Oxcarbazepine and Depression: What Users Say

• ahn...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Look, this oxcarbazepine medication will definitely make your mood stable. Do not freak out at the starting side effects of dizziness and problems with coordination. After a while, your body will acclimate to the drug. Give it more than 6 weeks for your body side effects to settle and get used to it. I consider myself a bright person - it WILL slow down your thought processing. It will make you feel dull, and it WILL come with emotional flatness. I have always acted on impulse, and I like not feeling as emotional. The slowness sucks... but it definitely outweighs the horrible mood swings I'd have in ONE day. In the morning, I'd be depressed and hate life, and by afternoon, overly manic (which is euphoric) and loving life. I cannot bring this mentality into the workplace and relationships... Try it. You might like it."

• Anonymous
• September 5, 2008

Oxcarbazepine for Seizures "I have taken the drug for about 6 years with positive results for seizures. The seizures have subsided to about 1-2 partial complex seizures per month. I do go through periods of depression, especially when the prescribed amount is changed. I'm currently taking 1200 mg in the AM and 1500 mg PM. It's probably the best seizure medication I've taken to date, and I've been on almost all of them at some point in my life over the past 30 years or so."

• Jus...
• June 10, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Been on this med for 3 yrs & generally have had a good experience. I've been on multiple antidepressants over the years, but found they increased my irritability. My favorite was Zoloft, but gained 40 pounds in 2 yrs. A Dr. put me on Lamictal & kept increasing the dose. Total nightmare. Extreme depression, anxiety increased & felt mania for the first time ever. My current Dr. switched me to Trileptal. Complete blessing to sleep again. The toss-up? Going from feeling like I was on a pot of coffee to a bottle of wine. Had slurred speech & foggy head. My job requires me to speak in front of groups & taking in the AM was bad. Solution? Small dose of Lamictal (25 mg) in the AM (gets me up) & Trileptal (300 mg) at night for sleep. Been working!"

• Mag...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 21, 2018

For Anxiety "I don't like this medicine at all. I was taken off Depakote as it affected my liver. And was put on oxcarbazepine because of anger and aggression. I feel more anxious on this med, but I am numb. I don't feel anything. And have been made stupid by it. I cannot remember things and don't really care much."

• Rho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2016

For Anxiety "Omg, where do I start! I have been dealing with acute alcohol withdrawal disorder and have had anxiety and depression for many years. The doctors have tried to label me as bipolar, but I don't think it's an accurate diagnosis. Since taking this pill, I have had vivid nightmares upon the first night taking it. I felt some relief initially and felt good for a week or so. I had my ups and downs. I took the pill without reading side effects, so that it would not affect my treatment. I have had a constant sore throat, crusty sores on my nose that won't go away. I feel drunk when I take them. I don't get a full night's rest. I was recently diagnosed with PTSD. They doubled my dosage, and now I have agitation, restlessness, crying spells, depression, and anxiety still."

• Sas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 2, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "It took 6 years to diagnose me with bipolar 1, which seems like forever with my family history. I did not hit the genetic lottery. I inherited it maternally and paternally. I’ve lost loved ones on both, mostly because they didn’t take it this seriously, which I know I must not follow their path. My children deserve better, and I don’t want to keep passing this down and this hopelessness and suicide through generations. It can get better, and I believe and pray that it will stop here. I’ve lost my paternal grands, my own mama, my paternal grandpa, and my sweet daddy. Enough is enough. Instead of taking their meds, they self-medicated with booze, pills, and religion. It doesn’t work, you need to take your meds! Listen to our doctors! Take all your meds. Ask God for wisdom. Enjoy our lives."

• Yee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 29, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "It helped quite a bit the first couple of months, but I am now noticing a severe reaction when I happen to miss them. From the moment I wake up the next morning, I am a ticking time bomb, I'm violent, angry, depressed, suicidal. I honestly fear for myself and others when I happen to miss the meds. The only downfall when I am on them is that I almost feel emotionless and a severe lack of empathy."

