Well folks this is my third medication and I thought I would post a little topic here for future reference.

So if you are reading this in the future well then...hullllooooooo from the past. What's going on?

I took my first two pills today and tonight I feel a little strange. A little off if you will. I am not sure how to describe it. I had a high degree of hypomania today and almost wound up doing the whole buying returning buying thing, but I knew it was my condition running so I forced myself to stay home. I did cheat a little and had McDonalds french fries...DAMN YOU RONALD MCDONALD AND YOUR DELICIOUS FRIES!

I am curious to see what will happen as the days go on. Lamictal worked pretty well on the depressive side and Topamax seemed to send me out of mania and into more depression. I did not feel any side effects during the day, but the night pill made me a little bit sleepy and lightheaded. I will keep you aprised as time goes on..or I wont..I can be somewhat forgetful and distracted...(I'm looking at you BiPolar II and ADHD)

Day two: Felt kind of out of it today. It's like a strange fuzziness in my head. I am also sick with a bad cough and that doesn't help. I have been up since 5AM and that isn't helping either. I want to give the trileptal the two full weeks until I see the PDoc, but this fuzziness needs to go away.

One week later: So far the drug has done very little except give me a bad headache and some diziness. I am seeing the doc next week and will talk to him about it.

Yeah you seemed a bit hypomanic there on some of your more tempestuous posts

I honestly don't remember how fast Trileptal is supposed to take to reach a helpful blood concentration, Sponge. I think its a good idea to let the doc know you are unhappy with it (I am a huge fan of complaining) ;). The headache doesn't surprise me a bit.

I honestly don't remember how fast Trileptal is supposed to take to reach a helpful blood concentration, Sponge. I think its a good idea to let the doc know you are unhappy with it (I am a huge fan of complaining) ;). The headache doesn't surprise me a bit.
I got a good laugh from your smiley. I am going to let him know because the headache is nauseating at times. At least I am more comfrotable with the whole process now. If ya remember I was the guy scared of meds at first. :D

Oh I do remember! In a short time you have become an old pro at this process. ;)

Well that healthy attitude will be needed to survive...Sponge....it's a tough road...I hope the headache goes away...that stinks......

Good luck on the Trileptal! My husband takes it, I remember the doctor saying that it was expected to take 3-4 weeks before the mood leveling effects would show reliably.

His mood swings were quite regular, and after starting Trileptal he simply didn't have the crash that he should normally have had 4-6 weeks after the date he started the Trileptal.

He did have to have one increase to the dose, since his was so low that even missing one dose could send his mood wobbling. But no problems since then as long as he takes it regularly. I hope your experience is as good as his has been!

I would think a headache as bad as you're describing definately requires a talk with the doctor. I hope it's just temporary. Keep us posted!

Thanks. So your husband has seen an improvement? I am glad to hear that. I read on a review site where a few BP said it took them 2 to 3 weeks to overcome the sode effects, but that it was worth it once they did. This is a low dose so my mania still runs wild.

It's been about two weeks and yesterday I had a major spike. An hour of extreme irratibility, anger, pain and whatnot. I had to isolate myself from the kids because I knew I would start yelling at them. I have also had incredible impulsive urges in the last two weeks. I am going to speak to the PDoc on Wed. I know Diane said 4-6 weeks, but I haven't felt any improvement at all.

I do admit that there have been 3-4 major triggers that occured during this time, so I am interested to get the PDoc's input on this.

Fingers Crossed it's just the crappy triggers.

Let us know how it goes at the docs.

Hang in there buddy!

Thanks. I am going through a rough spell with racing thoughts mixed with feelings of hoplessness and fear. I am going to let him know that it really isn't doing much for me. Maybe we need to put me on something else. Strangely enough I still have a bit of the rash on my neck so I wonder if it is something else besides Lamictal. I think what makes it so tough for the doctors and patients is the negative outcome the Lamictal rash is capable of. UGH! I am hanging in, but right now it is by a thread and the thread is tearing and someone is holding up a magnifying glass at the top causing it to catch on fire.

Blech. That doesn't sound good, I would definately make time to discuss the mood swings with your doctor.

I know one thing my husband was cautioned about was the possibility of the Trileptal getting his mood stabilized but in either the manic or depressive state. I've never seen that anyone else was cautioned about this, but my husband's doctor was very specific about exactly when in his cycle he was to start taking the medicine, so that he would be stabilized in a good part of the cycle rather than one of the extremes. (But my husband's cycle was very predictable, and seemed to have less to do with triggers than most people. I could usually predict his mood out several months ahead of time. So maybe it only applies to people like that.)

Hopefully the Trileptal will still work for you, and this is only a "hiccup", if you will. It would be a shame to have wasted the eleven days you've already been taking it and have to start over with something else. Maybe you just haven't taken it long enough for it to have any effect on your moods.

Hang in there, and let us know what the doctor says!

Just tossing out ideas here, Diane, but perhaps your husband was cautioned in that way because men manifest BP differently from women?

Sponge, I myself am particularly sensitive to triggers, resulting in manias as a rule. That's why I was so astonished when that tragedy happened to Space and I remained stable.

Try not to get down about this, and if you need a reminder, just think of me :o and how long it took me to get to stability. If that helps that is. If not, feel free to ignore me...many people do. ;)

I think you are great CF and always appreciate your input. I am actually doing the ultra ultra dance dance revolution cycling thing right now. Been forced to sit with periods of high mania and depression the last few days. I had to tell my wife to forbid me from returning anything else because I have purchased and returned several entertainment consoles in a wek. I am also running fearful stories in my head.

I really am thinking we need to change my meds this week. I can understand giving meds time, but there has been only a huge dip. I am open to listening to the PDoc and giving my input. He has been very good so far and I hope that ocntinues.

Hmmm now the depressive part of the cycle has kicked in...unless he has a really good reason, I need a new med.