TEGRETOL Reviews (CARBAMAZEPINE)Average Rating: 3.3 (287 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare TEGRETOL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females). Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on TEGRETOL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR TEGRETOL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | epilepsy | Fatigue! Weight gain of 10-20 pds. Occasional dizzy spells. Intestinal issues. On the positive side, it reduced my depression/panic attacks and it did stop the seizures. I take generic and the coating can be very thin! I have had some scary moments swollowing and the pill sticking in my throat. | I've had epilspsy for 21 yrs and on 200mg 2txs. I have a terrible memory and relate to seniors. We talk about all the stupid things we do because of poor memory. Its due to epilepsy not the drug, since have dealt with this since my early 20's. I only started treating the seizures with the med 5 yrs ago. | 33 | 5 years | 1/6/2010 | 5 | bipolar/chronic pain (fibromyalgia? | drowsiness, weight gain | I am on 1000mg, I take it all at night and it helps me sleep. While on it I have been able to hold down full time stressful job and raise a child (I am single parent.) If I run out or miss a few days of meds, chronic pain comes back like I have very bad flu symptoms. This has been a lifesaver literally. I have not been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons since on it. Only downfall is the weight gain... about 80 in the last 10 years. | F | 38 | 10 years | 7/19/2008 | 5 | seizure disorder | tired, joint pain, but not too bad at all, hunger increased as well. | I have not had a seizure while taking the medication 200MG 4x daily. I did stop for one day as I was going to be drinking and I didn't want to mix. Two drinks and I was throwing up additionally I had a grand mal at night...not worth stopping. Really stupid on my part. One other thing...I am a writer and have had great difficulty with spelling and hitting keys on my computer since on med. | F | 33 | 4 months | 8/15/2008 | 5 | Trigeminal Neuralgia | I take it with food, if not a meal time it goes down well with half a banana and causes no nausea. When I have to increase the dose, to 200mg three times a day, I get some vision effect, so cannot drive; I sleep longer of a night and achieve less thru the day... | I have learnt to 'go with the flow' when medicated; its better than the awful pain. It comes back every year about April so I go on 100mg a day, then it gets worse as the weather gets colder for winter. Its at its worse now July. and when Spring/Summer comes it disappears again, so I can reduce the Tegretol until I am taking none Sep/Oct. I was in NZ July 2008 and suffered badly in Christchurch where it was snowing, even 1200mg a day did not help much and I got Lupus on such a high dose... so slowly went back to 200mg when I came home, where it settled down as we had a mild winter... I hope it just goes away one day like it came... wish I knew what causes it though.. | F | 62 | 7 years | 7/4/2009 | 5 | EPILEPSY | Gum swelling (mild), sleepier than normal, intolorence to alcohol, mild sun sensitivity | Have been using this pregnancy-safe dosage for 28 years now- eventhough I'm past the pregnancy years- no seizures. Just need more than average dental cleanings, sunscreen, more sleep (like 2 hours). Enables me to drive. Need regular liver panels to check for drug metabolism/toxicity. Want to see if 400 mg daily is still appropriate as I'm aging- drugs are more toxic generally as one gets older. | F | 53 | 28 years | 8/3/2009 | 5 | trigeminal neuralgia | I started taking this twelve years ago and go up and down as needed. Generally, I stay on about 300 maintenance. It calms me and I feel pretty good on it. I actually like myself better on it than off. I do feel it interferes with my drive. I'm not as organized while on it. I also take lamictol 300 and the combination for the pain is great. Sometimes, I have to go up to 1000 mlg of tegretol when the pain is horrendous, but am under control with the pain with tegretol. I would say it has been a complete life saver for me. I would have gone beserk with pain if I hadn't had this drug.Sometimes trigeminal neuralgia can be incapacitating, and I find that tegretol works immediately for the pain. It also help me with mood swings too. Side affects; sexual, for sure. weight gain (just a bit; slows the metabolism down) that's about it. I have lost all the enamel on the insides of my teeth, but don't know if it's related. The dentists can't figure it out. | I think the most important thing for t.n. patients is to be on the RIGHT DOSE, with the right combination of other medicines. I think that is the key. When I've been at 1000 mlg for pain at times, I am like a zombie; extremely tired, no drive to do anything. Gladly, I don't have to be at that high dose for long; maybe a month at the most. I have an outstanding neurologist who moniters me regularly. | F | 55 | 13 years | 7/19/2007 | 5 | seizure disorder | Weight gain; feeling "foggy" -- used to play Trivial Pursuit and remembered all the obscure trivia, but after starting Tegretol I know that I know the information, just can't call it up out of the "file cabinet." | Considering that all medications cause some sort of side-effects, some worse than others, Tegretol has made it possible for me to drive, hold down a full-time job, raise a child -- in other words, have a productive life, so much so that the only time I think about having a seizure disorder is when I have to take a dose, go the doctor for a refill, or deal with the local DMV to keep my driver's license. The rest of the time I can just think of my seizure disorder as a "nuisance" that I have to deal with, not something that I have allowed to ruin my life. | F | 56 | 20 years | 8/28/2007 | 5 | glossopharyngeal neuralgia | I was really sleepy for the first few weeks but the effect wore off so that I didn't know I was taking it. No side effects after the first few weeks. | This was a miracle drug for me. I know it can be a dangerous drug but my blood levels were monitored monthly and I remained stable. I now -- over 20 years later -- have a mild osteopenia. I don't know if that's from the Tegretol