Trileptal and Headaches: What Users Say

• Ewo...
• June 5, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "I have just begun Trileptal as a treatment for Bipolar I. I was previously on Seroquel 150 and was unable to function at all within 45 minutes of taking it. I experience rapid cycling and more manic episodes than depressive ones, so the Seroquel helped me sleep. However, I noticed weight gain almost immediately and immense hunger - almost ravenous. When it would wear off, I was extremely hostile and agitated. The side effects seemed to outweigh the benefits. So far Trileptal has left me with no side effects except for a slight headache, and I have smoothly transitioned out of my manic episode. I feel like I may need a sleep aid, however, still experiencing a bit of insomnia. I can only hope the success continues!"

• Anonymous
• February 28, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication was extremely effective at stabilizing my moods. The problems that I had made it so that I could not continue on it and therefore needed to rate it so low (because of the severe side effects). First off, I literally saw double for several hours after taking it. Do you remember the Wrigley's Double Mint gum commercials? Well, literally that's what I experienced. It DID go away after several hours afterward, but was really weird and gave me a headache when it happened every morning. My skin, especially my lips, would get numb and tingly. The biggest problem, though, was that it gave me constipation so bad that nothing I ate or took could alleviate it. The ONLY way I could EVER go is if I took a heavy (not mild) laxative."

• Sid...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 7, 2024

"Sometimes, anticonvulsants are used off-label as a mood stabilizer. That's the case for me. I don't have any sort of history of seizures or epilepsy. Instead, I take this medication for controlling mood swings from BPD. I've had a lot of problems with figuring out my antidepressant, but I've been on Trileptal for almost 2 years now, and I've hardly had any problems. The side effects are minimal, perhaps a headache sometimes or maybe I am a little forgetful, but it's absolutely worth it to think rationally and have control over my life. I still get snappy sometimes, and my brain may run more slowly, but it's a big difference from where I was before taking this medication. If you have borderline personality disorder and need help stabilizing your mood, I definitely suggest asking your provider to give this a shot."

• VAb...
• October 28, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "This medicine was given to me as I was being taken off an antidepressant and has given me headaches, nausea, joint pain, and a feeling of not being fully alert. I was started at a 1500 mg daily dose, and I think that is way too high for me. I have been at this dose for over three months, and the doctors seem to think that the side effects are outweighed by the positives. I have felt more depressed since they put me on this, but they don’t worry about that. I would rather have the antidepressants back, at least I could be a human with them."

• Anonymous
• October 5, 2011

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "Well, the pain on the nerve goes away pretty quickly after taking 150 mg of Trileptal, which I just started taking this year, because when I was told that I had trigeminal neuralgia last year, I didn't find out until the pain was almost over, but the medicine only lasts about 4 hours or so. At first, I got a headache, which didn't last too long, so I didn't take anything for the headache. What concerns me the most is that lately I have been getting pain on my ankles the next day after doing a 45-minute kickboxing workout, and it's not going away, which I never had before. Today, for the first time in my life, I had a terrible pain in my pelvis that I could hardly walk. Hopefully, the pain goes away soon, and I won't have to take anything until next year!"