what r all your thoughts on using alcohol caffene and nicotine use. does anyone believe that they trigger this mess of a pain or no? also does anyone believe that it is alright to drink with the tegretol i am taking ?
I took Tegretol for 8 years and I quit drinking when I started on the meds. Eventually I was on three meds and was struggling with fatigue and the thinking process was not good. I just didn’t think alcohol was a good mix.
Connie
Well, I really don't trust alcohol with meds.
Tegretol never worked for me, so I'm coming from the vantage point of really only opoids ever working for the Type II TN pain I have. With that said, when I was on lower dosages, I may would still nurse a drink, socially, here and there. Now, I'd not dare, as one drink with all I have to take to stay out of pain could be possibly lethal.
The interactions when drinking moderately with Tegretol, I'm not certain of. If I were you, I'd read the warnings which come with the Rx, and also, maybe look for more answers in other places on line, run searches to find out if any other patients have had bad experiences mixing Tegretol with alcohol.
Caffeine, I doesn't seem to affect my pain levels one way or another. I would be interested to know what others say here. I know I need it to stay awake, if I'm not going to nap during the day because I use pain medication in my treatment regimen.
I definitely believe that smoking exacerbates any health condition one can have, which is why I am desperately trying to quit. It is funny, because the stress of having the chronic pain of TN II is what drove me from being a passive, smoker, who basically only reached for a cigarette when I was having a glass of wine, etc., to now being an addicted smoker. Now, I'm trying to reduce and quit for health reasons. Having ATN, or TN II is bad enough without adding smoking related sinus and other potential health problems.
I don't know if it's the same with everyone. From what I can tell, though I think maybe that the more I smoke per day, the higher pain levels I will experience.
I hope to see more responses to this thread.
Good question.
Thanks,
Stef
In tiny amounts - ok, in large amounts - HORRIBLE!
Alcohol and Tegretol is dicing with trouble. Red describes it as, 1 plus 1 equals five when you add Tegretol (or other meds!) and alcohol. Tegretol also can interfere with Liver function as everyone knows alcohol does, so that is a very important point to consider. A dear friend of mine died of Liver Failure caused by chronic health conditions. She had a transplant and it gave her nine more years but she was soooo ill. You would not wish it on anyone. Think hard about how much you enjoy living before you drink much.
Don't get me started on cigarettes! I find it impossible to imagine how anyone with TN manages to smoke. Just pulling in the smoke would have me on my knees! And I guess you know it can be bad for your health?
Caffeine CAN increase the blood pressure and that can in turn make TN worse. Engorged vessels can exacerbate the problem.
Sorry Woody! Can't tell it any better than this :(
I used to be a social drinker, and when the pain was really poorly managed I actually tried to start drinking more to see if it would help with the pain. But it really just made me feel worse with the meds, so I have not had a single drink for five years. I also fear the multiplier effect with everything I take and I don't want to give doctors a single reason to decline to give me the meds I need. My weight has also really bounced around from the meds (gaining, then losing more than twenty pounds) and alcohol doesn't help with that.
I think if smoking helps settle your nerves, and it doesn't hurt, then it's kind of the least of your problems.
I could not make it through work, with all the meds, without a ton of caffeine. It causes problems (e.g. insomnia, stomach are worse) but can't be sleeping at work. Also, it's a simple pleasure that seems ok when you no longer get alcohol, etc.
having a drink at a weekend helps me have a good night sleep
I am able to enjoy 2 glasses of white wine any more and TN2 worsens accompanied by awful headache for a couple of days. :(
thanks all for your help great;y appreciated
Couple cocktails definitely lowers my pain a ton. Evening out with the boys and when I get home I can usually brush my teeth no problem and so forth. That said, constant drinking is probably not a good idea haha
I am a daily smoker but only a few (i used to smoke more than a pack a day then quit then started again but in much more moderated amounts), I can not smoke while having a spike in my pain but once its over my body wants a smoke, it is part of how i relax (we each have coping mechanisms mine is just very unhealthy), and it doesnt seem to make a difference in my TN.
I drink maybe 7 drinks a year and none since I started my tegretol last saturday (alcohol allergies very strongly run in my family). My tegretol bottle says on it that it might increase the effects of alcohol.
Caffeine, my dear friend. When i was only taking tylenol and didnt have a diagnosis and could still drink hot coffee, seemed to help but i dont know if that was hot liquid dissolving it faster or the caffeine. I was pretty conservative with my caffeine intake before anyway, 2 cups of coffee in the morning and other than maybe a cup of tea in the afternoon no other caffeine during the day. now i still have two cups of coffee after they sit and become room temperature... it sure makes my coffee ritual much longer, doesnt seem to be effecting sleep as i need a nap everyday by 1 anyway.
I haven’t had any alcohol since I have been taking my meds I am thinking that I could probably manage a glass of wine as long as it’s not too close to my nighttime meds! Although I’m on antibiotics at the moment so can’t anyway! The doctor thought they might be worth a try just in case they stopped my pain! No success so far and no surprises there I guess!
Can’t help with the nicotine as I don’t smoke
I have quite a bit of caffeine I don’t find it makes a difference! When my pain wasn’t being controlled I was only drinking water though I just didn’t fancy anything else!
Caffeine doesn't really do anything either way for me I think. Like downrachel I have to wait for it to cool down to warm or it sets an attack off.
Alcohol I don't touch anyway as I was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy in 2010 (luckily my kidneys are functioning fine for now) and I'm not risking any damage (never mind the fact that I am on Tegretol and my doctor said it makes your liver function tests look like you are an alcoholic).
I'm no expert on the nicotine as have never smoked a puff in my life!