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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 14:33:32
Oh gawd help me....ahhh!I started Tegretol a few days ago, at just 400mg's
a day, with 150mg's of Effexor XR. I can't stay awake! What is going on...someone please help/advise me. I even tried going down to 200mg's a day yesterday, and STILL tired as hell.
Any advise? (Besides adding a pstim. I take the Tegretol at bedtime. It is like when I was on Neurontin, just in a miserable foggy fatigued daze.) Help!Thanks you in advance
Jay
Posted by TomG on July 14, 2002, at 17:02:58
In reply to Tegretol HELL!, posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 14:33:32
Sorry to be off your subject but I didn't know how else to contact you. You answered a thread of mine about lithium and that it was "too activating" for you. Can you describe this feeling more, because I have been on 1200mg and it nearly drove me up the wall. I have this pressured feeling and something like an extremly uncomfortable abnormal energy. It is sort of like when you strain and let all the blood run to your face. Feels like I need to scream or like I'm about to blow my top. I guess you could call it some sort of terrible agitation. It is difficult to describe. I was put back on 600mg along with Lamictal 100mg for one day now. I was able to tolerate the 600mg before, but now with the Lamictal the bad feeling is back like it was at 1200mg. I have cut back to 300mg and I am getting better. Due to this I think it is the Lithium causing the entire problem and the Lamictal may make the Lithium stronger. Thus, it makes the Lithium feel like and increased dose. Who can be sure though? Does this sound like what you are talking about. Can you relate?
Tom
Posted by ctrlaltndel on July 14, 2002, at 19:00:18
In reply to Tegretol HELL!, posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 14:33:32
Hi Jay....Tegretol will make you feel very spacey/tired probably for a week or two it takes a while for the body to adjust..it's potent IMO.
I know some people at hospital who take it and they say it's not sedating it calming so I guess give it time.I'm taking 1600mg (only for a short while)with 225 efexor and 900mg neurontin and , well , think I'm in la la land : )
Posted by ctrlaltndel on July 14, 2002, at 19:04:38
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL!, posted by ctrlaltndel on July 14, 2002, at 19:00:18
Just to add ..it's usually taken twice a day..if that matters..
good luck...
Posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 19:20:18
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL!, posted by TomG on July 14, 2002, at 17:02:58
Hey..no problem! Yes, this does sound similar to my experience with lithium. It made my temper *very* short, and I was just grumpy and miserable. That's why I put in the 'activating' part, because I would fly off the handle about anything. I was *really* expecting it to be calm and sedating, and was quite surprised. I hope that helps relate a bit. Let us know how you make out.Best,
Jay> Sorry to be off your subject but I didn't know how else to contact you. You answered a thread of mine about lithium and that it was "too activating" for you. Can you describe this feeling more, because I have been on 1200mg and it nearly drove me up the wall. I have this pressured feeling and something like an extremly uncomfortable abnormal energy. It is sort of like when you strain and let all the blood run to your face. Feels like I need to scream or like I'm about to blow my top. I guess you could call it some sort of terrible agitation. It is difficult to describe. I was put back on 600mg along with Lamictal 100mg for one day now. I was able to tolerate the 600mg before, but now with the Lamictal the bad feeling is back like it was at 1200mg. I have cut back to 300mg and I am getting better. Due to this I think it is the Lithium causing the entire problem and the Lamictal may make the Lithium stronger. Thus, it makes the Lithium feel like and increased dose. Who can be sure though? Does this sound like what you are talking about. Can you relate?
>
> Tom
Posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 19:37:17
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL!, posted by ctrlaltndel on July 14, 2002, at 19:00:18
I don't know what it has done to me...man it feels just awful! I can't even stay awake during the day. That is not good..eh?..lol. I wonder if it's interacting with the Effexor I am on at all.Anyhow...thanks for the post. :-)
Jay
Posted by Shawn. T. on July 15, 2002, at 2:57:26
In reply to Tegretol HELL!, posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 14:33:32
I've got a friend on Remeron and Tegretol. They kept raising his Remeron dosage because they thought that was contributing to his drowsiness. I informed him that it was the Tegretol, however.
I like these two ideas:
Take half in the morning and half before bed.
Or, take a third in the morning, a third in the middle of the day, and a third at night. Take the lowest total dosage that helps you.Shawn
Posted by jay on July 15, 2002, at 4:42:27
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL!, posted by Shawn. T. on July 15, 2002, at 2:57:26
Thanks Shawn for your post. I am actually working on dividing my dose, as well as lowering my Effexor dose. Reason being, my doctor said something about Tegretol increasing the blood level of Effexor. Now, I started on a massive high dose of Effexor, like 300mg XR, so have tapered right down to 37.5mg's XR (with docs o.k.).I will keep updated! Thanks for your posts guys...
Jay
> I've got a friend on Remeron and Tegretol. They kept raising his Remeron dosage because they thought that was contributing to his drowsiness. I informed him that it was the Tegretol, however.
>
> I like these two ideas:
> Take half in the morning and half before bed.
