Tegretol and bipolar disorder!?!
Question: Hi. I'm 21 and have been diagnosed bipolar for 2 years after being diagnosed with MDD since the age of 12-ish. Anyways, I've been on Depakote and just switched to Tegretol. Does anyone have any experience? Weight gain issues, tremors? I also know that it hinders the RBC count and I'm already anemic. Should I up my iron supplements? Or should I just stick with my normal dosage? (25mg) Pretty much anything. I would just like to know what to expect. I know everyone reacts differently...but any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much!
Lew
Answers: Hi. I'm 21 and have been diagnosed bipolar for 2 years after being diagnosed with MDD since the age of 12-ish. Anyways, I've been on Depakote and just switched to Tegretol. Does anyone have any experience? Weight gain issues, tremors? I also know that it hinders the RBC count and I'm already anemic. Should I up my iron supplements? Or should I just stick with my normal dosage? (25mg) Pretty much anything. I would just like to know what to expect. I know everyone reacts differently...but any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much!
Lew
I was also doing well on depakote when I lost my insurance and switched to Tegretol (carbamazapine generic). I was afraid to because I had tried a few other drugs before depakote with disastrous results. But something new was better than nothing so I tried Tegretol. It seems to work okay. I didn't have any side effects. Unless you want to call weight LOSS a side effect. The depakote causes mild weight gain, and Tegretol doesn't. I've lost 20 pounds since switching 15 months ago, not doing too much different. If you have existing iron problems, definitely ask your doctor if you should increase your iron supplement.
Eat a lot of fiber and drink a lot of water. It is very constipating. It was intolerable for me for that reason, and then I turned out to be allergic anyhow, after a couple weeks.
I wonder why they aren't trying lamictal and lithium before tegretol? lamictal has less side effects & lithium is the gold standard. Maybe they did try that & you left that out of your question, tho.
make sure that you are taking folic acid to keep you in balance.
and prenatel vitamins couldnt hurt your situation at all.