Always Check for Drug Interactions!

1

I've noticed several TN suffers that are taking Tegretol (carbamazepine), have also been prescribed Tramadol for pain. Don't count on your physician to be automatically checking for drug interactions before they prescribe a new medication for you. Always check for yourself. A good website to use is drugs.com, or use Bing or Google to check for drug interactions.

As the above example: Taking Tegretol with Tramadol....

Interactions between your selected drugs

carbamazepine ↔ tramadol

Applies to: Tegretol (carbamazepine), tramadol

GENERALLY AVOID: Concomitant administration of carbamazepine increases tramadol metabolism, resulting in decreased serum concentrations and decreased efficacy. The suggested mechanism is CYP450 metabolic induction by carbamazepine. In addition, tramadol may increase the risk of seizures. Concomitant use of tramadol and carbamazepine is not recommended.

I used these as an example because of my own personal experience. Both my neurologist and my internal medicine physician prescribed Tramadol for pain knowing I was also taking Tegretol. It was my second neurologist than told me NEVER to take them together. Together they can cause seizures.

Unfortunately, as with everything concerning our disease, do your own research. Most the time we know more than our treating doctors do. Stay informed, ask questions.

2

I too was prescribed both, it was “me” that read about the adverse interaction and returned the Tramadol to my pharmacy, I also informed my then neuro about it.
Yup, we are our own best advocates.
Thanks for posting, Mimi

3

Good reminder.!!
I was just recently given Effexor. After reading the drug fact page I learned that 4 drugs I currently take interact. I was already scared of this drug anyway. I researched another drug to ask for and informed my pain specialist. Right now So sick I’m almost bedridden I must find something to break this pain cycle. My ON and TAC headaches are flaring up which always make my face pain worse. BTW-I was also prescribed Tegretol while currently using Tramadol for daily headaches. I did not pick up on it and took them together. Consequence was I was really sick and stopped taking Tegretol Because it made me worse. Around the same few months I had taken several different drugs all together and tell you I have never ever been the same. Lousy neurologist. It’s also about the time trigeminal moved over to the other side.
Keep up the Reading, Tree