I wont claim to know from presonal experience that I know what these drugs do. The only drug I've done SOME research on is Effexor. My speciailty is in recreational drugs and these drugs most certainly aren't recreational. I suggest you take your sister to a REAL doctor and discuss these medications. However, there is great reading at
http://www.rxlist.com/ on these chemicals. I was curious so I checked it out...
trileptol is a anti-convulsant. If your sister has been having seziures, then this would be a good drug for her. If she hasn't, then she wouldn't need it. The side effects are realitivly low and harmless though.
zyprexa, like you stated, is an anti-psycotic. Now unless your sister really does have some serious mental issues she shouldn't be on this medication. They'd do a lot more harm than good to a mentaly sane person. The side effects can cause agitation, personality disorders, the whole works! So if your sister was sane before taking this medication, well, she might not be anymore! Get her off of it if she doesn't need it!
Now, effexor is a SNRI/SDRI. Which means its a Selective Norepenephrine/Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor. I've thought about getting on this medication myself to try to deal with the depression I get due to my months of meth addiction. I believe that this is often prescribed for conditions such as compulsive disorder, that kinda thing. Its not really used for people that just feel *sad*. If your sister cuts herself, or does other wacky things, this drug may help her. If the doctor prescribes it correctly, that is. Too sharp an inital dosage will render some sideeffects like diziness. It needs to be curved.
depakote is another anti-convulsant. You might want to look on
http://www.rxlist.com/ the side effects for this drug are kinda steep. Most of them are at 20% of the people in the clinical study. Which isn't *so* bad except that there are a bunch of them. She is bound to catch one or two of them. As the does increases the side effects such as nausia and diziness increase dramaticly. Also, in a few select cases this drug has caused death or cases of epilepsy. You can read about it on the website.
To re-itterate:
Anti-convulsants - if she doesn't need em, don't take em. Especialy not depakote. Lots of side effects on that drug.
Anti-psychotics - may MAKE you psychotic or your condition worse. Only if your sister REALLY has some SERIOUS mental health problems should she be on this drug. TALK TO A REAL DOCTOR.
Effexor - Fine for her to take, start at a small dosage. It is best used for compulsive disorder, that kinda thing, TALK TO A REAL DOCTOR.
I am not a doctor, and I've never done any research on these drugs up until today. And my research was not very intensive. Search on google, look at the info on
http://www.rxlist.com/. Talk to a new doctor, a good doctor, about these drugs. Hope this helps!
