# Hyponatremia
**URL:** https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524
**Category:** General TN & GPN (Old Site)
**Created:** [December 13, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524 "2015-12-13T22:45:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bosltov](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Bosltov)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/1 "2015-12-13T22:45:07Z")
I have been diagnosed with mild hyponatremia low blood sodium my number is 130 normal is 135 and up. I have been on tegretol for 6 months now and it was working wonderfully. I fear they will have to switch my meds. Could not take carbamazepine had really bad side effects also. Not sure what is left Only been on drug treatments total of 1 year. I have to get new blood work done Dec 23rd to see if it's progressing. I've been feeling dizzy, light headed and sick to my stomach. Also have leg cramps almost every morning when I wake up. I've been drinking small glasses of Gatorade, which seem to be helping; could be my imagination. Has anyone had this happen to them? Could you still take Tegretol? What drug did they switch you to? Getting so down in the dumps.
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### Author:  [@ChipperRoo](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/ChipperRoo)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/2 "2015-12-14T00:23:13Z")
So you can only take the brand name and not the generic? Am I understanding correctly?
Your topic is very interesting to me. I had my adrenal glands surgically removed back in 2006 so have to watch my electrolytes, especially sodium, very closely. I am also panhypopituitary. Basically, my pituitary does not work at all. So electrolytes are a BIG thing for me.
I just started tegretol, the generic, carbamazepine, appx. 3 to 4 weeks ago. At first I was having really bad stomach cramps. Didn't really associate the two . . . . but now that you have posted this . . . . hmmmmm.
Am so interested in the outcome of your case!
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### Author:  [@Woman\_with\_the\_elect](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Woman_with_the_elect)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/3 "2015-12-14T21:13:43Z")
Hi, I had exactly this problem (among many others!) on Carbamazepine (Tegretol). Bizarrely, my blood sodium was also 130 most of the time (once it was 131 - very exciting!) , except when it fell to 118 and I had to be hospitalised (caused by drinking too much water). I was never taken off Carbamazepine during that time; it was considered liveable with. I don't know whether it was responsible for any nausea etc, because I felt so crap on the drug anyway I couldn't tell! But I do know when I had fully fledged sodium problems I was very ill: extreme nausea, shivering, and just generally very ill. But I see no reason why you can't stay on Carbamazepine at that figure; I did and lived! (P.S. I was on it for over 14 months).
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### Author:  [@Don1](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Don1)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/4 "2015-12-15T23:44:53Z")
I had a low sodium reading taking Carbamazepine.Same drug as tegretol,just generic/cheaper.It seems to be one of the negatives that can happen using the drug.I kept taking it.
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### Author:  [@Bosltov](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Bosltov)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2015, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/5 "2015-12-16T17:07:11Z")
Don said:
> I had a low sodium reading taking Carbamazepine.Same drug as tegretol,just generic/cheaper.It seems to be one of the negatives that can happen using the drug.I kept taking it.
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### Author:  [@Bosltov](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Bosltov)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/6 "2015-12-16T17:14:14Z")
I'm thinking my family Dr. will tell me to change meds, but Neuro will probably just say keep taking it. The neurologist didn't even warn me this could happen. I know I've read one could go into a coma with brain swelling. To "Woman with the electric teeth" when you came home from the hospital when nbrs were 118, did they change your meds then? If so what did they prescribe for you? Thanking all who have responded.
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### Author:  [@Woman\_with\_the\_elect](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Woman_with_the_elect)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/7 "2015-12-16T19:22:50Z")
Hi Bosltov, no they didn't change my meds. I was put on a saline drip for 24 hrs to get my blood sodium back up (to a heady 135, I recall) and then sent back off to take my Tegretol again. While I was _in_ hospital they took me off it completely, yes, which was a lot of fun (not), but as soon as my blood sodium was healthy again I was back on the meds. There is no earthly reason why you should have to stop Carbamazepine with a 130 sodium figure; that's just low, not life-threatening. 118 is life-threatening! You are in no danger of falling into a coma or getting brain swelling.
