Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 80376

Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

TEGRETOL

Posted by Bob on October 5, 2001, at 16:15:28

I am about to start Tegretol, and have heard it causes significant drowsiness. Can anyone corroborate this? If that is indeed the case... does the drowsiness ever wear off? Any info at all would be appreciated, since I am trying to decide whether to take the plunge here!

Thank you,

Bob

 

Re: TEGRETOL » Bob

Posted by SalArmy4me on October 5, 2001, at 16:40:26

In reply to TEGRETOL, posted by Bob on October 5, 2001, at 16:15:28

Are you taking the XR version or the regular one? Tolerance does develop to ether with slow titration.

 

Re: TEGRETOL » Bob

Posted by Cam W. on October 5, 2001, at 17:44:05

In reply to TEGRETOL, posted by Bob on October 5, 2001, at 16:15:28

Bob - Tegretol™ (carbamazepine) does cause a lot of drowsiness at the beginning of treatment. This is one reason that the dose is slowly increased over the first month. The drowsiness, dizziness, upset stomach, unsteadiness while standing, and occasionally double vision, are "start-up" side effects of Tegretol. The do go away as the body adjusts to the drug. You may want to increase your liquid intake when starting Tegretol, as it can give you dry mouth.

Your dose may be increase in a few months as Tegretol induces certain cytochrome-P450 enzymes (2D6, 3A4, & 2C9/10) to be over-produced, cause the Tegretol to increase it's own metabolism.

This brings up another point. Since Tegretol increases the amount of the cytochrome enzymes that metabolizes many of the drugs we use in psychiatry, cardiology, high cholesterol therapy, AIDs treatment, etc., any other drug that you are taking "may" have to have it's dose adjusted, when starting Tegretol. Also, the dosage of any new drugs that you will start, will have to take into account the Tegretol you are taking. Be sure to tell any doctor that is prescribing a drug for you that you are taking Tegretol.

Again, the side effects mentioned above, including drowsiness, are start-up side effects, and will lessen and disappear within the first month of taking the drug. The dose needs to be raised slowly to minimize these effects. Ask you doctor about a dose titration schedule.

I hope that this is of some help. - Cam

 

Re: TEGRETOL

Posted by bob on October 5, 2001, at 23:01:01

In reply to Re: TEGRETOL » Bob, posted by SalArmy4me on October 5, 2001, at 16:40:26

> Are you taking the XR version or the regular one? Tolerance does develop to ether with slow titration.

***********************************

I'm taking the regular version. My doctor say "no benefit" with the XR version over the regular.

Bob

 

Re: TEGRETOL

Posted by bob on October 5, 2001, at 23:02:21

In reply to Re: TEGRETOL » Bob, posted by Cam W. on October 5, 2001, at 17:44:05

> Bob - Tegretol™ (carbamazepine) does cause a lot of drowsiness at the beginning of treatment. This is one reason that the dose is slowly increased over the first month. The drowsiness, dizziness, upset stomach, unsteadiness while standing, and occasionally double vision, are "start-up" side effects of Tegretol. The do go away as the body adjusts to the drug. You may want to increase your liquid intake when starting Tegretol, as it can give you dry mouth.
>
> Your dose may be increase in a few months as Tegretol induces certain cytochrome-P450 enzymes (2D6, 3A4, & 2C9/10) to be over-produced, cause the Tegretol to increase it's own metabolism.
>
> This brings up another point. Since Tegretol increases the amount of the cytochrome enzymes that metabolizes many of the drugs we use in psychiatry, cardiology, high cholesterol therapy, AIDs treatment, etc., any other drug that you are taking "may" have to have it's dose adjusted, when starting Tegretol. Also, the dosage of any new drugs that you will start, will have to take into account the Tegretol you are taking. Be sure to tell any doctor that is prescribing a drug for you that you are taking Tegretol.
>
> Again, the side effects mentioned above, including drowsiness, are start-up side effects, and will lessen and disappear within the first month of taking the drug. The dose needs to be raised slowly to minimize these effects. Ask you doctor about a dose titration schedule.
>
> I hope that this is of some help. - Cam

********************

Cam:

That was very informative. Thank you very much.

Bob

 

Re: TEGRETOL

Posted by Elizabeth on October 6, 2001, at 11:34:05

In reply to TEGRETOL, posted by Bob on October 5, 2001, at 16:15:28

Hi Bob. I just wanted to add something to what others have said. I'm taking Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) which is similar to Tegretol but is supposed to be safer and have milder side effects. I haven't found it sedating, but I'm not taking very much.

I know a bit about Tegretol and I also know some people who've taken it. It definitely can cause drowsiness and dizziness. It also seems to increase the effect of alcohol (based on my observation of a friend who takes it for TLE when she tried to have a drink!), so be careful there.

-elizabeth

 

Re: TEGRETOL » Bob

Posted by Mitch on October 6, 2001, at 14:10:55

In reply to TEGRETOL, posted by Bob on October 5, 2001, at 16:15:28

> I am about to start Tegretol, and have heard it causes significant drowsiness. Can anyone corroborate this? If that is indeed the case... does the drowsiness ever wear off? Any info at all would be appreciated, since I am trying to decide whether to take the plunge here!
>
> Thank you,
>
> Bob


Hi,

I would like to second Elizabeth's idea about the Trileptal. It doesn't have the drug interactions that Tegretol has, but has similar intended effects. Also there is a rare risk of blood disorders with Tegretol which have not been reported with Trileptal use. The dosage on the Trileptal is approx. 1.5x that for Tegretol for roughly equivalent effects. Ask your doc what he thinks about it. There are a lot of folks with epilepsy that are switching over to it (that are responsive to Tegretol, but have complicated drug interactions, etc.)

Mitch

 

Re: TEGRETOL » Mitch

Posted by Elizabeth on October 6, 2001, at 17:16:01

In reply to Re: TEGRETOL » Bob, posted by Mitch on October 6, 2001, at 14:10:55

> The dosage on the Trileptal is approx. 1.5 x that for Tegretol for roughly equivalent effects.

That would mean I'm taking a very low-end dose (300 mg/day of Trileptal). So it doesn't mean much that I'm not getting any noticeable side effects. Still, like Mitch says, it's supposed to be safer than Tegretol.

-elizabeth


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