Could Tegretol be the culprit?
My reason for taking Tegretol is not for mania or seizures. I have found that it helps my essential tremors but I’d much rather experience the annoyance/embarrassment of tremors than be depressed. A. Carbamazepine [Tegretol], an anticonvulsant-mood stabilizer, is not a common cause of depression. In fact, its tricyclic structure may lend it some antidepressant properties, at least in some depressed individuals. That said, it’s certainly possible that you have experienced an unusual reaction to this medication. Depending on how soon after you started taking Tegretol, there are some theoretical possibilities worth exploring with your doctor. For example, Tegretol (along with several other anticonvulsants) may decrease blood levels of several important nutrients, including vitamin B6, vitamin B12, or folic acid (Schwaninger et al, Epilepsia. 1999 Mar;40(3):345-50). Low blood levels of these nutrients, in turn, may cause some individuals to become depressed, though this would probably take
