Started Trileptal while tapering Xanax

I did a fairly rapid taper from Xanax because I knew I would need to be off work to do this. Of course I wish I had a year off work! As a nurse, there’s no way I could handle these symptoms while working in a pandemic. In fact it’s crazy I’m even trying this right now.

I was encouraged to spark up a conversation regarding Trileptal use, and I apologize I reread your post regarding my answer here.

Has anyone used an antiseizure medication for successfully mitigating PAWS? I’m quite encouraged, at the moment, I normally have terrible akathesia or restless legs on occasion, panic attacks. Having a diagnosis of bipolar 2, I carry a high risk for mania and psychosis: my dad spent half his early years hospitalized for these things. Trileptal has made me feel relaxed, normal and none of these symptoms. Feels too good to be true.

For the poster who wondered if it would help. We all respond differently to medication. In fact it takes all people on a journey and sometimes it just doesn’t work for others. I tried the Trileptal because it was the drug that stabilized my dad. He was medication free and he was deep into AA and became a drug counselor and they frowned on medication. His illness destroyed all of our lives. He was in and out of the hospital but not just for his bipolar, they would lead to events of diabetic failures and injuries. You name it. For the first time, he was an adult and a decade free of hospitals, then two. It was a flipping miracle.

So for some reason this medication works well for the people in our family. My nephew and son both have bipolar but would not treat. My nephew has almost died a number of times and in and out of ICUs, overdose, car accident, same kind of thing. He’s now on this medication too and is hospital free.

Not sure why. I hope you find this kind of answer in your life. Some ppl do find it without meds. This medication has a low harm profile and many kids take for seizure disorder. Bipolar is a broad diagnosis and like obesity can be caused by hormones, culture, depression, personal choices, the outcomes of the diagnosis is the same. So for you finding relief from your hormone imbalance might help a lot etc.

We have diabetes too and I think metabolism plays a role. Some kind of innate thing. But to note many who have this diagnosis do find relief with anti seizure meds and they think some may have micro seizures that are beyond our ability to detect. Makes sense, I space out and forget whole blocks of time, I wonder if I do have a type of seizure that they haven’t figured out yet. I also am very strict on diet because inflammation plays a role in both diabetes and depression. In fact most know me as more of a holistic type. I’m more on healthy living than meds. I just know when I'm suffering and my lifestyle and holistic efforts aren’t working. I’m not supergirl!

So for me the 300 mg a day dose did nothing, it wasn’t until I upped my dose I saw anything. Yes I weaned off Xanax when last year I was in PAWS for a month stuck in NY afraid to fly home. I was crawling to the bathroom, unable to walk. It has to be why. I figured it out on my own, I do not trust most doctors, I think care now is pretty bad. I am starting my own holistic practice actually.

I will be around, maybe we can talk. There’s so much I do I haven’t explained. Most of it is diet and supplements and it’s rigorous. Im sure it’s a combination of things like my hydrotherapy and yoga might be helping more than I understand. I’m not working to put all my effort into healing right now.