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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Silentscream on July 16, 2015, at 15:19:34
Hello.
I've been taking 600mg (divided into two doses) of Trileptal for about 2 months, now. I seem to be getting very foggy minded, distracted, forgetful, depressed (low mood, sometimes anxious) and feel as if life has left me. I'm not creative enough to even have an interesting conversation with someone. normally, you could say I have "a lot of personality".
But now, I feel dull. Also, irritable. I have that "life's pure sh*t" sort of feeling. like, I can try to enjoy and engage people and things, but deep down, something just feels wrong and unwanted. Like a mixture of enervation, feeling fed up and disgusted by... everything.
Buuut... I do see how it's helping with some bipolar symptoms. Anxiety is generally lower, sleep is better, thought-related issues are muuuch better. Also, I feel more "linear", so to speak. I feel as if I'm worsening some depression symptoms, but alleviating and improving manic ones.
Will this improve with time? Or get worse? I like Trileptal.
Sidenote: nothing ever lifted my depression aside from gingko biloba, but it gave me side effects. I'm gonna try a different brand and see how I feel. Maybe I should stick with Trileptal for the4 time being and wait for the ginkgo biloba that I purchased overseas to arrive?
Posted by rjlockhart37 on July 16, 2015, at 21:33:43
In reply to Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression, posted by Silentscream on July 16, 2015, at 15:19:34
that is one of it's side effects, and just like you said : improved sleep, lowered anxiety, it's a stablizer, just like lamotragine, it stablizes voltage currets, nuerotransmitters, yet it won't let the nueros go into highned states, like euphoria, and can make things feel boring because of in the same regulated state it causes.....
you may want to ask about adding a AD or maybe provigil to it, that would kick some of it up, yet you would still have a stablized mood.....
Posted by SLS on July 17, 2015, at 8:16:40
In reply to Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression, posted by Silentscream on July 16, 2015, at 15:19:34
I try not to discount reports of a susbstance precipitating or making worse depression. However, I have seen this sort of thing happen in bipolar disorder, mixed-state. If one suppresses the manic component of a mixed state with a drug like Trileptal, this could leave residual depression to predominate. The next step would be to treat the depressive component. Lamictal often does a good job of this. The two drugs are often prescribed together. However, the cautious use of an antidepressant is an alternative. One would want to be careful to screen for the emergence of mania, though. I won't guarantee that this accurately describes your situation, but it does happen.
- Scott
Posted by Christ_empowered on July 17, 2015, at 9:12:47
In reply to Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression, posted by Silentscream on July 16, 2015, at 15:19:34
hi. I take 1200/trileptal in 2 equal doses, AM and PM. It does seem to dampen mood a bit. I'm prone to mixed states, so I'm also on low dose lamictal to help.
Anyway, its definitely something worth treating, I think. Some people add things, maybe if you're more or less stable a switch over to something else is in order. I'm not an MD, so...yeah. There's a patented form of Gingko, Ginkgold or something...I dunno. I don't take it, but its supposed to be standardized, have some research behind it, etc. etc. etc.
Anticonvulsants can make you feel stupid, especially at first. Sedation is an issue. Have you done a blood sodium level for your trileptal? Anti-convusants can also deplete B-vitamins, vitamin E, and lower coenzyme q10 levels. I would think that the b-vitamin depletion could cause mood problems, but again: not a doc.
Trileptal is definitely not good for depression. I take Wellbutrin, in large part because of the sedation from the lamictal+trileptal..its been very helpful.
I hope things work out well for you.
Posted by Silentscream on July 19, 2015, at 20:27:14
In reply to Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression, posted by Silentscream on July 16, 2015, at 15:19:34
Thank you very much for your responses.
Definetely, my bipolar spectrum is not divided into clear manic and depressive episodes. It's more like a permanent mixed state, that could be considered "mild" and has (very strong) anxiety as the main issue, followed by cognitive difficulties and periods of anger.
Agitated atypical depression / mixed states defines it better than mania or depression.
I felt overall better, in many aspects of functioning and mental health, with trileptal, but I do see a need to counteract the depressive effects of it. I didn't took any Trileptal in the past two days.I'm taking ginkgo biloba and already feel slightly better.
I was thinking of holding on the Trileptal for a while and giving Seroquel a shot. I heard great things of Seroquel + ginkgo biloba. Also, Seroquel seems to have a "up" quality to it, which make cbalance things. I'll make another thread about this, soon.
Just to be clear on my current medications:
Lithium extended release divided into two doses of 450mg each.
Ginkgo biloba, 240mg divided into three doses.
Fenugreek extract, 1g divided into two doses.
Potassium citrate, 600mg divided into two doses.
Magnesium citrate 400mg, divided into two doses.
- not taking it until I give other things a try - Trileptal 600mg divided into two doses.
Posted by phidippus on August 5, 2015, at 10:21:16
In reply to Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression, posted by Silentscream on July 16, 2015, at 15:19:34
I don't think the Trileptal is to blame for your depressive symptoms-you are on a very low dose.
