Oxcarbazepine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• JPa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2020

"Put on oxcarbazepine for bipolar and did not notice a change with my mood, put on 10 pounds in a month. The headaches and brain fog were awful. Ate like a horse. No thanks. Stopped and the weight is slowly coming off. I’m so tired of hearing weight neutral before given a prescription. I have been playing this game for way too long."

• Mot...
• January 6, 2018

"My daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago with several different mental health problems. She's been dealing with these issues for years, but it seems like we couldn't get the right help for her. She had a manic episode 2 weeks ago, I had to have her hospitalized. They put her on the Trileptal, and by the time she came home, she was a totally different person. She's so calm and mellow, I can tell for the first time in a long time, she seems at peace in her mind and actions. Best medication I've seen in a long time. Thank God and the doctor who finally found her some relief, including myself."

• Vas...
• September 20, 2015

"I've been on generic oxcarbazepine, 600 mg 3x a day for years, and it wasn't quite enough alone to control my bipolar disorder. But taken along with lithium, it seems to have finally been the combo I needed to bring me back to reality with a stable mood, although it does make me very sleepy. I was crying every day and alternatingly unreasonably angry for years and years, going undiagnosed for decades. Bipolar runs rampant in my family, so I don't know why I didn't realize that was my issue, too! Just never put it together after watching my brother and sister's crazy rages since mine was so different than that! Derp!"

• Tab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 12, 2018

"I started taking Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) a week ago. I started noticing relief of my manic symptoms almost immediately. This medication helped calm my mind down from racing thoughts and manic outbursts. I've tried so many medications in the past that didn't work for me. This medication is a Godsend. Right now, I'm on 600 mg per day."

• Anonymous
• May 27, 2008

Oxcarbazepine "I have been on Trileptal for nearly two months. I have tried many medications because I am drug-resistant. I take three tablets during the day. When I take a tablet, I can feel a very comfortable soothing in about 30-40 minutes. This lasts for a few hours, then I need to take another tablet. This is the best medicine yet. At least Trileptal provides quick relief."

• Anonymous
• May 26, 2010

Oxcarbazepine "I have been taking this medication for 3 weeks now and have noticed that my moods have stabilized. I feel like this medication is really working in that respect and helping to make mine and my family's life much better. So far, this medicine works!"

• Pet...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 17, 2019

"I am bipolar II and tried everything before settling, happily, with oxcarbazepine (300 mg x 2 a day). Lamictal did nothing for the hypomania, plus I lost about 1/2 my hair. Everything in between had such major side effects I could not tolerate them. I have to take the oxcarb in conjunction with Lexapro 10 mg, but I'm pretty darn stable as long as I don't have too much caffeine. I take 150 mg trazodone for sleep. The only downside to the meds is that they affect my memory, and I'm probably not as sharp as I used to be. I'm also older!"

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2016

"I was on Trileptal for less than 6 months because I was having trouble affording it at the time. What I can say is it helped with my mood swings, and I didn't experience any side effects from it. Overall, I think this is a good medication."

• al ...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 17, 2017

"This medicine saved my life. I would have never been able to finish college. It took two trips to the psych ward and complete honesty with the doctor to get me the right medicine, but ever since I've been put on it-no more pounding heart, no more manic episodes, no more depersonalization. It is truly a blessing to experience life a little better."

• Wis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 22, 2019

"This medication, oxcarbazepine, saved my life - I have bipolar disorder. It has changed my whole outlook. Once my therapist and the Dr. got me on this medication, I wasn't sure how to act. I was happy for the first time in my life. It stopped my manic highs and lows, it took away the suicidal thoughts and tendencies I was diagnosed with. I have had it to be increased once in the last four years of being on it three times a day. Now I take it four times a day. I'm starting to get that 'feeling' again, so I was checking to see if it could be increased and found that for the bipolar treatment, it can indeed be increased. When I go in to see my Dr., I am going to discuss this further with her. Oxcarbazepine, for a mood stabilizer, worked 100% for me, and I noticed the change in me within a week."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 16, 2014

"I have taken Trileptal for many years. I could not be happier with the results of this medication. It gave me the 'brakes' I seemed to be lacking due to my BP. I would fly off the handle, stay mad for what seemed like days, and for nothing. I have only had slight side effects: mild headache and some dizziness at first and after any dosage changes. But these were nothing compared to the wonderful results I've had. Good luck, everyone!"

• Hor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 7, 2018

"I'm BP2 with an ADHD comorbidity. My ADHD has always been fairly manageable with whatever stimulant is most en vogue at the time. Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall, Focalin, Vyvanse, Mydayis, etc. However, my bipolar went undiagnosed for years, and I got every SSRI, benzo, and antipsychotic out there, with only the short-acting benzos helping with hypomania for a few hours at a time. I started Trileptal about 18 months ago at a low dose and slowly increased until I found the right balance. It is wonderful. I really mean that-I don't notice it; I just feel normal for the first time in my life. Of course, it doesn't resolve the ADHD symptoms that so many people with BP also have, but my stimulants seem to be more effective even at lower doses. Since starting, I've gone from 6-7 different medications a day to just Trileptal, a stimulant, and CS (with a benzo on standby JIC). The only side effect I've experienced was some mild numbness in my legs, mostly feet, intermittently between months 2-4, never since."

• BBP...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 20, 2017

"Works pretty well for stabilizing moods, mostly manic. I take 300 mg in the morning and 600 mg at night. Have been taking for about three years. Dr. will not let me take more than the 900 mgs. Headaches for a week when starting and during increasing dose. It does mess with my memory. I can forget asking someone a question three times and sometimes have some trouble remembering words I'm trying to express."

