Carbamazepine

[Sazza]

Hiya,

Just wondering if anyone on here is on carbamazepine aka tegretol? or has been on it in the past. I have been prescribed it today as experiences alot of mood swings with the hope of it providing some stability to my mood. At the moment i don't know if this needing to be on the go all the time is anxiety fueled or due to the mood swing, either way i will give it a try see if helps before i burn out.

Not sure if these are mood swings im having or what not sure whats going on, feeling pretty manic irritable at moment though if i stop wham my mood is there to remind me keep going. Anyway just wondering if anyone experience of using carbamazepine for mood swings?

Sazza

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I tried it but had a bad white blood cell reaction. I was switched to it's cousin, Trileptal (the additional oxygen molecule supposedly curbs the side effects, but it's been reported to be less effective as well). Hopefully it'll work for you!!

 

[Sazza]

Thanks for the reply. So far it doesn't appear to be agreeing with me, had bit of a reaction to it but my GP thinks it will pass so play it by ear for next couple days the itching is doing my head in though and feeling generally tired and unwell. So far i think it is not something i will be on long before needs changing.

 

[HERBERT]

Thanks for the reply. So far it doesn't appear to be agreeing with me, had bit of a reaction to it but my GP thinks it will pass so play it by ear for next couple days the itching is doing my head in though and feeling generally tired and unwell. So far i think it is not something i will be on long before needs changing.

Many years ago, I used to take quite a high dosage of the Carbamazepine (Tegretol). At the time, it did not affect me. Now, a good 15 years on, I have been put back onto the medication, but the Carbamazepine (Novartis this time) seems to drug me up. I feel louzy, tired, tearfull, and very close to suicide, at times. I will have to insist on having the drug removed. The low moods are not good. I cannot afford the tissues! I did have an itching head, at the introduction of the drug, for 3 months or more, but due to stressful days at work, I was blaming the workplace. The hairdresser I visit had to change the shampoo...My memory has been affected recently, with the combination of the Carbamazepine, and the current drug which I also take, Topiramate. Topiramate I have taken since 1997 ish. I hope that these words help.

 

[Kaii]

I take Tegrotol as well, but it's for epilepsy and not as a mood stabilizer. I have taken it for 18 years (yikes!). I take 800 mcg a day.

 

[Sazza]

Thanks for your replies, I was only on it 4 weeks and came off it. It was causing problems with low mood despite also being on antidepressants on it. I don't envy you kaii having to take it for you epilepsy but needs must for you it made be feel lousy.

Hope you get things sorted with yours Herbert I recently wondered if I gave it long enough but for now I don't wish to try it again any time soon.

 

[Ange]

My carbamazepine experience:

My doctor prescribed this med to me last August 2012 for manic/depression and a severe headache that would not go away. I was taking nothing else at the time. I have experienced other meds for depression and did not like them AT ALL! He told me to take it everyday until it ran out (30 - 200mg tabs). I took 1/2 a tab (100mg) for the first couple of days, then I started taking a whole tab (200mg). My head pain stopped and I also noticed that I was waking up in the morning MUCH better (even though I am not sleeping any better than I use to before) and not getting too low or too high in my moods which have been a problem as long as I can remember.

After a couple of weeks I was getting severe night sweats only on my head. I would wake up and my head would be wet and drenched in sweat which I did not like at all and I also felt like a zombie. Nothing made me happy but nothing made sad either. Then I decided to stop taking it everyday and took 1/2 a tab every other day. I even went about a month without taking any at all until I got manic and then very depressed for the first time since before I took it.

After a couple months of experimenting. I discovered I do not have to take it every day. I only take 200mg-300mg a week at 1/2 100mg at a time It seems to work great now without the extreme side effects.

I do take vitamin supplement like extra amounts of Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D because I was told that this drug will drain your body of some of these vitamins.

You also have to be careful of what other meds you mix this drug with. If you mix it with certain pain pills you can get an itching rash. You can't always count on your doctor knowing these things either when he prescribes you medications...so beware.
:)

 

[Sazza]

Thanks Ange, I didn't last on this long only on couple weeks and it was stopped. Probably just aswell as I am already short on vitamins and anaemic. I am learning that doctors aren't always aware and often don't ask. I have now been prescribed quetiepine any experiences with that? I've only managed couple days and it knocked me out. I was told put up with it as it would wear off, but I've stopped it for now while I think things through.