Q:  Minimum Dosages of Trileptal?

40 years old male , 5 years history of bipolar disorder At the present on trazedone 200 mg and trileptal 300mg however he takes them only when he wants. He is non compliant, He states medications makes him phisically and mentally tire. My question is : what would be the minimum dosage of trileptal that will help him in a way that the side effects are at a minimun and still would allow him to work and strudy the way he wishes { he is getting his master in C.S.}. I do understand the cases should be handled individually, but with your knowledge and experience perhaps a suggestion.
He already had in the past 2-3 psichotic episodes of short duration after inmediate treatment thanks!!


Dear Ms. R' --
If he thinks 300mg might be associated with making him physically and mentally tired, then we already have the answer to your question, unfortunately. This is a very small dose. Usually we would try to reach the range of 900 to 1500 mg, occasionally 1800; and the most that can be used is 2400. So 300 is not very much, you see.

He may not be willing to take anything in a big enough dose to make a difference, at this point. In that case you should look at the website for significant others of people with bipolar disorder, www.bpso.org. , which may help more than I can.

However, if he were my patient, I would be very open with him about the risk of feeling "slowed down" with medications and go through trying one medication after another, each time looking for something that he might view as helpful, and each time emphasizing that if he feels slowed down, we will move on to something else -- until we've tried all the usual mood stabilizers.

Published November, 2003