How many of you suffer with short temper, rage and irritability as part of your condition? I have been given tegretol for this. Im only up to 150 mg and its making no difference at all. pdoc advised go up mgs slowly. How high should i go and what do you take that works?

Sharonamy, my husband has all the things you mentioned but he is not on meds. The rage is terrible. He over reacts to things I say often.

Hi Sharonamy,

What other meds are you taking? The anger, rage, agitation and irritability are often the way hypomania presents, especially in BP2 and in what some docs are now calling "soft" bipolar.

The atypical antipsychotic meds are supposed to help with these feelings....

tshol, i also take 60mg prozac, 160 mg of propanolol, 175 mcg of thyroxine, and i am currently cutting right down on zopiclone - 1/2 a tab.

How many of you suffer with short temper, rage and irritability as part of your condition? I have been given tegretol for this. Im only up to 150 mg and its making no difference at all. pdoc advised go up mgs slowly. How high should i go and what do you take that works?

Hi Sharonamy,
You know from my previous posts that I too was prescribed carbamazapine for my BP mood swings. I strongly recommend that you do not increase the dose of this yourself - carbamazapine can affect liver function and during the course of treatment on this drug you should be having regular Liver Function Tests completed which will be compared to the your baseline test which should have been completed before your commenced the drug.

I strongly urge you to seek another pdoc, if if is your pdoc that advised you to increase the dose yourself. This is madness!!!!!!!!! Carbamazapine isn't a drug to be played with like this because of the liver damage it can cause!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Any increases should be regularly followed up by blood tests, and these bloodtests should become a 'regular' part of your treatment. I would be very concerned about your pdoc's competence if they have told you to increase your dose yourself.

Good Luck,
Nut (UK).

ps - I stayed on 100mg am and pm for many months at the start.... (by way of indication, 2.5 years later I am now on 800mgs). Did not notice effects on my rage suddenly - it was very very gradual and over the course of months.

did u notice a difference at 100mg x 2 daily after a few months Nut?? I had no blood test and pdoc only mentioned increasing to 100mg in 3 months but i thought i must have misunderstood because everyone seems to take so much.......and i want results. thanks for your help.

did u notice a difference at 100mg x 2 daily after a few months Nut?? I had no blood test and pdoc only mentioned increasing to 100mg in 3 months but i thought i must have misunderstood because everyone seems to take so much.......and i want results. thanks for your help.

Hi sharonamy,
The change in my moods was very, VERY, gentle at 100mg twice daily (and this was only noticed after a few months). You will not notice an instant chnage with Tegretol, but the wait is worth it - but you will have to wait. Bear in mind also that EACH OF US IS DIFFERENT... my moods probably stabilised best at 600mg per day for a looooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggg while.

Bear in mind that the highest doses of tegretol are indicated for epilepsy,- I think doses up to 800mg per day are indicated for mood swings (and I am only at this dose after 2.5 years).... the safety data sheet inside your box of tabs will confirm this.


Please speak to your pdoc, you MUST get a blood test done, and you SHOULDN'T be left to increase this yourself. You should be being monitored closely (both bloods and mentall) by your pdoc. I knw the system being in the UK myself - I'd strongly recommend you find another pdoc - strongly!!!


Good Luck,
Nut.

Hi Sharonamy, I have the same issues you have just havent found a med that works yet. I have heard before you that this med will work good for BP ... too bad it takes a while to get adjusted to.
I hate feeling so angry and mad and frustrated there is not 'apparent' reason I get this way. I hate not being able to control my life, dont you?
:)

yes, i feel so sorry for my daughter! i am always in a rush (understatement)! always red in the face and pouring with sweat! want to be cool as a cucumber and laid back! meds seem to be making me more anxious but has only been a week so will carry on...gggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

how old is your daughter? do you have anyone that can help you get through this? like friends/family support, it is nice to be able to rely on someone when you have a condition like this as well as a little one to look out for! :)
Good luck to you!