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Trileptal/Oxcarbazepine


[qb...]

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I've read studies online as this being used to come off of benzos, with some good success.  Ironically, it's the last med that I went cold turkey on before beginning my taper.

 

It seemed to make me super energetic/manic in the mornings, would have horrible days, and then once the sun went down, i felt normal.  I could socialize and watch tv, and get naturally tired (I miss that).

 

But in general, I do not miss meds, as they were masking and hiding my true personality, even though it might make some things more bearable?

 

Anyone have experiences with this med?

 

Brian

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I'm considering going back on Trileptal.  Looking back through my old emails to my Dr, was showing that it was making taper easier.

 

It also allows me to concentrate and be able to read a book.  Plus it gives me personality and allows me to fall asleep naturally, and able to watch tv.

 

I'm doing a Zen Buddhist retreat right now, and I couldn't focus on a word they were saying to me today, but if I take Trileptal, I can focus, concentrate, understanding what they're saying, and participate.  Plus I need to be prepared for my new job in a month and a half.

 

I've been diagnosed BPII 3 times, but I've always thought that it was from benzo interdose/tolerance withdrawal.

 

I'll sleep on it, and decide tomorrow, but I'd like to hear your 2 cents.

 

Plus I've been reading numerous studies about Trileptal assisting in benzo WD.

 

Regards,

 

 

Brian

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Hi qbsbrown,

 

I am not familiar with Triltptal. I always suggest doing your research before taking any meds.  :thumbsup:

 

 

T2 :smitten:

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I'm surprised that tegretol (Carbamazepine) and Trileptal (Oxcarbazepine) aren't discussed more on this board.  I keep finding numerous and numerous studies that showed that they have helped in numerous studies, and also allowed a quicker withdrawal (25 percent per week).
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Just the names Carbamazepine and Oxcarbazepine scare me.  Wiki says they're mood stabilizing drugs used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder, also used to treat ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, phantom limb syndrome, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, and trigeminal neuralgia. 

 

But, benzo's have been prescribed to treat these same things.  I just hate to see trading one chemical for another.  Easy for me to say since I'm healed now.  Back in the day I might have jumped at this stuff, doubt it though.  I'm pretty sick of drugs...

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Oh, I'm sick of the drugs too!  But at least with Trileptal I could taper quicker, concentrate, focus, watch tv, get naturally tired, more sociable get things done, not wake up with horrid anxiety etc.  I was prescribed this for BPII, but I don't think I'm bipolar, just tolerance/interdose withdrawals.

 

I just realized that last time I was on Trileptal and 30 mgs diazepam, I was on about 15-20 vitamins (many b vitamins), and Provigil ( a stimulant), and 3 cups of coffee first thing in the morning.  No wonder why i was having such a tough time!  Plus i had directly crossed tapered from 2-3 mgs of klonopin, to 30 mgs of valium (which is half).

 

So I think that I am through the serious wood work.

 

But after a month of no other meds, vitamins, caffeine, sugar, stimulants, etc, I think that Trileptal could help me much more dramatically, like many of those people in the studies.

 

I tapered from 30mgs diazepam to 10mgs diazepam in a short amount of time and was feeling great, but then stupidly quit trileptal CT (one of my many dumb ideas).  Felt like crap, and had to start taper back up at 30mgs.

 

I'm at 24mgs right now.

 

Regards,

 

Brian

 

So perhaps this is something that will work for me very well. 

 

Brian

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Plus when I was on Trileptal, I was going out with friends, volunteering to coach youth baseball, and applying for overseas teaching jobs.

 

wow, am I just trying to justify to myself to take the med? LOL.

 

Love,

 

Brian

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Took my first dose of Trileptal today, nothing short of a god send.  I can finally come off w/o severe withdrawal.  thoughts slowed, anxiety lessened, could even take a nap.  Only downside is a little derealization, but nothing that I'm not used to.

 

Thanks god!

 

Brian

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Hiya Brian,

 

I"m glad you feel better. But for most, it's really not a good idea to use another prescription medication for wd of benzo. This is an anti convulsant. It is usually prescribed to people with a history of seizures, or are being rapidly detoxed off of benzos or alcohol. That all said, the decision to use it is between you and physician. Make sure you taper off it slowly to prevent seizures.

 

You asked why we don't discuss this med more on this forum. It's because we are a benzo withdrawal site. It is our policy to not encourage the promotion of other prescription meds for the purposes of tapering  benzo. It's just too dangerous to do this. If it's something that you feel is best for you, that is your decision, but in most cases we try to encourage forgoing a concurrent med. Now, if you have been prescribed this medication for a purpose other than making your wd more comfortable, that's a different story. You said you were prescribed this medication for Bipolar disorder. If you have been diagnosed with BPD and the doctor prescribed you trileptal(off-label?) to treat it, then that is what you should take it for.

 

 

In my opinion though, for others reading this, it should not be taken strictly for wd symptoms. It's a powerful drug which as far as I know is only approved for seizure disorders, and shouldn't taken lightly.

 

Take care Bri. 

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Thanks Eljay.  You're probably right.  I have been DXed bipolar 2-3 times, and they have tried/used every med under the sun for the past 3 years.  The whole time it was probably just interdose/tolerance withdrawal, seeing as I didn't have any of these issues before beginning benzos.

 

Yes, after reading all of the studies on tegretol and trileptal about benzo withdrawal, it go me all excited.  Tapering 25 percent a week with little to no withdrawal effects, who could turn that down.  Even the study of 40 people that have had tough times coming off benzos.

 

This process seems so long and painful, and it consumes my daily life, and I can't imagine going on like this for however long it might take me to wean off.  I need to move on with my life.  I need to get a job etc.

 

But I feel so afraid to take any pills, that even if they do help, i can't stop thinking about them, and being paranoid.  Almost like you pop a pill, then you have no control over what it does in/to your brain.

 

Regards,

 

Brian

 

 

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