• Yee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 29, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "It helped quite a bit the first couple of months, but I am now noticing a severe reaction when I happen to miss them. From the moment I wake up the next morning, I am a ticking time bomb, I'm violent, angry, depressed, suicidal. I honestly fear for myself and others when I happen to miss the meds. The only downfall when I am on them is that I almost feel emotionless and a severe lack of empathy."

• Yee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 29, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "It helped quite a bit the first couple of months, but I am now noticing a severe reaction when I happen to miss them. From the moment I wake up the next morning, I am a ticking time bomb, I'm violent, angry, depressed, suicidal. I honestly fear for myself and others when I happen to miss the meds. The only downfall when I am on them is that I almost feel emotionless and a severe lack of empathy."

• VAb...
• October 28, 2009

Oxcarbazepine for Bipolar Disorder "This medicine was given to me as I was being taken off an antidepressant and has given me headaches, nausea, joint pain, and a feeling of not being fully alert. I was started at a 1500 mg daily dose, and I think that is way too high for me. I have been at this dose for over three months, and the doctors seem to think that the side effects are outweighed by the positives. I have felt more depressed since they put me on this, but they don’t worry about that. I would rather have the antidepressants back, at least I could be a human with them."

• Hen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Lamictal didn't seem to help for my bipolar, so I figured I'd try something else. Dr. put me on Trileptal 150 mg twice daily. Within a few days, I was depressed and overwhelmed with emotions. I searched online for reasons why I was feeling this way. Apparently, I take Seroquel XR and Buspar, and I just realized that Trileptal decreases the effectiveness of those two drugs. No wonder I was miserable. Feel tired and having more anxiety than before. Headaches too. Waiting for the next visit with the doctor. Either I stick with Trileptal and start another atypical psychotic or get off the Trileptal completely. I don't like the emotional imbalance in my brain. Very scary stuff."

• cyn...
• September 18, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "Was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 12 yrs ago, took Neurontin, Lexapro, and Seroquel for 2 yrs with no problems. My P doc moved; new one weaned me off Lexapro and added Lamictal. I started getting fevers, stopped Lamictal, fevers more frequent and higher, till I woke up in an ER. Long story short, found out a month later I had NMS (Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome). My highest fever was 109 deg F. pDoc took me off Seroquel, fevers continued a while. Tried Lamictal alone, got Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Result, I can't take any antipsychotics. Have some brain damage; can't go outside in hot weather, high blood pressure. Had bad depression, then manic episode, no sleep 8 days, therapist said I was psychotic. This was last 10 days ago. Just started Trileptal. This is my last-ditch resort."

• Anonymous
• September 22, 2009

For Seizures "I've been on several different types of seizure medications for the past 18 years when I developed the seizure disorder (due to a car accident). This is by far the best medication I have taken. I'm not as tired, depressed, or lethargic as I was on the previous medications."

• 16 ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Went from Prozac to this. Doesn't work. I still have mood issues as well as anxiety. I actually became more depressed while on this medication. Can't really feel a difference, and the people around me agree."

• Cas...
• May 12, 2017

For Anxiety "I told my doctor I have been allergic to like every single med I have ever been prescribed, except benzo meds, some sleeping meds. Lack of sleep can really imbalance the brain. Doctors have just thrown random diagnoses at me forever, and I have almost died in the past from lots of them. My new doctor has tried me now on two antiseizure meds she says to fix anxiety - I had severe reactions to both. The first one, Lorazepam, I felt I was going to die of diarrhea (it's a bipolar med), and I swear I felt bipolar for the first time in my life from it. This new one, oxcarbazepine, made me feel just NUTS immediately. I was doing great with the benzos and sleeping meds, then popped an oxcarbazepine and feel disoriented, super depressed, like my mind is scrambled, restless."