Bella, I hope it works for you!
PS - Topomax and Neurontin were the last pills combo he was on - stablilized the heck out of him! He was so out-of-it on them - and for a few months!
Diane

Hi-
I'm bipolar and recently stopped taking topomax, cold turkey, which I don't know was the right thing to do. I couldn't take the constant need to pee! I had to go every 5 minutes and had major urgency. My anger seems to be increasing though and wonder if stopping the mood stabilizer causes this. What do people think of Triliptal? Effectiveness? Side effects? Weight gain uggggh? I'm on Geodon, Wellbutrin, synthroid (hypothyroid), Trazadone, Ambien, and have also been prescribed, which I take occasionally, Ativan and visteral. Any help would be appreciated, I'm not stable!
Bella
I too found out I had Bipolar2 all my life & never knew it. Neither did the doctors.I also have with it: Serve Depression,PTSD,ADHD.My life was a pure living hell growing up not knowing what was wrong with me & why I behaved the way I did.Bipolar can & will control/destroy a person if it goes untreated as I did. Was told I had this 3 years ago. Am on 3 kinds of medication: Zoloft,Concerta,& Triliptal.Of course I was on so many other medications before I really found the right ones.
"Does TRILIPTAL really work?" It seems to work for me & been on it for 3 yrs. now.No weight gain ( Which I'm so happy ) The only side effects I had when starting it was dry mouth.........other then that nothing!!
Of course not smoking/drinking really helps. I still have my highs/lows, my good/bad days. There's no cure for Bipolar yet but am hoping one day there will be.So right now all I can do is live each dayone @ a time.I never know what the next day will be like for me.Scared?????? You're damn right!!! I sometimes am even afraid of myself not knowing what lays ahead of me each day.

Hello, I was prescribed Triliptal for PTSD. This is a horrible medication. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. It takes a grip of you like you wouldnt believe. If you miss one dose, you feel like just dying. Headaches, tremor, and several other things. Tegretol, by itself is worthless... I was taking 2700 MG (300mg, 3X a day) of Triliptal, the only thing good about Tegretol was it helped me "ween" off of Triliptal for awhile...I broke down and had to have it 3-4 months later as nothing else seemed to work...Anyway..this probably didnt help any...and id like to write more, but I am at work, people walking around...I dont think there is any medicine that really works, it just hides it, and keeps it down...Like right now, I feel like crap...:blob_fire

I started Triliptal 11/07/06. I have never taken a medication like this before. I had a Grand-mal seizure on 10/9/06 first time in my life at 34 ;I was shocked!! Then I had an EEG and the doctor tells me that I have a seizure disorder and to take Triliptal. Well, long story short, I have had no side effects (yet) and I am at the highest dose that the doctor wanted to build me up to. 1200mg per day, and I am still having seizures, actually they have slowed but none the less still coming. I have read several message boards and mostly I see that people take it for bi-polar disorder. I cannot drive until I am seizure free for 6 months. Does anyone know why the Triliptal isn't working because my doctor is blowing me off telling me to wait, I am a mother of 4 and married to an active duty military member. I can't sit and wait for something to MAYBE work later!!! My husband leaves for long periods of time and I have to take kids to school and food shopping and live where there is no family or help!!! Any suggestions that anyone could offer would be appreciated.

There are lots of anti-seizure meds out there...depakote being one that works????

I am on trileptal, geodon, ambien, seroquel, levoxl (for thyroid), and a few more.......I am finding trileptal to hold the moods steady as it is supposed to.....but it won't numb them down. I gather it works the way it was meant, to, at least that is what It ell myself.




Hi-
I'm bipolar and recently stopped taking topomax, cold turkey, which I don't know was the right thing to do. I couldn't take the constant need to pee! I had to go every 5 minutes and had major urgency. My anger seems to be increasing though and wonder if stopping the mood stabilizer causes this. What do people think of Triliptal? Effectiveness? Side effects? Weight gain uggggh? I'm on Geodon, Wellbutrin, synthroid (hypothyroid), Trazadone, Ambien, and have also been prescribed, which I take occasionally, Ativan and visteral. Any help would be appreciated, I'm not stable!
Bella