[hamster-bamster]

I am on Lithium, which dulls my sexuality. Nothing horrible (I basically would turn asexual on Geodon, Risperdal, and Topamax, so it is my Achilles' heel in psychpharmacology - sexuality), but, it was better completely off meds. I take 900 mg. One option is to try a lower dose. Another option is to try another MS. Depakote caused tens of lbs of weight gain and hand tremor so severe that I lost interviews and teacher auditions for which I was perfectly prepared, but the marker would tremble in my hand at the whiteboard. Who knows what my interviewers thought of me (too anxious? On drugs?) but I didn't get offers. Recently I very easily won a teacher audition, so I know how much poise and confidence matter, and with a severe tremor, forget about poise and confidence. So Depakote is out.

Lamictal was like a sugar pill - no effects and no side effects.

I refuse to take AP's on a regular basis.

That pretty much leaves me with Tegretol, so I am soliciting feedback, especially on how well it protects from climbing too high in elevated mood and what it does to sexuality.

Trippin, I recall that XR is better, right?

[wildflowerchild25]

I don't know if you've tried trileptal but if you haven't that's an option as well. For me it was between tegretol and trileptal and I refused to submit to blood tests for a variety of reasons so tegretol was out. Trileptal has been a real life saver for me. I believe it is similar to tegretol.

[hamster-bamster]

I did read that it is a gentler form of Tegretol and yes, it would make sense to try it first. Thank you for reminding me of it.

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Tegretol has been a life saver for me. I was on it for almost 8 years and was almost episode free. However, since I've been back on it, I have put on 20 lbs. I have not notice a decrease in sex drive, but I didn't feel that w/ prozac either.

[hamster-bamster]

To make sure I got it right - first, you weren't gaining weight on Tegretol. Then you stopped. After restarting, the weight gain happened. Right?

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[Trippin2.0]

Yes Hammy, you remember correctly

I was on both the regular Tegretol as well the XR version. I distinctly remember preferring Tegratol XR.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

Yes Hammy, you remember correctly

I was on both the regular Tegretol as well the XR version. I distinctly remember preferring Tegratol XR.

I remember correctly because I didn't get cognitive side effects on Lithium, but it did kill my thyroid function, and it is permanent damage - when I was off Lithium, I still needed to take Synthroid. Without Synthroid, I could not get up. At all - extreme fatigue without any depressive thoughts. Thought pattern was more like:"oh, how curious it is that I cannot even lift my finger. Funny, no?"

so I was put back on Synthroid when I was off Lithium. That makes the side effect tardive. Your gap in memory is tardive, too. Yet when you read the list of possible side effects, you don't see "and can become tardive" in large red print, do you?

[Trippin2.0]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

I remember correctly because I didn't get cognitive side effects on Lithium, but it did kill my thyroid function, and it is permanent damage - when I was off Lithium, I still needed to take Synthroid. Without Synthroid, I could not get up. At all - extreme fatigue without any depressive thoughts. Thought pattern was more like:"oh, how curious it is that I cannot even lift my finger. Funny, no?"

so I was put back on Synthroid when I was off Lithium. That makes the side effect tardive. Your gap in memory is tardive, too. Yet when you read the list of possible side effects, you don't see "and can become tardive" in large red print, do you?

Nope, I definitly did not see that on the lithium pamphlet.

I'm happy to report that my working memory is getting stronger but as you say, there's still gaps and I have learned to accept them.

[Moreta]

Tegretol is great for me. I take it along with Lamictal. I find that when I'm just on Lamictal though (tried to get pregnant last year, so had to come off Tegretol) things kinda went downhill. I do notice I can't miss a dose b/c I get splitting headaches. I haven't gained any weight on it.

I take Trileptal. Trileptal and Tegretol can interfere with several forms of hormonal contraceptives, so that's something to discuss with a doctor.

Apparently, Trileptal doesn't cause significant -- if any -- weight gain issues (Trileptal: Everyone?s Using It! | Psych Central Professional). I've taken it for half a year, and haven't had any problems with depressed sexuality or weight gain.

Of course, different people react differently to Trileptal. I don't know if I'm a particularly big fan. It does keep me stable, but it flattens the nuances of my emotional spectrum (so now I feel a small selection of very discrete and basic emotions, e.g. anxiety, paralyzing (physical) depressive lethargy, and happiness. Of course, none of these moods are as elevated as before, which is nice, and I'm still on a relatively small dose and slowly titrating upward. Things I can't feel: anger, sadness. I can't cry even if I try. I am no longer touched by art or music, which feels terrible in some ways). Trileptal also causes a lot of drowsiness and disorientation in the morning (sometimes double vision), although those effects go away after a few weeks.

Good luck, Hamster!

[hamster-bamster]

i agree that no longer being touched by art of music would feel terrible. To me it would cancel out an improvement in sexuality.

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

i agree that no longer being touched by art of music would feel terrible. To me it would cancel out an improvement in sexuality.

Of course, that might not happen in your case. Trial and error, I suppose.