Oxcarbazepine and Sleepy: What Users Say

• Pri...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 31, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Over the five years I’ve been on and off this medication, it’s been effective. I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 when I was 16 years old. Trileptal makes me feel calm. I have more control over the way I react to things. I can stop and think. Guys, I didn’t even know what stopping and thinking before I acted meant! I’m taking Trileptal 450mg once at bedtime. It was making me tired, so I spoke with my doctor, and we decided taking it only at bedtime was best for me. I think the only issue I’m having now is that if I don’t take it between 6-8pm, I wake up still tired because the sleepy side effects haven’t gone away. I just need better time management. The road to finding how this medication worked for me was bumpy, but being honest about how I feel and what I wanted helped my doctor find a solution. If you’re looking for a good antidepressant to mix with this medication, Latuda worked for me. Life gets better, my dudes. Just work on yourself and stay on your medication."

• Ann...
• February 14, 2018

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "Diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia in 2011 after 2 root canals and 2 crowns. A new dentist sent me to an oral surgeon who knew what it was right away. Saw a neurologist, and he confirmed the diagnosis and prescribed oxcarbazepine. It took a number of weeks to ramp up the meds to the correct level due to nausea. Currently taking 900 mg at night. Really makes me feel loopy and drowsy. I have been pain-free for most of the past 6 years. I also play trumpet daily, which amazes my neurologist. However, I feel I am not as sharp as I used to be (just turned 60) and have memory problems to the point of literally not recalling details of recent things. (Long-term memory is fine.) There are also times during the day that I feel very sleepy."

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 17, 2021

For Anxiety "Oxcarbazepine made my anxiety go away. I was a mess of rumination, severe worrying, couldn’t sleep, worrying about the future, and had thoughts of suicide daily because I was so depressed. My doctor prescribed this, but I was skeptical. Now I take 300 mg once daily at night. It has changed my life. I will never stop taking it if I don’t have to. I’ve been on it for 2 years, and all those symptoms are gone! It never made me feel sick, just sleepy, so I take it at night. I wish I had gotten help sooner. I didn’t do myself any favors as I went on YouTube watching people get sick from taking it, so I was scared to try it. None of that happened to me. Within about a week, I was feeling better. Note, I also take 10 mg of Lexapro daily. I split it in half and take 5 mg in the morning and the other 5 in the evening. I started taking Lexapro first, but nothing really happened to help. Once I started the oxcarbazepine, that’s when things changed for the better."

• Est...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 18, 2021

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "I was diagnosed with TN in January. Started out on a very low dose and frequency. Doctor gradually increased because it wasn't working. I was about to give up, but finally am taking a total of 900 mg/day and it's working! I was about to schedule a Gamma Knife procedure before it kicked in. I do get very sleepy in the daytime and am tired, but probably tired from the pain that wore me out!!!! Hang in there if you are just starting on this med."

• Vas...
• September 20, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been on generic oxcarbazepine, 600 mg 3x a day for years, and it wasn't quite enough alone to control my bipolar disorder. But taken along with lithium, it seems to have finally been the combo I needed to bring me back to reality with a stable mood, although it does make me very sleepy. I was crying every day and alternatingly unreasonably angry for years and years, going undiagnosed for decades. Bipolar runs rampant in my family, so I don't know why I didn't realize that was my issue, too! Just never put it together after watching my brother and sister's crazy rages since mine was so different than that! Derp!"

• Her...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 19, 2019

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "I have had trigeminal neuralgia now for 4 years and have had great success with Oxtellar XR. If your insurance will pay for this drug, you will be very wise to try it. At first, it made me a little sleepy and dizzy, after a while, I was okay. It has kept me pain-free. Great drug, I take 1200 mg."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2016

For Neuropathic Pain "I am taking Trileptal to help reduce nerve sensitivity for my chronic pain in my neck and lower back due to degenerative disc disease. It has reduced some of my chronic pain, but it makes me sleepy and tired all the time. I don't know which is the lesser of the two evils, pain or sleepiness and tiredness. I started on 75 mg at night and gradually worked up to taking 150 mg twice a day. I reduced it back to 150 at night and 75 mg in the morning so I won't be as sleepy, but that doesn't seem to help any. I go back to the doctor next week, and I will discuss it with him. more."

• Chr...
• July 21, 2015

For Seizures "I have been taking Trileptal off and on for 13 years. I tried Keppra for a short time, but I developed anxiety at night. Switched back to Trileptal. I've gone from 3 or 4 seizures a month to seizure-free. I don't really experience too many side effects, just a bit more sleepy during the day."

• lil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 13, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm gonna be real here - this drug is a damn miracle worker. I was diagnosed with bipolar type 1 a few months ago (I'm 20 now) and also have C-PTSD and ADHD. For the longest time, I was against taking medications, and when I finally caved, I went through a handful of them that made my life even more hellish than it was before. Latuda, Abilify, and Risperidone to name a few - none of them worked well for me. After taking a short med break and switching psychologists, I was given this drug, oxcarbazepine 300 mg a day, and from the first week, I noticed a change. I don't feel like I'm drowning in internal conflict anymore. My emotions went from an ocean I couldn't control to a lake that is far more manageable. I've seriously never been this calm in my life - and on top of that, it makes me sleepy, which is almost unheard of for me. I know that meds are a bit tricky and are definitely not a one-size-fits-all deal, but I can't recommend this enough. Try it and see how it goes for you - it might change your life."

• Cas...
• February 10, 2016

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Just started 200 mg for borderline personality disorder and anxiety. Sleepy all the time, but feel calm. Only problem is this weird dream-wake derealization state I've been in. Maybe I'm just too tired to get angry or feel rage. Maybe I'm just too tired to worry a lot. For temporary use, I give it a thumbs up if you have a few days to just rest and give your head a break. For everyday use as directed? I don't know. I can't imagine having to work and socialize like this. I also take Lexapro, Ativan, and Seroquel."

• Lon...
• May 10, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Makes me really sleepy, my mood is OK, but too sleepy."

• The...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2020

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "I’m on 1200 mg oxcarbazepine currently. My TN is under control. I am extremely dizzy and sleepy."