Trileptal Experiences and Advice

I have just started Trileptal for BP II with hypomania and psychosis. If you have been on Trileptal I'd appreciate any advice, tips and info on how it has worked or not worked for you. Thank you for your help.
Alice

Hi Alice!
I have been on Trileptal since May 2011. Started out at 300mg/day and worked up to 1500mg/day currently. Up until recently it was like a MIRACLE. It completely wiped out my depression for over a year. Recently my pdoc added another mood stabilizer on top of that because I've had a mixed state kicking my butt for the last 2 months or so. Don't know if I just got "too used to it" or something, but up until very recently it has worked like a charm. As far as side effects- I had ZERO negative... no weight gain, no motor skill interference, no bowel movement changes, no headaches... nothing. Even when stepping up doses, no negative side effects. The only thing I can say I really noticed was that when I laid down to sleep, I slept very deeply. I take it in the morning, and it doesn't make me drowsy during the day. I've always had insomnia, and the Trileptal kinda killed that all together. I do find that I feel like I need late afternoon naps (and they do last a long time when I lay down) but I'm in grad school and not working, so that's not a real issue for me.

That's about all I can think of to tell you. If you have any other specific questions, fire away.

Hope that helps
-Kosh

Kosh,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I'm on 450mg and see my pdoc (guessing that is psychiatrist) in two weeks to see how things are going. Sorry you are having problems right now and I hope you are able to get your meds worked out soon.

Depression has been my main problem for 24 years, with the hypomania and psychosis just being recognized. I'm hopeful that I can emerge from this current mania with a much better handle on the depression. I really want to be able to feel some of this energy on a regular basis, if possible. I've felt almost this good for a day or two, off and on over the years, but was afraid to let it show as I knew I couldn't keep it up for long and didn't want to get my husband's, my therapist's or my own hopes up of continued good days. I hope that makes sense.

Thanks, again. I may have questions later as I work through this so, if it's alright, I'll keep your handle handy.

Alice

Alice,
Thanks I can absolutely relate... depression was/is a major component for me as well. I think that's why it got all the focus and I was on and off of anti-depressants alone for most of my life. Only my last pdoc (yes... psychiatrist) tried a mood stabilizer and hit on that my condition was more than depression (I'm a workaholic, so hypomania has easily hidden under the guise of me just being super productive).

Anyhow, I hope you are able to get the meds sorted. Please do feel free to PM me anytime or post questions if you have any. I'm not a resident expert on meds, but will absolutely share my experiences with Trileptal with you

Hugs,
Kosh