Since I will be starting my first dose of Oxycarbazepine tonight, I was wondering what side effects are common among the people here on the site. I tried searching for threads, but there aren't alot here. The accompanying literature said that this drug depletes the sodium levels in your body. So, do I need to eat alot of salt to combat that side effects? It was also my understanding that the sodium depletion causes you to feel more nauseous and dizzy on this med. Also, the doctor did not say anything about needing future blood tests. Are they needed with this med? Everything on the internet regarding this med says the same as with all anticonvulsants and I am prepared to feel dizzy, unstable and loopy for a few days. The doctor said I should be okay on Monday to go to work. Anyone had the side effects (loopiness) last longer than a few days? I am on 150 mg for the first week and then doubling the dosage at bedtime after that. Guess I should only take this at bedtime?
You don't need to eat a whole lot of salt until you know you have a sodium deficiency confirmed by blood work, and probably not then. Salt isn't great for your blood pressure or your weight. And not everybody has problems with sodium leaching out of the bloodstream after using this med.
You should take this medication on the schedule your doctor has prescribed it. It may make you dizzy or "loopy" for several days to weeks. Many patients aclimate to this and other anti-convulsive meds. Some do not. There is no way to tell in advance. Suggest you do some reading in our Face Pain Info tab on the menu above. The primary tab will take you to a 26-part article archive that lays out common questions about trigeminal pain and its treatments.
Regards, Red
I only had one initial blood test for sodium -
I had to quit my job because of TN
I had to stop interviewing for other jobs because that med took away my IQ
Loopy can Last --- can't find the word you are looking for, can't concentrate to read or write - you will see many on here that laugh about it because you have to!
After a year- I went and had MVD surgery..... it was better for me to take the chance than the med side effects.
I seem to be having trouble with subtracting in my head. Soo there is truth to what KC is sayin... I've only been on it for a month tho.
Min, KC - did you experience alot of nausea when you first took this med? If so, what did you do to combat it? I had a really horrible night last night, between the pain and the nausea, it was almost hopeless to try to sleep. The doc prescribed a sleeping pill and I did not take it as I worried about trying too many new meds and then not knowing which side effect would be associated with each pill. Big mistake, I think. I really hate the nausea. I can't imagine working on Monday with these side effects.
Red - I will see what the face pain info says about this med. I also just received the book: Striking Back and I'm working my way thru it. I wish now that the neuro would have tried increasing the Lyrica first before he put me on the Oxy.
No not with the Trileptal. But half an hour after I would take the hydrocodone(vicadin) I would get nausea. So I started eatin crackers or just somethin with it when I take the vicadin and I am fine now. I figured this out because I take the trileptal in the morning and the vicadin mid morning, then the trileptal late aroung three or four. Then maybe another vic at five or six. Min
Hey D
I was on Tegretol for about 6 months and was changed to Trileptol (600mg daily) this past Tuesday. With the Teg, I was in a constant fog, couldn't think / get my words, always felt dizzy, uncomfortably tired and ALWAYS in pain. Maybe I am weird, but since the meds were switched and dosage increased, I have had 3 flare ups with minimal pain in between - MUCH more managable. I have had MUCH more energy, even felt like really cleaning my house today - have been just doing the bare minimum because I just 'couldn't'... I can think better and in turn have had better days with my students at school...my family says I am almost back to my 'sassy' self... I certainly just don't know about all that now, but... :-) .....
I don't take other meds with the Trilep on a normal basis, and have noticed last nite and tonite that it starts to wear off about 1.5 hours before the next dose; doc told to take a dose of Teg in between for 'break through' pain, this helps...
...enjoyin' the good parts of the day - hoping you have them too!!
I take Oxcarbazine, too. I find that it's painkilling effects are similar to Tegretol, but with way fewer side effects. The first few days I was more tired than usual, but other than that, I don't notice side effects at all. As far as salt - I just eat a normal amount - processed foods are so oversalted anyway. I take 600mg twice a day, and it's been the best anti-convulsive that I've tried. It helps most with the underlying pain/burning/numbness. Hope this helps.
Oxcarbazine did nothing for me. Was switched from Carbamazepine. Carbamazepine is tough with its side effects. Changing medications puts my TN in flare ups too. Yes, me too, to those of you that suffered from being dizzy,fatigue, etc etc. I do get a bit better after settling in with the medication, but it takes awhile. I am on 1200 mg of Carb. daily. Seems to be what works right now.
No, my stomach never felt sick, but I lost all of my personality! Would rather have been feelin icky in the tummy!
After reading the comments here, I wonder which drug is having a bad effect on me. The nausea subsided last night, but I am having alot of trouble sleeping - even taking the sleeping pill the doc prescribed. I don't feel loopey at all. Had alot of pain yesterday, but I know it takes time to build the drugs in your system. I had been on Lyrica for quite a while, so I'm wondering if the Lidacaine blocks flared my TN pain? Caused the nausea as my body was getting rid of it? My throat is a bit constricted too this morning. I am thinking of stopping the headache med: verapamil until I see which med is creating all the issues. I am also going to call the pharmacist to check with them. At the very least, the headaches in the back of my head are gone. Normally, I use heat packs to help with the pain in my face, but since that wasn't working at all, I went with cold packs last night and that helped alot. Is anyone else taking verapamil?
loopy is a good way to describe what the meds make you
Kc Dancer Kc said:
I only had one initial blood test for sodium -
I had to quit my job because of TN
I had to stop interviewing for other jobs because that med took away my IQ
Loopy can Last --- can't find the word you are looking for, can't concentrate to read or write - you will see many on here that laugh about it because you have to!
After a year- I went and had MVD surgery..... it was better for me to take the chance than the med side effects.