When I was in hospital with my 118, they told me they had never seen anyone with a figure that low and they had all been worried for my life, but I just felt very sick, as in nauseous, and I seem to remember a headache as well as confusion and exhaustion. You are nowhere near that level of danger, so you are fine to stay on the drug. You just have to monitor it, that's all. Incidentally, my blood sodium plummeted as soon as I was put on Tegretol (not that it was ever very high - I have naturally low sodium) and it was ALWAYS low when I had blood tests, so you really can relax. You'll be fine. Just have a test every two or three months to make sure it isn't dropping any further.
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### Author:  [@Bosltov](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Bosltov)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/8 "2015-12-16T23:30:07Z")
Thank you so much for the response. I can't even imagine not having this medicine, the pain would be unbearable. Hope they will just monitor me. I also read that if they correct the sodium too fast, they can run risk of destroying the mylan protective coating on the nerves in the brain; which sounds like the reason we are taking the drug in the first place. Very strange how this is all connected.
Woman with the electric teeth said:
> Hi Bosltov, no they didn't change my meds. I was put on a saline drip for 24 hrs to get my blood sodium back up (to a heady 135, I recall) and then sent back off to take my Tegretol again. While I was _in_ hospital they took me off it completely, yes, which was a lot of fun (not), but as soon as my blood sodium was healthy again I was back on the meds. There is no earthly reason why you should have to stop Carbamazepine with a 130 sodium figure; that's just low, not life-threatening. 118 is life-threatening! You are in no danger of falling into a coma or getting brain swelling.
>
> When I was in hospital with my 118, they told me they had never seen anyone with a figure that low and they had all been worried for my life, but I just felt very sick, as in nauseous, and I seem to remember a headache as well as confusion and exhaustion. You are nowhere near that level of danger, so you are fine to stay on the drug. You just have to monitor it, that's all. Incidentally, my blood sodium plummeted as soon as I was put on Tegretol (not that it was ever very high - I have naturally low sodium) and it was ALWAYS low when I had blood tests, so you really can relax. You'll be fine. Just have a test every two or three months to make sure it isn't dropping any further.
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### Author:  [@Woman\_with\_the\_elect](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Woman_with_the_elect)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/hyponatremia/8524/9 "2015-12-17T20:27:44Z")
Really? I've never heard that. I wonder why raising sodium would damage the myelin sheath? You're right, it does make you wonder, doesn't it? These drugs are all sodium channel blockers, so sodium is playing a role here. I was once put on a calcium channel blocker instead (Lamotrigine) and it gave me a very severe 6 week migraine. It's a funny old world, drugs!
Bosltov said:
> Thank you so much for the response. I can't even imagine not having this medicine, the pain would be unbearable. Hope they will just monitor me. I also read that if they correct the sodium too fast, they can run risk of destroying the mylan protective coating on the nerves in the brain; which sounds like the reason we are taking the drug in the first place. Very strange how this is all connected.
>
> Woman with the electric teeth said:
>
> > Hi Bosltov, no they didn't change my meds. I was put on a saline drip for 24 hrs to get my blood sodium back up (to a heady 135, I recall) and then sent back off to take my Tegretol again. While I was _in_ hospital they took me off it completely, yes, which was a lot of fun (not), but as soon as my blood sodium was healthy again I was back on the meds. There is no earthly reason why you should have to stop Carbamazepine with a 130 sodium figure; that's just low, not life-threatening. 118 is life-threatening! You are in no danger of falling into a coma or getting brain swelling.
> >
> > When I was in hospital with my 118, they told me they had never seen anyone with a figure that low and they had all been worried for my life, but I just felt very sick, as in nauseous, and I seem to remember a headache as well as confusion and exhaustion. You are nowhere near that level of danger, so you are fine to stay on the drug. You just have to monitor it, that's all. Incidentally, my blood sodium plummeted as soon as I was put on Tegretol (not that it was ever very high - I have naturally low sodium) and it was ALWAYS low when I had blood tests, so you really can relax. You'll be fine. Just have a test every two or three months to make sure it isn't dropping any further.