• dal...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 27, 2019

"I’ve taken this Rx oxcarbazepine for 10 years for Bipolar 1 disorder. It has caused increased sodium levels when I exceed 600-900 mg, but it does help me at 600 mg per day. I have tried 6-7 other meds for BP, but I always have come back to oxcarbazepine. The others are simply too strong and left me cloudy and confused."

• Mia...
• March 5, 2017

"I'm on a cocktail of mood stabilizers and an antidepressant to treat the depressive phase of bipolar. Lately, I started getting dysphoric manic phases. If I take 150 mg once a day, I feel so much calmer, thoughts don't race, dysphoria disappears. I don't feel groggy or slow. I think I tried a higher dose, and it didn't agree with me. I took it, then stopped it, and now I'm on it again. I saved it for acute mania, and it helped me come down when I was worried I could not. It worked right away. Calmed my agitation and did not cause a crash. Improved my sleep too. I'm also taking 150 mg of Lamictal, 80 mg of Latuda, and occasionally 1 mg of Xanax as needed."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2019

"This medication, Trileptal, has pretty much eradicated my anger and mood swings related to my bipolar disorder. It’s pretty much perfect for what it was prescribed for. However, since starting it, I have been soooooo hungry! I have pretty much only eaten one meal per day for the past 10 years. Since starting Trileptal, I’ve been needing a full three meals, plus snacks, with how ravenous my appetite has become. I’ve gained a pound per week so far, which isn’t being made up for when I exercise. It’s an amazing drug, but the weight gain is steering me away from it."

• Aun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2016

"I had been on generic Trileptal for years, it worked great for mood stabilization. No weight gain or major side effects until I received a different generic version. Then, my iodine levels were terribly low, and I lost a ton of weight and felt awful. My dermatologist discovered this because my primary care doctor ran tests and couldn't figure this out. Years later, I'm back on Trileptal 900 mg, my mood is great, yet now I'm having hair loss. My hair is thin already. I'm done with this medicine. It's unfortunate because it works well for moods. Hair loss will definitely have me depressed. Not worth it."

• Lil...
• June 7, 2015

"I have been taking Trileptal for over 12 years. Current dosage: 1800 mg. The drug worked for many years without side effects noticed. Today, I suffer from thin bones, hypernatremia, colitis. Psychologically, a great drug. Physically, not so much."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 19, 2019

"I absolutely love this medicine, oxcarbazepine, for bipolar. It was the first medicine we found to really help after some trial and errors. I take 1200 mg a day, with 300 mg 4 times a day. We tried 2 pills at 600 mg a day, one in the morning and one at night. But I found I would get into this weird drowsy high state, I couldn't walk and felt so out of it. We switched to 300 mg 4 times, and it works perfectly. Occasionally, I'll get the high feeling, but a nap takes it right out or just waiting 15-20 minutes. This medicine, in combination with Invega and Wellbutrin, is my daily medication, it helps my bipolar and depression."

• Jak...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 9, 2017

"Trileptal 600 mg TID. Numerous others, Trileptal seems to be the topic at hand. I was on Trileptal years ago and then went off my meds altogether for a few years. Upon restarting my psych meds, my prescribers tried me on several meds, all the while I kept mentioning that Trileptal had helped me immensely in the past. Finally, out of frustration, if I had to guess, I was put back on Trileptal. The climb back up the ladder to find my dose has been long and unpleasant, but I have found a place finally where my thoughts have slowed enough to think straight, and my manic highs have been brought down to a more manageable base level."

• Sin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 2, 2020

"I took Trileptal for 8 months for bipolar type 1. I was rapid cycling due to an antidepressant, but the Trileptal was very effective for stopping the cycle. My mind wasn’t going a million miles an hour anymore. However, horrible, dangerous side effects started with dizziness and nausea. At 8 months, hives on my skin, rash on my palms, and it was in my mouth. Scratchy throat and respiratory problems also. Stopped cold turkey, and now I’m cycling into depression."

• Anonymous
• August 27, 2009

Oxcarbazepine "I have been on 1800 mg Trileptal for 3 years now for rapid cycling manic bipolar. I don't have the depression part like most do. I absolutely love Trileptal. For the 3 years before that, I had tried a handful from Lamictal, Topamax, and Wellbutrin. They all resulted in violent outbursts. For about 2 years, I took 1 mg Abilify along with it, it worked okay, but I would still get very annoyed with everything. So it then got paired up with Geodon, and it's worked wonders for me! It may have taken 5 years to get it just right, but when it's right, you will know!"

• Gue...
• November 28, 2018

"1st time anything has worked. After over 20 years of being hospitalized for suicidal thoughts, something finally works. It's been 8 months. I'm usually good for twice a year. Still deal with social anxiety and distrust of people, but it calms racing thoughts of suicide."

• Cmu...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 8, 2012

"Do NOT stop taking this medication. I was out of state and ran out of it (poor planning on my part). I realized I was going to run out, so I started titrating downwards. The results were immediate and unexpected. Essentially, I went into 'withdrawal' (in the psych world labeled 'discontinuation syndrome'). It was very unsettling. When I finally returned to my home state, I had to double my dose for a while to feel 'normal'."

• Ced...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 18, 2019

"Have been on Trileptal for 15 years for bipolar. 600 mg twice a day. Worked very well for me. Developed critical hyponatremia after an illness and was told I must withdraw from the drug. Extreme difficulty dropping even a small amount. Lost motor ability, developed psychotic symptoms. Landed in emergency. Did a very slow taper to 480 mg twice a day and fairly functional. Be very careful if withdrawing."