Expert: Ivan Goldberg, M.D. - 6/26/2005

Question
I am a rapid cycling bipolar woman who is 48. I have been through a few meds over the yrs...including lithium, topamax, zyprexa, and a few others that escape my mind at the moment...and on July 4th of last yr I signed myself into our local hospital in desperation because my current meds weren't working (I was pacing the floors of my apartment back and forth endlessly and couldn't stop). The dr there put me on Trileptal and Seroquel and I have begun living a shiney new life where I can see and understand things that I never could before...I am awake and aware for the first time in 48 yrs. My question is about Trileptal. Is it really even used in the treatmant of bipoalrism anymore since it has the great side-effect of permenant trembles? I have these and figure I might as well stay on the med since it is working so well for me and I have read that even if the med is stopped, the trembling condition continues indefinately. Please tell me what you believe to be true about Trileptal.
Sincerely, Marylee T.

Answer
Hi . . .

I use a lot of Trileptal in my practice and while a few pts have developed tremors at high doses, all have lost their tremors when the dose was lowered. There have been some reports of serious skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome), but the drug continues to work well.

Best regards . . .

Ivan
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%