Carbamazepine/Tegretol vs. other mood stabilisers

Hey everyone,

I'm curious to know what people's experiences are with Carbamazepine/Tegretol for bipolar. More specifically, if anyone has taken Carbamazepine and also another mood stabiliser or mood stabilisers at a different time, how do they compare for you?

I've been on Carbamazepine (the extended release version) since my diagnosis about 13 years ago, and it's the only mood stabiliser I've ever been on, although I've also combined it with various antipsychotics and antidepressants when needed. Right now I'm on Quetiapine too, because of a recent mixed episode, and working with my psych to slowly taper the Quetiapine down.

I was first put on it in the midst of a full-blown mania when I was still an adolescent and about 16 years old. According to my psych, it's not a first line treatment for bipolar, but it's a perfectly good mood stabiliser and he isn't thinking of changing it at the moment.

I've had some decent periods of stability on it (up to 6 years), but also some breakthrough episodes when I've got extremely stressed. I've read it's mostly an anti-manic, but at least for me it's fairly light on the side effects, with only some annoying drug interactions, manageable sedation and a persistent sore throat.

I'm just interested to get people's personal opinions of it, although I know we all react individually to different meds. I've recently started going to a face-to-face bipolar support group, but no one there was on it. Thanks!

Hi Ennui,
I see 120 people have viewed your note and nobody has answered.
I assume from that that few people are on the medication in question. I don't know.

I have only been on epival and zyprexa plus anti-depressants.
I hope one or two people will give you the benefit of their experience with tegretol.

Take care,

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it. Perhaps this isn't a very common bipolar med (when I've read up on it, it's major use is for epilepsy, although it's also a mood stabiliser). If anyone would like to share their experience of Carbamazepine/Tegretol, though, I'd be very grateful.

Take care of yourself, Skilsaw x

Hi Ennui
I'm not too sure what I have to say will be of particular use, but I do have some experience using Carbamazapine. I was prescribed it alongside Seroxat some years ago. My memories were that it used to make me feel slightly drowsy, but not too much else as far as I could recall.
I asked to come off all psych meds at the end of 2000, and only began using them again very recently to help stabilise my moods. When I asked the consultant about Carbamazapine he mentioned this isn't generally prescribed any longer. I've ended up on Lithium which had been working very well, although a few weeks ago I found out I might be getting made redundant from my job after 9 years so I've been struggling a bit with that news.

Hey,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. It's helpful to hear from someone who's personally been on it as well. I realise it was a long time ago, and you may not remember, but how effective did you find it compared to Lithium?

I suppose in the back of my mind I'm wondering if another med might help with managing my BP more, although my consultant (who's very good) seems satisfied with it, and it's pretty mild on the side-effects. I'm in the UK, and he didn't mention about it not being prescribed here now, just that it's not a usual 'first-line' treatment.

I can imagine how the stress of that news could send anyone's mood off, so no wonder you've taken a knock. I really hope things work out for you for the best x

Thanks for the supportive words Ennui

I find it difficult to do an accurate comparison of Lithium and Carbamazipine. Around the time I was prescribed Carbamazipine, I had earlier been prescribed Lithium and not got on very well with it, so the Consultant moved me onto Carbamazapine...I really don't remember having hardly any side effects from using it, or when I stopped using it, which is more than can be said for the anti depressant I was using alongside Carbamazipine...when I stopped (gradually) using that (Seroxat) I had quite bad side effects. Really the only reason I stopped using Carbamazapine (and Seroxat) was because I had gone into a 12-step rehab, and was of the view that I wanted to be totally substance free. I now realise the 12 step ethos doesn't preclude a person from using psychiatric meds.

I think I've mentioned in another post on the forum how my experience of Lithium has been very different compared to the other time it had been prescribed. It has calmed me down quite a bit and not in a sedating way...I guess if I think back, the effect of Lithium this time has been significantly more noticeable for me than Tegtretol had been, where I think, I didn't really notice any difference in effect when I stopped using it.

I have been quite affected by the stress of my job being threatened, but I think I would probably been a lot worse without Lithium ticking along in the backgroup...I also think its quite possible that a stressor such as this could have triggered a manic episode, I don't know if things will get worse if I actually lose the job and struggle to find another, but I'm hopeful I can hold things together.
I also hope you can get the answers you are looking for, and get the settled onto the right mood stabiliser for you.

You're very welcome! Your comparison of the two meds was very useful to read, so thank you for that. At the moment my BP is thankfully 'in remission' and I'm not actively looking to change meds, but it's just that I've a had a very rough few years in terms of mood instability, despite being on Carbamazepine, and I've had to take antidepressants and/or antipsychotics along with it to get stabilised.

In a way I'm sure it's usual to have to keep adjusting meds in this way, but having only ever been on one mood stabiliser, part of me isn't sure if it's the best one for me. I've asked my consultant and he's reassured me it's fine as a mood stabiliser, though, so I should probably just trust his expert opinion!

One thing I do like about Carbamazepine is the relative lack of side effects compared to some other meds I've taken... The sedation and weight gain from my Quetiapine are really hard to deal with.

I'm glad you've found a med which suits you and it sounds as if you're coping admirably well considering your current stress. Take care of yourself x

Thanks Ennui, you take care too x