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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by crazyjoe on June 18, 2011, at 22:12:54
never see many posts about tegretol tried to start one with no response---does any one or has anyone ever taken it??
Posted by jono_in_adelaide on June 19, 2011, at 5:30:13
In reply to does anyone even take tegretol, posted by crazyjoe on June 18, 2011, at 22:12:54
My stepmother takes it for trigeminal neuralgia (if thats spelled correctly?)
Posted by markwell on June 19, 2011, at 6:07:54
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by jono_in_adelaide on June 19, 2011, at 5:30:13
I take Tegretol for mood stabilization. I'm presently taking 600mg.
Mark
Posted by crazyjoe on June 19, 2011, at 10:40:49
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by markwell on June 19, 2011, at 6:07:54
mark how does it work for you---do you take any other meds with it??
Posted by Phillipa on June 19, 2011, at 10:49:16
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by crazyjoe on June 19, 2011, at 10:40:49
Trileptal is the newer version from what I know of tegretol. An extra isomer or something like that. I once took l50mg of trileptal but very expensive. Supposed to boost antidepressant. I just stopped it. Couldn't afford and noticed nothing. Phillipa
Posted by markwell on June 19, 2011, at 18:03:56
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by crazyjoe on June 19, 2011, at 10:40:49
I've been taking Tegretol for about 5 months now. I've tried a multitude of antidepressants with it to no avail. I don't really like anything about the drug other than it improved my sleep.
Posted by crazyjoe on June 19, 2011, at 22:17:08
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by markwell on June 19, 2011, at 18:03:56
specifically why did you not like it ---nausea --dizziness--ineffective-bloodwork????
Posted by markwell on June 20, 2011, at 4:30:47
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by crazyjoe on June 19, 2011, at 22:17:08
Ineffecttive, I just don't feel like myself. I also have no drive, no ambition. What are you taking it for?
Mark
Posted by crazyjoe on June 20, 2011, at 6:22:18
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by markwell on June 20, 2011, at 4:30:47
i take it for the upside of bipolar -i use 100 lamictal for the low side and 60 cymbalta for ocd --also low dose 2mg ativan--take 600 mg of tegretol therapeutic range is relatively low but anxiety and racing thoughts have been high of late but klonopin just makes me irritable..don't want to use any atypicals as i am diabetic..had to stop lithium after 10 years because of kidneys...not sure what to do..any thoughts
Posted by markwell on June 20, 2011, at 9:49:48
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by crazyjoe on June 20, 2011, at 6:22:18
I also take 600mgs. I also have racing thoughts which drive me crazy. Did lithium help wit that at all? The Benzos tend to make me depressed.
Mark
Posted by crazyjoe on June 20, 2011, at 14:33:54
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by markwell on June 20, 2011, at 9:49:48
it does help somewhat with racing thoughts my 600 dose should probably be higher but don't want to go any higher.....do you get blood work done every 6 mos. on tegretol....ativan does help...finally got rid of klonopin ...found it a real downer
Posted by uncouth on June 26, 2011, at 12:57:35
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by crazyjoe on June 20, 2011, at 14:33:54
Hi, I've been meaning to add my experience to this thread. I started on Tegretol about 3 months ago. I can't remember if I posted my experience with it before, but I'll add it here. We added it because I came to my psych and described one feature of my depression that had really amplified recently, and that was the constant rumination, the feeling like i was having a mental storm of thoughts, and the associated inability to think about anything else. That particular symptom was also associated with a lot of "pain" as in feeling the gut-wrenching aspect of depression which is so incapacitating for many of us. My formal diagnosis is BP2 but I've been on so many meds and been so many sh*tty life experiences that I think I'll just call myself 'brain busted' for now. (I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I never gone to psychiatrist 7 long years ago at all...).
The Tegretol, even at a low dose (however I should also state that I was eating/drinking lots of grapefruit when I started the Tegretol, which increases blood levels), but I couldnt even tolerate a 200mg initial dose, we had to start out at 50mg 2x a day, and even that totally "knocked me out"...but my doctor thought that the fact I responded to such a small dose might be a sign that we should stick with it, and stick with it we did (taking away grapefruit juice). I think Tegretol has helped out a lot, and while I am still depressed, and apathetic, and anhedonic, the gut wrenching pain and constant ruminations of failure, self-criticism,worry,anxiety, reliving negative experiences, basically all that 'activated' depressive sh*t has been substantially reduced.
I had tried lots of things for that particular symptom, which had come and gone but mostly come for years, including A/Ds, Antipsychotics, other mood stabilizers, ECT, rTMS, etc. and nothing really hit it like Tegretol did. I'm now on a dose of 200mg XR 2x a day.
I think what I never really realized is that my experience of depressive pain was often such an activated 'mixed' type of bipolar depressive episode, and really needed a mood stabilizer, which acted to relieve some of the depressive elements. Lamictal MAY have helped a bit but only at a high dose, but I think Tegretol was what I needed. Only thing that ever came close to it's effectiveness and quickness of response was zyprexa.
Mixed states or bipolar/depression may have an element of temporal lobe epileptic activity to them, and Tegretol really acts in that area to reduce activity. I'm not sure if I'm going to stay on it, and may reduce dose, because of continued feeling of anhedonia and lack of motivation, and feelings of hopelessness, etc. but that could be a whole other system so who knows.
After all these years I feel like now have tools that I can use on a "short term" basis when things get particularly bad in certain dimensions, like Tegretol and Zyprexa for example (and I also have a tDCS device but can't say that's life changing either). Don't have to be on them every day but it feels good to know they are there when they are needed.
So I would definitely consider trying Tegretol. My psych believes it is unique among the mood stabilizers in that it targets temporal lobe better than say lamictal or etc. I didn't seem to have any serious side effects. Again, it hasn't made me feel GOOD, given me life, allowed for joy, helped make my life meaningful but it has helped take away the pain.
Uncouth
Posted by Phillipa on June 26, 2011, at 21:17:02
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by uncouth on June 26, 2011, at 12:57:35
Uncouth hey that's positive!!!! Isn't triletal the almost identical med? I ask as took 150mg of it years ago to boost ad? Was supposed to go higher too expensive though. If it's helped more than ECT it's definitely worth sticking with. Maybe change ad? I don't know though. Phillipa
Posted by crazyjoe on June 26, 2011, at 21:22:23
In reply to Re: does anyone even take tegretol, posted by uncouth on June 26, 2011, at 12:57:35
nice to know that tegretol helps you...there is a book out by Wes Burgess.MD,phd i believe its called bipolar handbook or something like that..anyway he says he has prescribed truckloads of it over the years and it seems that his patients have good experiences with it.....he does talk about the importance of bloodwork....and yes those racing thoughts are terrible...klonopin does help with those also....
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