Unpleasant Side Effects Of Trileptal

I’ve been prescribed Trileptal off-label to treat my bipolar disorder. I had my doubts as to the efficacy of this drug in that capacity, though others have sworn by it, but am now at a position where I cannot continue to safely take this medication. Two weeks ago I was prescribed 600mg daily (two 300mg tablets). During those two weeks, I had a bit of a behavioral “episode,” and so I was upped to 900mg at my last visit. Haven’t had any issues with it up to now, and hadn’t noted any side effects let alone actual effects of the medication. It might as well have been sugar pills. That is, until about 4AM this morning.

I awoke dry lipped with a vicious itch on my posterior. I absconded to the bathroom to scratch this itch and noted a silver dollar size welt on my right buttock. Too, I noticed that my lips had swollen to near Kardashian proportions. I was a bit mystified, but then I remembered I had taken the Trileptal before bed. I did a Google search, and before I could even write the word “rash,” it was in the top search queries. I found a lot of information, most of it misleading once compared to other sources. I can assume that topical rash is a common enough side effect, but can be potentially deadly depending upon where and how the rash presents. Well, mine was in my lips and nether regions. Additionally, my glands were also pretty swollen. Of course, this happened on a weekend so my psychiatrist was unavailable for comment. BFD, I’m not her biggest fan as it is. The only recourse available to me was to go to either the ER or urgent care. I chose the latter.

Sometimes you know right away when you’ve got a bad doctor in front of you. Maybe not a bad doctor, but a doctor who is used to seeing a certain spectrum of issues and will template match your symptoms to fit within that spectrum and treat on that basis. It’s lazy and irresponsible at best. I knew right away that arguing with him would be about as worthwhile as arguing with a five year old that the contents of her little tea party cups is in fact more oxygen than beverage. He was quick to tell me to stop taking the “offending medication,” and then label my nether rash—which presented at the same time as all my other symptoms, which clearly pointed back to the Trileptal—as an apparently coincidental fungal infection. He prescribed me a topical anti-fungal cream, which I did not fill because (best Arnold Schwarzenegger Kindergarten Cop impression I can do): IT’S NOT A FUNGUS!

So, I just had to pretend through it. Pretend that one ***** had not just ignored the obviously very negative side effects of a drug prescribed by yet another ***** who gives you your choice between leaving a message and calling 911 when the weekends arrive. The swelling has gone down in my lips, but I’m still getting itching pretty much all over. My forehead feels like I have a mild sunburn. I don’t know what to do. I’m tired, and extremely frustrated that no one can give me an answer other than that I should seek medical attention for something that could be but probably is not very deadly. Anyone have any insight based off of my description? I’m certain it isn’t Stevens-Johnson Syndrome at this point, though it could possibly be DRESS (Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia Systemic Symptoms). It’s been almost 24 hours and I’m still not out of the woods. I have ceased taking the “offending medication,” but will likely have to wait until Monday to get my psychiatrist's impersonal and underwhelmed response. Sorry for the long entry. It said to be detailed, so I gave you the short version. Thanks in advance!

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Hello, Bunson! How are you doing, now?

Yes, there is a chance that these symptoms, including the issue on your butt could be due to side effects of the medication. The FDA does list it as being known to cause various types of skin rashes, and other issues, that are not fungal related.

My husband takes this medication twice daily to prevent focal point seizures, and there are times he has the same type of 'rash' erupt randomly. Sometimes, it's on an arm, leg, his face, or etc. He is just very fortunate that his go away within 24 hours, or less.

As to your psych, if they really aren't taking you seriously, have you considered seeing a different doctor? No doctor should brush off a patient's concerns, even if they amount to nothing. You deserve to be taken seriously. I went to my doctor this summer and mentioned a horrible dry/flaky skin issue on my elbow that was sometimes sore. Rather than brush it aside, she told my husband and I that sometimes we do these things to ourselves, so she asked me to think of what I do commonly, such as leaning on that elbow a lot, and asked me to try to change the habit. But she also prescribed an ointment to help............. and she was right, once I stopped leaning on it, all the time, and used the ointment, it went away.

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

Thanks for the kind reply! It was mostly the urgent care doc I took issue with. I had never seen him before, and hope never to do so again, at least under circumstances of medical need. Fortunately I have met my deductible for the year and had a credit with that office so it didn’t cost me anything other than time, otherwise I’d be righteously pissed.