I think you may be entering a depressive phase of your illness-Trileptal does not function well as an antidepressant.
What have you taken for depression in the past?
Eric
Posted by Silentscream on August 7, 2015, at 8:59:37
In reply to Re: Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression » Silentscream, posted by phidippus on August 5, 2015, at 10:21:16
> I don't think the Trileptal is to blame for your depressive symptoms-you are on a very low dose.
>
> I think you may be entering a depressive phase of your illness-Trileptal does not function well as an antidepressant.
>
> What have you taken for depression in the past?
>
> EricHi. You might be right there, Eric.
I've taken every SSRI, Effexor (angry hypomania and crazy fast mood swings, all of them), ginkgo biloba, tianeptine (Stablon), mirtazapine (Remeron) and a few tryciclics.
I can't remember how I fared on tryciclics, I was too young.
Mirtazapine made me sleep really well and quite happy and energetic, without signs of mania. But the weight gain was... tremendous. It doesn't quite help with anxiety and cognitive issues, as well.
SSRIs and the like are not good alternatives. They make me worse than I would be with no medication at all, with or without lithium and mood stabilizers adjunct.
Tianeptine... I feel good on it, but it alters my behavior and personality, as well as making me a little dissociative... It works to stabilize moods and energy, but it really puts me under a different state of consciousness I can't describe. Better not try this one again unless I really have to.
Ginkgo biloba... It's fantastic. best AD for me, hands down. Fixes cognitive issues, too, to a great extent. However, I'm seeking an extract I can tolerate side effect wise. Really wish I could take this every day, I still believe I'll never find something this good for my bipolar depression and cognitive problems.
I'm now on Seroquel (50mg at night) and it's working good for every symptom, so far, although mildly. After I reach target dose, I'll see if I feel good on it, I'll add Trileptal again.
I'm curious about trying Seroquel + ginkgo biloba first, though. I saw a poster here reporting great success for bipolar II on them, for the very same issues I have, specially the cognitive ones.
But I know nothing can fix some issues like Trileptal did, such as constant rage and anger.
Posted by Silentscream on August 7, 2015, at 9:12:35
In reply to Re: Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression » Silentscream, posted by phidippus on August 5, 2015, at 10:21:16
> I don't think the Trileptal is to blame for your depressive symptoms-you are on a very low dose.
>
> I think you may be entering a depressive phase of your illness-Trileptal does not function well as an antidepressant.
>
> What have you taken for depression in the past?
>
> EricHi. You might be right there, Eric.
I've taken every SSRI, Effexor (angry hypomania and crazy fast mood swings, all of them), ginkgo biloba, tianeptine (Stablon), mirtazapine (Remeron) and a few tryciclics.
I can't remember how I fared on tryciclics, I was too young.
Mirtazapine made me sleep really well and quite happy and energetic, without signs of mania. But the weight gain was... tremendous. It doesn't quite help with anxiety and cognitive issues, as well.
SSRIs and the like are not good alternatives. They make me worse than I would be with no medication at all, with or without lithium and mood stabilizers adjunct.
Tianeptine... I feel good on it, but it alters my behavior and personality, as well as making me a little dissociative... It works to stabilize moods and energy, but it really puts me under a different state of consciousness I can't describe. Better not try this one again unless I really have to.
Ginkgo biloba... It's fantastic. best AD for me, hands down. Fixes cognitive issues, too, to a great extent. However, I'm seeking an extract I can tolerate side effect wise. Really wish I could take this every day, I still believe I'll never find something this good for my bipolar depression and cognitive problems.
I'm now on Seroquel (50mg at night) and it's working good for every symptom, so far, although mildly. After I reach target dose, I'll see if I feel good on it, I'll add Trileptal again.
I'm curious about trying Seroquel + ginkgo biloba first, though. I saw a poster here reporting great success for bipolar II on them, for the very same issues I have, specially the cognitive ones.
But I know nothing can fix some issues like Trileptal did, such as constant rage and anger.
Posted by phidippus on August 7, 2015, at 11:13:53
In reply to Re: Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression, posted by Silentscream on August 7, 2015, at 8:59:37
you know, gingko biloba has been used to treat adhd. i wonder if you're reaping so much benefit from it because of this. adhd sometimes comes with a certain kind of depression that's alleviated when you treat the adhd. plus you were complaining about cognitive issues. have you tried a stimulant?
Eric
Posted by Sheilac on August 28, 2015, at 12:28:47
In reply to Re: Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) causing depression » Silentscream, posted by SLS on July 17, 2015, at 8:16:40
I've used Trileptal on and off and I found it to work great for manic symptoms, but it did sometimes make me depressed. I found Geodon to really help with my depression. I also found that I had to lower my Trileptal dose and take it more frequently throughout the day and before bed. Like, I would take 150mg 3 or 4 times a day. It worked wonders for my anxiety, much better than klonopin!
Lamictal is great for depression, but it made my mania worse.
Good luck!
This is the end of the thread.
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