My TN came back after 5 years of only slight pain in my nose (did not need medication) My doctor put me on Carbamazepin. It is the same medication I took 6-7 years ago when this first began. I don't remember the dosage I took before but the side effects I am experiencing this time are about to do me in! The pain is better if I am careful but I feel so disconnected, shakey and dizzy. I am pretty dysfunctional. What I am wondering - does this go away after awhile? I haven't seen a neurologist yet - still trying to get an appointment. Any words of wisdom will be appreciated.
Many people acclimate to Carbamazepine over a period of two to six weeks. What dose have you been put on per day, and on what schedule? An alternative might be the time-release variant of Carbamazepine.
Regards, Red
I have been on it only a week. I am taking 200 mg twice a day. He started me on 100 mg twice a day but I found no relief at all on that dosage. So there is hope this will pass. Thank you.
It made me really nauseous and dizzy at first, but it worked so well that I didn’t care. The side effects went away after a week or so.
I hope everything works out! Your doctor should also run some blood tests to make sure it’s not affecting your liver and blood cells.
thank you! I will talk to my doctor when I an get an appointment!
I am also on the same medication and i am on 200mg twice a day. I haven’t been working because of the side effects. It takes the pain away but I always feel like I’m just getting over the flu. I am also very spaced out and my memory is horrible. It’s been three weeks and I was hoping to adjust to it but its not getting any better. Medication affects every one differently but I hope you find some relief.
I am retired but do a lot of work here at my apartment complex - so I have been pacing myself. I haven't notice any memory difficulties. It's kind of like when I turn my head it takes a few seconds for the rest of me to catch up and I have noticed some trembling when I hold my Kindle. Also my balance is affected so I am taking it slow!
I couldn't get an appointment with my neurologist for 6 weeks so until then I will use my primary care physician. He put me on a second medicine today to help with the side effects - 10 mg of Baclofen twice a day. I think this is for the spasms - the hand jerking that I have no control over which is causing me to drop things! The pharmacist just advised me that it takes time for the tegratol to work and for me to adjust to the side effects.
well, forget the Baclofen. It made me totally non-functional. I was completely wiped out today and it did nothing to help the spasms - they were actually worse. I had my 5 year old great-grandson here today and all I could do was sit in my recliner and supervise. He is a good boy but it was really hard. No more of that!
I don’t think baclofen is supposed to reduce the side effects of carbamazepine. It works synergistically to reduce facial pain so that you would need a smaller dose of carbamazepine than without it. Side effects do tend to decrease with time, and you can “start low and to slow” with the dosages to minimize them. It’s not really a good idea to treat a side effect with another medicine if it’s possible to avoid it - that medication could have another side effect, and before you know it, you’re on 6 different meds and you have no idea what they’re all for.
hard to know. I asked for something to help with the disconnectedness and the involuntary spasms but I never talked to the doctor and the nurse didn't know diddly. Anyway I could not function with the baclofen and actually the pain got worse with it in addition to being so dizzy I could hardly stand up.