I’m seeing my psychiatrist tomorrow—via Skype, actually; that’s a regular thing for her, which I feel uncertain about—to get all this straightened out. The rash spread a little, but has stopped itching. The worst part was my lips. The swelling led to blisters and now very painful sores. I’d rather not repeat any of the side effects again, but this office is big on prescribing Trileptal. I know at least two other people who were given this and no other option for everything from plain depression to anxiety and bipolar disorder. I wouldn’t know what to ask for, so everything is a shot in the dark. I’ll update when I have more details. Hope you and your husband are well! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Sadly my fight reprimanding my colleagues when they prescribe this medication is not working. It IS NOT indicated for any psych condition so it is not just off label but it failed to show improvement in all the studies. Now the problem is that if it is linked to a serious reaction now we are harming and the risks to the patients is unacceptable.

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It sounds like an allergic reaction, especially with the itching. I'm allergic to morphine but when I do take it and blood level gets to a certain point I itch, get hives, and get swelling in my face. Any swelling in the face should be taken seriously. If your not happy with your doctor maybe you should try another. Keep trying until you find a doctor you can relate too. It's important to have a relationship with your doctor.

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if it were me and no one has said to take any kind of Benadryl I would do so just to be on the safe side. I would also stops that medication that you suspect is doing this until Monday when you can get ahold of them to see if they have any further insight as to if something is out of whack please keep us informed good luck

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Bunson (Thread Starter) --

Re: Side effects of your medication, how are you doing now? This excellent medschat forum on my personal computer
shows a link: after YOUR complains of Trileptal (I was once very familiar with for a time period from the years 2005 to 2007), and I had very unacceptable side effects, similar to you!! I am referring to Trileptal, as prescribed more recently in
the year 2014, in thirty six countries of the modern industialized world. Excuse my spelling, spellcheck is not working for me.

I am a bit confused by this excellent forum, as the link, for the medicine I think you are questioning also states, after all kind responses by medchat forum members say see "Metronidazole" IMHO a entirely different pharmaceutical medication. Am I reading or interpreting this correctly? The "2nd med" I AM NOT FAMILIAR with at all. It is marketed under proprietary protections in such countries as:

Metronidazole chemical name as marketing name "Metronide" by Golderma Pharma of Canada, and as Metro Lotion also by same ethical pharma company in Canada also:

Metrolag by Lagatap Pharma of Switzerland
Metrolex by Siam Bheasach Pharma of Thailand
Metrolocal by Paylos Pharma of Argentina, South America
Metron by Aikem Pharma of Russia
Metronide by Sanofi Aventis of Australia
Chammel by Sanofi Aventis of Ireland
Metron by Alkem Pharma of India
Metroniz by Pristalia of Brazil, South America
Metronol by Air Medicare Pharma of Malaysia
Metronor-P by PC Pharma of India
Metro-P by EastWest Pharma of India
Metropostm by Pasteur Pharma of Chile South America
Metrousa by Wolff Pharma of Germany and Hungary
Metroseptol by Jeffa Pharma of Russia
Metruson by Sons Pharma of Mexico
Metroval by Sanval Pharma of Brazil, SA
Metrovax by Vivax of Venez, South America
Metrosol by Sel-J Pharma of the Philippines
Metrosol by Genon Pharma of Russia !!!

I took the ethical pharmaceutical for symptoms of a questionable bipolar II DX vs adhd dx many years ago, and I do remember the crystal clear red pimples on my body, and buttocks, and also, the down right uncomfortable neurological behavior, such as unusual headaches, and, a lot of concentration, and, "it was a pain to even use by brain to process any information" to control my mood swings and this was, back as I stated over 10 years ago! Never again will I try this med
again, Just my 2 cents worth.

Trileptal is still marketed, or was, marketed in the USA and the UK as recently as the year 2015 for sure, by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation.

I also had a similar medication from decades ago, I also could not tolerate, it was, called in the USA as brand name "Triavil" by former Merck Sharpe Dohme and it (then) contained the ethical pharmaceutical substance of both a tranquilizer and a antidepressant, and that was, marketed heavily in the mid 1970's thru the 1980's for patients with either psychoses or neuroses characterized by a mixture of anxiety or agitation with symptoms of agitation! The formula was patent protected containing.

Perphenazine (in common with all members of the piperazine group of phenothiazines), AND also contained the medication called Amitriptyline a/k/a also known in the USA as "Elavil". It was heavily marketed big time and came in different dose sizes, I will not go any further in my MO of typing a wall of text. My MD was trying to in a ethical way to switch me from a growing Roche Valium dependence, in the 1970's and the early 1980's!!!

I also did not like this drug mainly because of the Major tranquilizer called "perphenazine" due to the side effects and, the dulling down of my creative "I thought" outgoing personality, perhaps seen by other normal people as,a bit too gregarious, as, I had ADHD and PTSD but was in my case I now believe I was given the improper DX of just "Depression with marked Anxiety" in the year 1975.

My real dx was not discovered until I was over age 40 yrs old in the year 1994!

I hope your condition improves and have a happy holiday! Might consider a different MD for another DX as you are experiencing some intense side effects!

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