Anyone Taking Tegretol and Gabapentin for TN2?

Symptoms & Treatments Medication
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Anyone taking Tegretol and Gabapentin for TN2? If so can you please tell me the dosage for each and how well it is working? Thanks.

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Hi Pacey
I tried the tegretol and it did not work for my TN2.
I will probably try prozac next.I hate the name but I need to try it.At my pain clinic appointment ,for my back pain,but at the same place I go for my facial pain one of the doctors said to keep trying the antidepressants.She says she has seen prozac work,and celexa.

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Hi ellen5,

The Tegretol didn’t work for me so I stopped it. I haven’t tried a newer antidepressant because I tried one and it didn’t work for me. I have read that Cymbalta works for a lot of people with TN2. I hope one of them works for you.

1 Like
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Hi Pacey and Ellen
I am on The combination of Tegretol and Nortryptiline and have found this works quite well for me. I believe I have atypical trigeminal neuralgia. I have symptoms of the background burning pain as well as severe shooting stabbing pains.
I am on 700mg of Tegretol now and 25mg of Nortryptiline. I take the nortryptiline an hour after my last dose of Tegretol.
I would say that my intense burning lingering pain has almost gone and my last episode of stabbing pain was gone almost three months ago.
I do get strange sensations from time to time and mild pain which feels more like a sore tight area. It can get itchy too? I think it is just a lot of nervy stuff going on.
I’m glad I kept on the Tegretol as it was tuff at the beginning. But the early side effects have diminished.
I hope you guys can find a combination that works as it can drive you nuts.
Hope that helps

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Hi Clare6,

So glad you found something that works for you.

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Yes, it is great to hear someone has found a med combo that is working for them. Gives us all hope…Nortryptiline seems like it is very helpful for many. I get itchy, tightness, soreness, burning, etc…it is all from the nerves going haywire.

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Neither tegretol/ trileptal, gabapentin (Neurontin) or pregabalin (Lyrica) did a thing to reduce my pain. I had intolerable side effects from all of them. Severe nausea/vomiting/abdominal pain from tegretol/ trileptal plus elevated liver enzymes; dizziness, loss of balance and inability to think or talk normally from the others. But we are all different in how we respond, both in drug effectiveness and side effects. It’s pretty much trial and error…sadly. Good luck to you.

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Not_Again,

Thank you for responding. I am sorry none of the meds are working for you. How are you dealing with your TN and do you have TN1 or TN2?

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I’ve tried both at various dosages. No benefit whatsoever. None of the usual nerve related stuff helps (I have ATN ) Large doses of Endep gave me night terrors.
I basically attempt to maintain some quality of life by carefully juggling narcotics. It is an imperfect measure, but better than nothing. Good luck to you!

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Craig1,

Thank you for responding. I’m glad that you get some benefit from the narcotics. They don’t help me. For now I’m trying to reduce my Gabapentin since it doesn’t seem to be helping. If I go over 100 mg with the Tegretol the side effects are too much.

Good luck to you also.