I'm really scared that trileptal won't be effective enough. I can't stress enough that I cannot take any drug that commonly causes weight gan. As a recovered anorexic, I know for a fact that I will not be happy if I gain a lot of weight from a drug. That's just how it goes.

I tried lamictal but I got an awful rash. That's one of the only other mood stabilizers that isn't associated with weight gain. So, if trileptal doesn't work then I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm really scared and anxious.

I understand why you would be Wish, as you have had a lot of disappointments and let downs....This is pretty recent, med change isnt' it? Can you tell any difference of does it take a long time like most?


I hope it works for you too....once the emotional ups and downs level out that anger...your life will take on a more peaceful aura...and you will get a lot of things accomplished that you struggled with before...
I spent a lot of time distracted by all my frustrations, anger, anxieties..about doing the simpliest of things...and once I leveled out, researched and understood as much as I could about my BPD, and reached out for support...I saw a lot of that dissapate..and was able to concentrate more on immediate issues...I hope you have the same success ...Take care Wish

I'm really scared that trileptal won't be effective enough. I can't stress enough that I cannot take any drug that commonly causes weight gan. As a recovered anorexic, I know for a fact that I will not be happy if I gain a lot of weight from a drug. That's just how it goes.

I tried lamictal but I got an awful rash. That's one of the only other mood stabilizers that isn't associated with weight gain. So, if trileptal doesn't work then I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm really scared and anxious.
a low dosage of Abilify stabalized my mood (10mg)...no weight gain either. Lamictal and Trileptal did nothing for me now matter the dosage....maybe you can go that route.

I understand about your nervousness with regards to medicine causing weight gain. I, too, am a recovered anorexic. I started "dieting" and obsessing over my weight when I was 5.

The only ever mood stabilizer I've ever taken was Depakote-- it did not cause any weight gain for me, although I'm 99% sure it's listed as a side effect. It's been years since I took it, and the reason I stopped was because I took afternoon naps. Being extremely hyperactive, I just didn't like this effect. Although I'm in the process of being officially diagnosed, my psy. prescribed Adderall for me and it's helping with many things (not everything though). I know this med does not cause weight gain; however, if he'd given me something that might, I would have refused to take it. Now that I'm medicated, I stop worrying so much about my weight and am finally beginning to break free of the anorexic thought process. Perhaps the reason that I gave into my anorexic thoughts for so many years was because my weight and what I ate were the only things that I could control. Living in a state of starvation quelled my hyperactivity and gave me a sense of empowerment even though everything else was completely out of control. Now that I feel much calmer, evened out, and am able to sift through my thoughts better, I am able to put my weight concerns in better perspective. If someone had told me this before, I never would have been able to comprehend it.

I really hope the Trileptal works for you, but if not, maybe you could try another med. Just because a med could make you gain weight, it doesn't mean it will. Everyone's chemistry is different. If you notice that you're gaining weight on something, you can always stop taking it.

Furthermore, even if you do gain some weight, your frame of mind may have changed and you might not view it in the same way that you have previously and do now. I certainly understand the difficulty of conceiving of that shift in thinking-- but I'm learning that things as intense and ingrained as that can change when medicated. I don't know if this helps at all, but I certainly do know that the struggle with anorexic thinking continues long after the starvation stops. I have not been an unhealthy weight in 10 years, but the same thought process continues to haunt me.

I disagree with you adhd. I'm not ok with gaining weight because of a medication. If it was induced by a change in my lifestyle that's one thing. It's different when I haven't changed my eating or exercise habits one bit and am gaining weight. That is not ok as far as I'm concerned. Just like I don't want to walk around with acne because it affects my self-esteem, I don't want to gain weight when I haven't changed my lifestyle or exercise.

So have you been on the Trileptal since June 6 or so? Any thing to report?

It is working ok. My doctor has upped my adderall xr from 25 mg to 30 mg because he thinks that my anger might be reactive. He thinks it could be connected to adhd instead of bipolar. I've also noticed myself having more adhd symptoms that I used to. So, it could be a tolerance thing. So, once I can refill my adderall script in a few days I'll see what difference the higher dose makes.