So. last week i met with a pdoc who prescribed Tegretol. I wasn't even faimilar. I looked it up and it is used for several conditions--bipolar I, OCD, and epilepsy? is anyone else on this drug for bipolar/adhd? and what the hell? i sat in this doc's office, and talked and talked about how i have no attention span, and can't seem to finish anything...and he precribes this?
i was diagnosed with adhd as a child, and the only ineffective medication i have ever tried has been wellbutrin.
in the past week, i have slept an ungodly amount of hours, and cried when i was awake. i still can't get anything done. the only thing that i have noticed out of the ordinary has been instead of my usual nightly routine of t.v., phone, smoking, typing..(all at the same time), i have been consumed by only one activity. Mostly because last night while i was on my laptop, i thought about turning on the t.v., but couldn't find it and was too exhausted to look for it or get up and turn on the t.v. manually. And because i have been crying all the time, i haven't really wanted to talk to my friends.
i know i have to give it more time, but if there is anyone else out there who could give me a word of advice on this med..that would be wonderful!
thanks!

:confused:

hi ruinawake.
yes I have been on Tegretol for my Epilepsy since 1986. It is an anticonvulsant medication that helps Epilepsy ( seizures ) it is also used to help moods in bipolar or mood disorders.

I dont remember the side effects I had when I began the medication if I had any. What mg are you on? You need to start at a low mg and then increase is slowly. I hope to hear form you soon .

Find a new doc.

I was put on tegretol in the hospital a couple of years ago...for schizoaffective disorder tho. The crazy doc put me on 800 mg and after a day or so I couldn't keep my eyes open or WALK without help! The doc refused to beleive it was the tegretol causing me to be like that. Finally, he agreed to check my blood levels and found out I was in toxic range! I have never even thought about taking it again.

I can see this med being used for bi-polar but it isn't normally the first thing a doctor tries. My experience has been depakote some variety of mood stabilizer is normally prescribed. You didn't mention what type of bi-polar either some thing with a huge mania??? I have heard of being tried with bi-polar as a second or third line when other approaches fail or are non-options. I don't know my mom was given tergrtol for her seizures! It can make one sleep like a log! I can’t see it doing much for ADD personally but I am no doctor I would have asked him about his rational.

omigod...i haven't been on in awhile, and wonderful responses await me. i am still with the same doc, but i literally was falling asleep while i was driving, i ran four stop signs in a week, and cried every minute i was awake. Bull****! you've got to be kidding me! i went back to the doc, told him how bad it was. i mean, i went to someone for help with add. (i may/may not have bi-polar) but in my opinion, the main frustration is the add. so he stopped tegretol, and put me immediatly on adderall. adderall is great, i have felt more focused and clear than i have in months, but he says he wants to ween me off of that and on to another drug like tegretol, called trileptol?
i dunno. i did some research and it seems the same...i am so lost. i know that he is afraid to keep me on something like adderall, because he doesn't want it to trigger some permenant manic/anxious state, but truly the last three weeks have been brilliant. i feel great when i can focus and actually follow through on projects.
*sigh*
i am afraid to fill my perscription of trileptol, i suppose i will take his suggestions and see if it will help. all i want is to function as a productive individual in society. but if i feel like i did on tegretol, then forget it. that was so ridiculous!
any word on trileptol, anybody?

new doc=new 6 month wait...this is the third in a year. one told me adhd doesn't exist, and i am begining to think that this one is of the same opinion.

new doc=new 6 month wait...this is the third in a year. one told me adhd doesn't exist, and i am begining to think that this one is of the same opinion.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?DB=pubmed

Give the Dr that link to Uncle Sams
website and tell him to plug in ADHD.

WOW!!! 10833 hits for something that does not exsist thats alot research studies! Those thousands
of scientist must be morons, crooks
all on the pay row of evil drug
companies.

Oh an ask the good doctor for the
names of the articals he has listed on the national database.

new doc=new 6 month wait...this is the third in a year. one told me adhd doesn't exist, and i am begining to think that this one is of the same opinion.Find a specialist that primarily deals with adhd, preferably a psychiatrist. GPs are nitwits sometimes.

Yes,as someone else said above, you should find a new doctor who deals with ADHD all the time. Tell this new doctor that you really liked the Adderall and it seemed to help. An Anti Depressant in combination with a Psychostimulant is a great for people with Bipolar and ADHD. It treats both of the disorders.

My psychiarist told me this and he actually specializes in ADD/ADHD and is on the medical board at UCSD. He must know something. Don't give up hope. Be asertive when you go to see a new doctor and let them know your needs and what you have already been on. You know your body and what works for you.