Does anyone have experience starting tegretol and adjusting to the side effects while working full-time? My Dr. is having me start on a super low dose (25mg 2x/day) along with my 2700 mg daily of gabapentin. I started it on a weeked and on my first day back at work I had to be picked up by my fiance because I was feeling so strange and could not drive myself home.
How do people work and take tegretol?! Does it go away? I didn't take it today and am having terrible pain. My Dr. wants me to get back on the horse. I am afraid of what tomorrow will bring. Advice? I am particularly hoping to hear from people who had success while working full-time on tegretol if that exists!
I am on 400 mg slow release of Tegretol and am on disability due to side effects. I do find that the slow release is easier to tolerate than the regular prescription. The side effects have gotten a bit less but the mental dullness does not allow me to do my job. All the best.
Hi Leeters,
I was able to work on 800mg Tegretol XR ( slow release) no pain,no side effects …BUT, when I first started the Tegretol I needed to take 3-5 days off as the side effects initially for me were drowsiness, groggy, unbalanced…it takes time for your body to adjust as you increase the dose. Whenever I needed to increase my dose I knew I’d need a few days home to allow my body time to adjust.
If I were you, I’d take a few days off to do the same. Give it time, we all react differently, but my experience has always been the same.
Mimi
Thank you all for your responses. We really do all respond differently, don't we. Kc Dancer Kc, thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately lidocaine hasn't helped me much in the past. I am so glad it works well for you though!!
I agree with Mimi. You need to take some time off work. I started on a much larger dose because of a severe episode and I ended up being off for almost two weeks. Between the Tegretol and the pain medication I could barely stand up long enough to make it to the bathroom. Hang in there, it does it better and a little more tolerable.
I am the same as others above. I work full time and I am on 600mg. Your body does adjust but evenings and mornings are very difficult for me. I am exhausted most of the time and my thinking process is nothing like it was as before the meds. I require more sleep than before but it is much better than before.
I have been on tegretol soley for the past seven years and my dosage can range anywhere from 400mg daily to the max which is 1600mg. I do suffer from some of the same side effects and work fulltime. I have been blessed that I have not had to take any time off. I will be starting Lidocaine tomorrow and hope to lower the Tegretol. But things will always get better, you must believe and know that it is true. I hope this helps.
You eventually become accustomed to it,or at least i did.I still had trouble recalling what a chair is called,remembering my son's name and stupid stuff like that.( : But i wasn't constantly half asleep.Easy for your doc to say,"get back on the horse" He has no idea what it's like.Good luck!
Thank you all for your replies. It doesn’t sound good for a science teacher does it? Not being able to recall things on the spot is going to be quite challenging in my budding career. At least it helps decrease the terrible pain though, right? That’s a good thing.
Yes,if it helps the pain,you can deal with the rest.A bigger part of it than i'd like to admit is me being 60 this year most likely.I'm sure you will do fine.The worst thing you can do is stress about it.
I have been on Tegretol for many years and it did take a little while to adjust to it but honestly the only thing I can say I notice is I sleep better at night. I work full time and a am a supervisor of a mechanical & machine shop. Not a good place to be stupid in the head with spinning machines that can, take your arm off. So all in all you can do it.
Good luck