> Or, take a third in the morning, a third in the middle of the day, and a third at night. Take the lowest total dosage that helps you.
>
> Shawn
Posted by Shawn. T. on July 15, 2002, at 6:36:54
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL! » Shawn. T., posted by jay on July 15, 2002, at 4:42:27
Thanks Jay. You seem to know what you're doing with regards to your meds.
Shawn
Posted by Ritch on July 15, 2002, at 12:24:36
In reply to Tegretol HELL!, posted by jay on July 14, 2002, at 14:33:32
>
> Oh gawd help me....ahhh!
>
> I started Tegretol a few days ago, at just 400mg's
> a day, with 150mg's of Effexor XR. I can't stay awake! What is going on...someone please help/advise me. I even tried going down to 200mg's a day yesterday, and STILL tired as hell.
> Any advise? (Besides adding a pstim. I take the Tegretol at bedtime. It is like when I was on Neurontin, just in a miserable foggy fatigued daze.) Help!
>
> Thanks you in advance
>
> JayJay,
You might want to get a Tegretol blood level. Effexor uses CYP2D6 to metabolize it, and it may be causing high blood levels of Tegretol (in which case you may need to reduce the dosage somewhat). Jackster takes Paxil and Tegretol and he said his dose of Teg wasn't that high-but his blood level was (from what I remember).
Mitch
Posted by Jackster on July 17, 2002, at 4:30:47
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL! » jay, posted by Ritch on July 15, 2002, at 12:24:36
>
> You might want to get a Tegretol blood level. Effexor uses CYP2D6 to metabolize it, and it may be causing high blood levels of Tegretol (in which case you may need to reduce the dosage somewhat). Jackster takes Paxil and Tegretol and he said his dose of Teg wasn't that high-but his blood level was (from what I remember).
>
> MitchHi
Mitch is right - I was on 200mg Tegretol CR and had a high blood level for it. PDoc wasn't sure why - but I discovered it was because I was also on Paxil (40mg) which through the CP450 system increases the Tegretol blood levels. Effexor could well do the same. It was also chewing through my Xanax. (My PDoc doesn't seem to be well informed about the CP450 system)
Jackie
PS - I'm actually a she! Jackster was the first name I could think of when I first registered here and couldn't use Jackie.
Posted by Ritch on July 17, 2002, at 10:22:28
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL!, posted by Jackster on July 17, 2002, at 4:30:47
> >
> > You might want to get a Tegretol blood level. Effexor uses CYP2D6 to metabolize it, and it may be causing high blood levels of Tegretol (in which case you may need to reduce the dosage somewhat). Jackster takes Paxil and Tegretol and he said his dose of Teg wasn't that high-but his blood level was (from what I remember).
> >
> > Mitch
>
> Hi
>
> Mitch is right - I was on 200mg Tegretol CR and had a high blood level for it. PDoc wasn't sure why - but I discovered it was because I was also on Paxil (40mg) which through the CP450 system increases the Tegretol blood levels. Effexor could well do the same. It was also chewing through my Xanax. (My PDoc doesn't seem to be well informed about the CP450 system)
>
> Jackie
>
> PS - I'm actually a she! Jackster was the first name I could think of when I first registered here and couldn't use Jackie.Ooops! Thanks for the information.
Posted by Peter S. on July 19, 2002, at 15:14:02
In reply to Re: Tegretol HELL! » Jackster, posted by Ritch on July 17, 2002, at 10:22:28
I've heard very positive things about Trileptal versus Lamictal: side effects etc. It apparently works just as effectively. Was introduced in Europe many years ago but only in US since 2000.
Peter
Posted by MomO3 on July 20, 2002, at 11:17:04
In reply to Anyone tried Trileptal?, posted by Peter S. on July 19, 2002, at 15:14:02
I asked a similar question a few days ago when I came home with a prescription for it...
I read every post I could find and found very few positive responses... Most said it made them more depressed... which I definitely couldn't handle.
I called the pdoc and told him that after staying up all night researching it I couldn't figure out why he was prescribing it... and that I would be happy to stay with the neurontin and change my AD instead. (In other words, no way am I taking this med before I have tried some more proven meds.) I will still consider changing the neurontin in upcoming months, but to depakote or lamactil. Trileptal wasn't even in my "Guide to Psychiatric Drugs" book that I bought 2 months ago !
Posted by missliz on July 21, 2002, at 0:36:16
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Trileptal? - Decided against it, posted by MomO3 on July 20, 2002, at 11:17:04
I tried Trileptal, and loved it. Dr shrink took me off of it 'cause I was having nasty side effects that turned out to be a larger issue than just one drug. It's at the top of my list to try again.
This drug was used in Europe for a good ten years before it came here. It's Tegretol with ummm- either an oxygen or carbon atom on the tail and this has gotten rid of the interaction problems with certain antibiotics. It's only labelled for epilepsy in the states, so that may be why it isn't listed in a psych drug book. The book may also be out of date- the Gormann book was just revised (fourth edition) but there are a zillion copies of the third sitting on store shelves, way out of date already.
I recommend it.Miss Liz
This is the end of the thread.
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