[Wander]

My doctor wants to put me on Tegretol (Carbamazepine), I heard it causes weight gain so I am very reluctant. I am already on Lithium and have gained weight because of that. He wants to use it to treat my depression. I am not doing well at all right now. All I have read is about it treating mania not depression. For now he put me on Cymbalta (anti-depressant) but we are both worried that will lead to mania/mixed states.

Has anyone found tegretol useful for treating depression? Did it make you gain weight? Really curious about anyone's experiences with this med.

I want to try that drug but my doctor won't give it to me, I heard lithium makes you gain weight and I am on depakote and I have gained a lot of weight that is why I want off of it, I have bipolar 1 and can't have any antidepressants and I also have Cptsd, I wish you the best

Is Tegretol an AD? I've heard of it. Is it an older drug?

[Wander]

Originally Posted by rainyday107

Is Tegretol an AD? I've heard of it. Is it an older drug?

It is an anti-epileptic mood stabiliser. Not sure how old it is.

So no Lamictal for you, right?

[Wander]

Tried Lamictal for a few months a while back and it did nothing for depression. If the Cymbalta doesn't work it may be an option to give Lamictal another go. If I don't feel any better by Tuesday I am going IP so my pdoc can try other options in a safe environment. I really hope it doesn't get to that as I was only IP nearly 3 months ago and taking more time off work will be an issue. It all feels pretty hopeless right now. Everyone is worried about me (family, pdoc and T). I hate worrying people. I hate that this illness won't give me a break. I am trying so hard; exercising, not sleeping during the day, eating well, getting out and seeing people. Nothing seems to help.

[Wild Coyote]

Tegretol is an older drug.

I like the evenness I feel with Tegretol.
I couldn't take it because it made me itch and triggered psoriasis for me.
Too bad because I found it helpful.

I hope you feel better soon!
You deserve a break, Wander.


WC

It seems like you're doing all you can, Wander and being responsible about good healthy habits. That's all you can do. Let the doctors help you. If weight gain becomes an issue for you we have a thread going called 'diet anyone?' where a few of us are supporting each other as we try to lose weight. Feel free to join us!

Tegretol did not cause weight gain for me.

It calmed me nicely, less anxiety and no ruminations. But it stopped working after 5 months. All the tweaks with dose and other meds did nothing but make things worse. It did, for a time, help with hypomania and anxiety, but when a depressive episode swung around, it was useless. After two years we gave up on it. I was left with a bunch of tooth decay, after being cavity free for 20 odd years. I should add that this was 15 years ago, but I'm pretty sure my memory of my experience is accurate.

But, I did not gain weight with it. This is just my experience with Tegretol.

TL;DR No, I did not gain weight with Tegretol. No, it did not help with depression.

I'm sorry you're feeling so bad.

Lamictal is the ONLY drug I have stayed on the entire time since my diagnosis.m I have tried so many drugs I stopped counting years ago. I need other drugs to go with Lamictal, but it's a great mood stabilizer for me for depression. I've found it works so well you can't even tell its there....unless a person went off it and then they'd realize how much it did work. It helps my depressive side. Keep it in mind in case you need to switch around.

I wish you could get some good ADs. I hope Cymbalta helps you. My pdoc lets me take them. I'm a bit surprised lol but he made the right call. I think I've tried every SSRI from the Prozac era to a few years back. Haven't tried new ones. I'm guessing Big Pharma keeps creating new ones.

Thinking of you. xo

Originally Posted by Wander

My doctor wants to put me on Tegretol (Carbamazepine), I heard it causes weight gain so I am very reluctant. I am already on Lithium and have gained weight because of that. He wants to use it to treat my depression. I am not doing well at all right now. All I have read is about it treating mania not depression. For now he put me on Cymbalta (anti-depressant) but we are both worried that will lead to mania/mixed states.

Has anyone found tegretol useful for treating depression? Did it make you gain weight? Really curious about anyone's experiences with this med.

If I recall correctly, my pdoc gave me Lithium for mixed episodes and depression. It was not for my mania. I didn't like Lithium but I had to take it for almost a year. It works very well for some. It helped me but I had massive side effects the entire time.

[Wander]

Thanks Rainyday. Lithium was prescribed to me to curb the intensity of my suicidal urges. It did help for a while but hasn't worked this year. The urges tend to happen when I am mixed so I guess it is for that. Maybe I could switch Lithium for Tegretol and not gain any more weight? Idk. I just lost around 13 pounds (6kg) stopping Zyprexa and feel so much better about myself. I would hate to gain more.

24 hours in on Cymbalta and I feel a few minor side effects but nothing else. Bit irritable though which is a concern. Will have to keep an eye on it. Hopefully it will pass.

I tried Carbamazepine around 1998 and it was a nightmare. I completely stopped eating and compulsively played the song 'Sabotage' by the Beastie Boys approximately 3000 times (do the math: that's about 150 hours of Sabotage) until my friends found and confiscated the Carbamazepine.

[Wander]

Originally Posted by Lefty the Salesman

I tried Carbamazepine around 1998 and it was a nightmare. I completely stopped eating and compulsively played the song 'Sabotage' by the Beastie Boys approximately 3000 times (do the math: that's about 150 hours of Sabotage) until my friends found and confiscated the Carbamazepine.

Lol! I love that song...but maybe not 3000 times over a short period of time. Were you manic?

I don't know what I was. I was staying in Manhattan with friends and was basically acting radioactive.

Originally Posted by Lefty the Salesman

I tried Carbamazepine around 1998 and it was a nightmare. I completely stopped eating and compulsively played the song 'Sabotage' by the Beastie Boys approximately 3000 times (do the math: that's about 150 hours of Sabotage) until my friends found and confiscated the Carbamazepine.

I saw Beastie Boys in concert with Run DMC LOL

[p00dlez]

I have been on tegretol for years and I have had some weight gain. Latest appointment was about 6lbs. Over all it hasn't been too bad for weight gain though.

It was working pretty well for me but lately I have been really irritated and depressed so pdoc is raising the dose of it even though I thought he wouldn't because its hard on my kidneys.

To be honest I cant tell the difference between it and lamictal, have been on both and they seem about the same. The only thing I don't like about it is that I have become dependent on it, and that's why I wanted off the lamictal to begin with. I can feel it if I miss a dose, something I don't like at all.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I was on tegretols cousin, trileptal. No weight gain. It seems like there's so many meds that cause weight gain and that's hard for me with an eating disorder. I'm on 300mg seroquel at night and I worry I'll blow up so I watch what I eat. I just gained 5lbs in IP lol

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[Wander]

Originally Posted by RxQueen875

I was on tegretols cousin, trileptal. No weight gain. It seems like there's so many meds that cause weight gain and that's hard for me with an eating disorder. I'm on 300mg seroquel at night and I worry I'll blow up so I watch what I eat. I just gained 5lbs in IP lol

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Sorry to hear about the weight gain. It must be frustrating. Are you feeling any better? I will have to ask my pdoc about Trileptal. Thanks.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Wander

Sorry to hear about the weight gain. It must be frustrating. Are you feeling any better? I will have to ask my pdoc about Trileptal. Thanks.

Yea I'm working on myself. I just got out of IP a week and a half ago. Trileptal helped me tons until we had to go to max dose and I started seeing double vision and couldn't even walk. So I'd say it's a great med even though I had those side effects 6 months later from raised dose.

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[Moreta]

I'm on Equetro, the fancy new extended release tegretol. I feel fewer side effects with it. I've been on tegretol of some kind since 2011. Gained 5 lbs when I first started but that was it.