Tegretol and depression?

[nwaltemate]

So ive been on tegretol for over a year now and I was doing really well on 900 mg but I was still cycling so my doc just uped it to 1200 and I started getting horrible depression and anxiety along with rapid heart rate and increased moodswings? does this mean I am on too much and its causing an adverse reaction? has anyone else experienced this before?

[jt07]

There is a blood test that can determine if you are taking too much/not enough of Tegretol. My dose was determined through a blood test when I was at the hospital. However, I do know what happens to me when I take too much: I begin to feel drunk and my vision becomes worse (really, like being drunk). It has not raised my heart rate or caused depression (no cycling since I'm unipolar), and in fact, makes my depression a little better. I'm not saying that it isn't causing that in you though because as with all psych meds YMMV.

[nwaltemate]

i just had a blood level at 900 mg to determine if i can go higher and the doc told me to raise it 300 more mg. and I do feel drunk like i am all dizzy and tired but restless and extremely anxious and depressed on top of it...i called me pdoc today and he said to see him tomorrow but told me to go back down to 900 mg. I donno I also heard tegretol can mess with other meds and maybe the raise in levels messed with my AD, I am not sure but all I know is I feel nuts!

[jt07]

Yeah, Tegretol can clobber other meds like a sledge hammer. I like it though. Dizziness and a feeling of being drunk can be an indication that your dose is too high. But it can also be temporary side effects due to the increase in the dose. I'm glad that you are going to see your pdoc and get this all sorted out.