Trileptal for bipolar disorder

The number of medications used to treat bipolar disorder (mood disorder) can sometimes feel overwhelming. Symptom management is essential and different drugs are used to treat important target symptoms of the illness. They also provide you with ongoing mood stabilization. Trileptal is in a group of drugs called anticonvulsants, or antiepileptic drugs. It works by decreasing nerve impulses that cause seizures. Trileptal may have a place among the "first-line" treatments for bipolar disorder. Particularly if weight gain is a highly feared risk, and depression is not prominent

View trileptal medication profile including uses, dosage, etc.

Also know the trileptal side effects

Information on Trileptal for bipolar disorder:

Oxcarbazepine - brand name Trileptal - is an anticonvulsant closely related to Carbamazepine, which has a variety of brand names, including Tegretol. Oxcarbazepine is 10,11-Dihydro-10-oxo-5H-dibenz[b,f]azepine-5-carboxamide. Oxcarbazepine is a white to faintly orange crystalline powder. It is slightly soluble in chloroform, dichloromethane, acetone, and methanol and practically insoluble in ethanol, ether and water. Its molecular weight is 252.27.

Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) is currently FDA-approved only for use in treating certain types of seizure disorders. However, for many years, this drug has been used in Europe as a mood-stabilizer for patients with bipolar disorder.

Uses of Trileptal (Oxcarbazepine) in bipolar disorder:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave approval for the use of Trileptal for the treatment of partial seizures in adults and children. For epilepsy - monotherapy (used by itself) or adjunctive therapy (used with other meds) for adults with partial seizures. Adjunctive therapy only for kids with partial seizures. Partial seizures are when you have one or two limbs shaking badly but not a full-on flopping around seizure. With complex partial seizures you may lose consciousness or you just may be in a kind of altered state.

There is much less evidence supporting the use of Trileptal in either the depressed phase of bipolar disorder, or in prophylaxis of bipolar disorder. Trileptal also be effective in treating conditions as varied as mood disorders like anxiety, depression and Bipolar Disorder, sleep disorders, preventing migraine headaches and reducing chronic, neuropathic pain. Oxcarbazepine may also have mood-stabilizing effects and may be especially useful for difficult-to-treat bipolar episodes.

There's a clinically proven medication called TRILEPTAL that may help you increase control of your seizures. Whether you're newly diagnosed or are not satisfied with your current medication, TRILEPTAL may help reduce your partial seizures.

How does bipolar disorder trileptal works?

It seems to be very similar to Tegretol in that respect. It does not work for everyone, which is of course the same story as for any of these mood stabilizers -- for any given person, sometimes one will work and another not at all. Anticonvulsants like Oxcarbazepine are believed to work in part by by enhancing the actions of a natural brain chemical, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that carries messages between brain nerve cells. GABA inhibits the transmission of nerve signals, thereby reducing nervous excitation.

The problem is, this medication may not have quite as much "oomph" as the more widely tested medications like lithium, Depakote, and more recently lamotrigine and olanzapine. Worse yet, the manufacturer is not going for an "FDA indication" for bipolar disorder, so we are unlikely to see large head-to-head trials of this medication versus those more standard approaches. At this point it is mainly on the list because it causes so few problems and has so few long-term risks compared to the others.

Dosage of bipolar disorder trileptal:

The dose of oxcarbazepine (trileptal) will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label .

Side effects of bipolar disorder trileptal:

mild sleepiness or fatigue
change in walking or balance
nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain
double vision
tremor; dizziness
false sense of well-being
rash
diarrhea, constipation, or decreased appetite; headache
sore throat
dry mouth

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of an Trileptal overdose are unknown.

What are the medication other than Trileptal (Oxcarbazepine) for Bipolar Dsiorder?

Lithium and Trileptal for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder (Mania) Trileptal Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) is currently FDA-approved only for use in treating certain types of seizure disorders.

Child Bipolar disorder Your child can reduce the minor mood swings and stresses that sometimes lead to more severe episodes by adhering to the following tips.

Drug List