or whether I would have had it anyway. I was able to gradually wean myself off of the Tegretol after taking it for 10+ years. Have been off of it and symptom free for 7 or 8 years now. | F | 58 | 10 years | 5/21/2007 | 5 | mood disorder | light headedness, weight gain, rashes, increased liver function results, slight fever | The side effects have been drastically outweighed by the improvement of my moods. After suffering severe depression for 18 months with no improvement after using several anti-depressants, Tegretol has turned my life around. I am being constantly monitored for any further side effects, but if they don't get worse, I will be staying on Tegretol | F | 46 | 3 months | 7/18/2007 | 5 | epilepsy | drowsy | F | 40 | 31 years | 3/4/2008 | 5 | petit mal seizures | About once every 10-14 days I suffer from numb mouth,an unsteady gait,feeling 'spaced out'and slurring my speech.I also get twitchy fingers. | I am on 600mg tegretol retard (to try and alleviate the side effects)twice daily. My epilepsy came back after a period of 2 years without medication and I am currently unable to drive until I have been seizure free for a year.I thought it was just me that had problems with memory,both short term and long term!It is reassuring to know that I am not alone. I am reluctant to stop the tegretol as I haven't been driving for almost a year already and I still have 9 months to go, it took ages to get under control. I haven't discussed the fact that I am still having side effects although I could go on Kepra(?)Changing tablets could spark the epilepsy off again and that's another year without independence!I guess I'll have to stick with it. | F | 40 | 15 months | 4/11/2008 | 5 | Trigeminal Neuragia | I just started on Tegretol (100 mg) about 10 days ago. I am so glad there is a med out there that can control my bouts of pain. My pain would come in the middle of the night (mostly) ... couldn't take it and did not realize that there was a "condition" out there called Trigeminal Neuragia. The pain became increasingly worse over time and finally I saw a physician regarding it. My first side effects from Tegretol were slight nausia, and severe headache. Both passed. Did not experience the "tiredness" as noted with other individuals. I do notice that this med does not work as well for me when I am "stressed". | I will continue taking this med and probably increase dose if my pain increases with time. Still too soon to tell. | F | 50 | 10 days | 1/6/2009 | 5 | Bipolar II | Little nausea every now and then but nothing else. | I love this drug. I finally feel like a human being after 42 years of no mediation. I can think clear and my emotions seem to be in order. | F | 42 | 4 months | 2/23/2009 | 5 | Bipolar II | Initially and with dose increase: anxiety, headache, pressure in temples, very mild nausea, constipation. When trying to go above 600mg: persistent headache, metallic taste in mouth. Constant side-effect: jaw clenching. | This seemed to take a while to kick in. Started on 400mg and went to 600mg after about 4 weeks. It lifted my depression quite quickly, but during both dose increases I got anxiety. The moodswings aren't gone, but they seem "shallower" and less frequent. Everything's much milder than it was and more manageable. It helps with sleep; even when "up" I manage 5hrs a night. After 6 months I can barely tell I'm taking any medication, the side-effects are so slight. Really pleased as I had a nightmare on lamotrigine. | F | 35 | 6 months 600 2X day | 3/26/2014 | 5 | trigmetol neuralgia | No prob started on 100 twice a day n moved up to 600 now in 200 Mg tablets bits sick n bit of headache to start but it's stopped pain so far n that's all that matters at moment; | F | 42 | 3 weeks | 10/2/2014 | 5 | Epilepsy | constant tiredness since childhood, low concentration,anxiety, mood swings, memory poor | Controlled my epilepsy when other drugs didn't.Having taken it for a long time, i have noticed various side efects over the years. The ones that effected me most were tiredness and anxiety. Anxiety and irritability are problems on thse meds especially if you don't keep routine, drink lots of water etc. I have been cutting down my dose to withraw after longterm use, i'd like to know what normal is, I have worked and studied all my life and achieved a great deal, though it has been a struggle at times. I look forward to being free of meds. | F | 36 | 25 years 400mg 2X day | 8/16/2014 | 5 | Epilepsy | No major side effects had trouble concentrating as I do now. Became a little depressed. | I feel the medication has definitely changed my life for the good. | F | 26 | 10 years 1X day | 9/16/2014 | 5 | to control my epilepsy | I've had epilepsy since I was 14yrs old. It helps to control my seizures but I still have them! Sometimes up to 3Times a day! | I've had Acne since I was 13 and was wondering weather it was this giving me it?! I'm seeing a specialist who specialises in dermatology end of this month so my Doctor wouldnt of let me if it was my meds making my skin like it was don't u think? | F | 28 | 10 years 600mg | 12/5/2014 | 5 | mood stabilizer | A really bad breakout just on my face it wasnt zits but it was like acne and I tried everything to cure it I never thought it was my medicine until my refill ran out and I had to go like 2 or 3 weeks without it while I waited on my appointment . my face cleared up completely. Now im back on my medicine and its back.. I also have really bad muscle jerks on thos medicine. Other than that it is the best medication for me I. Have tried literally everything else .. | F | 26 | 1 years 1200 | 12/15/2014 | 5 | Chronic neck pain | I am having sexual side effects & having strange dreams. Imsomnia. | Excellent to relieving my neck pain I have had for 18 years. Wonderful for pain. | F | 42 | 1 days 400mg | 6/19/2015 |
TEGRETOL (CARBAMAZEPINE): Carbamazepine is used to prevent and control seizures. This medication is known as an anticonvulsant or anti-epileptic drug. It is also used to relieve certain types of nerve pain (such as trigeminal neuralgia). This medication works by reducing the spread of seizure activity in the brain and restoring the normal balance of nerve activity. (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)