I hate to say it, but you're at the mercy of your doctor. Try it. If you find anything AT ALL you don't feel right about, call him aqnd ask him to change meds. They will. Relax and give it a shot. I've been on 5. It takes time. Good luck!

I'm on tegretol, and it's alright. It's not my favorite of the medications I've been on, but it's really good at stopping impulsive behavior, overspending, etc... It's also good at relaxing me, and helps me to think out decisionzs.

Being on medication will help you, and is better than not, especially at work. Good luck!!

helps me heaps. been on it a long time.

My mother was BP and stable on Tegretol for over 15 years. So when I was DX with BP, tegretol was the 2nd try for meds. I have been stable on it for almost 8 months. It helps me keep a regular sleep pattern, I can focus well, I can get out of bed, I can drive normally, read, write, sit still for more than seconds at a time, etc. These were all things I was having trouble with on Lithium.

Will this be your first try with meds?

PS what was said online about it that scares you?

This will be my first try at meds...

The fatal skin reaction stuff... and.... the tiredness, clumsiness...

But it sounds like it would work for me... I have a hard time focusing... sitting still...... driving the speed limit...............so.... I think I will go fill the script tomorrow.....

I am on a similar med, Equetro. Been about two weeks, and it has started working for me thank goodness. So far no side effects other than some drowsiness.
It is my first mood stabilizer, I see pdoc next week to increase it and evaluate if anything else needs to be added.

Good luck with it!