Hello All, I have been on Tegretol (slow release) for 15 years. Last year I started to experience problems with low hemoglobin, and memory. I didn’t feel well and wanted off. My doctor was hesitant but put me on Valproic Acid. While off the Tegretol, I had more energy and memory improved but I was moody and very dizzy and had one Petit Mal seizure. The Doctor believed I was being “overmedicated”. I went back to Tegretol and now am feely terrible again. Occasional dizzy spells, extremely tired, no “get up and go”, bad short term memory and sometimes these “panic attacks". I'm not sure it it's the Tegretol or if I'm just getting old (40).

Has anyone had this type of experience and how did you deal with it?

Hello All, I have been on Tegretol (slow release) for 15 years. Last year I started to experience problems with low hemoglobin, and memory. I didn’t feel well and wanted off. My doctor was hesitant but put me on Valproic Acid. While off the Tegretol, I had more energy and memory improved but I was moody and very dizzy and had one Petit Mal seizure. The Doctor believed I was being “overmedicated”. I went back to Tegretol and now am feely terrible again. Occasional dizzy spells, extremely tired, no “get up and go”, bad short term memory and sometimes these “panic attacks". I'm not sure it it's the Tegretol or if I'm just getting old (40).

Has anyone had this type of experience and how did you deal with it?

Hi, I am in my 20s and i have been on tegretal ever since i can remember, and some of the stuff you mentioned has happened to me, and i just thought it was me. Like this morning for instance i had taken my pills and then i got this bad feeling so i had to actually count how many pills i had to see if i had just taken it, i dont like doing that. And i dont get those feelings very often but still. Reading what you posted made me realize it might not be me.

Thank you for your reply, I was so pleased to know I'm not alone. This is a wonderful board for information and support. I like you, thought it was me. I didn't always feel like this. Tegretol has been very good for me, except for the past few years. I had a doctors appointment and she thinks it could be low iron (again), which could be the cause. Have you had a blood work done lately? Have you or anyone else had problems with Tegretol affecting your iron, red blood count etc?

Hi Annmarie, sorry to hear your not feeling well lately. I have never taken Tegratol, but I am an Trileptal right now, and the two are closely related. I found a lot of good info at (www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/trileptal.htm) Although this page is about the use of these drugs in bipolar disorder, it has interesting info about side effects, including tegratol's tendency to decrease white blood cells (your infection fighting cells). I would check out that web site if you get a chance, it's the only place I've read that info. Best of luck!

I've never heard of this medication before. I see the doctor today and will ask her about it. Thank you for the link.

AnnaMarie, I was on teratol for over 12yrs. I didn't notice any side effects, but the last couple of years my seizures (simple partials) have gottin worse. I swithced to Lamictal about six months ago. Lamictal is supposed to cover a wide range of seizure types. Maybe it could work for you.



scoot

Thank you for your reply, I was so pleased to know I'm not alone. This is a wonderful board for information and support. I like you, thought it was me. I didn't always feel like this. Tegretol has been very good for me, except for the past few years. I had a doctors appointment and she thinks it could be low iron (again), which could be the cause. Have you had a blood work done lately? Have you or anyone else had problems with Tegretol affecting your iron, red blood count etc?


The last time i went to the dr, he didnt tell me to go get any blood work done. And actually i was kinda glad because i hate getting stuck with needles I have always hated that. Tegretal might be the cause of some of something else hormonally for me.
You know in all these years i have no idea what they check when they take my blood. I know one of it is kidney stuff because tegretal can effect the kidneys, but i think thats any seizure med actually.

I noticed you mentioned panic attacks. I took tegretol for only two weeks and went off it because I started having panic attacks. I thought it was stranged, because that's not mentioned in anything I've read about side effects.

im on carbatrol and slowly over the last year or so i've found my memory was going. i mix up words, my mind goes blank and to just try and rmember it hurts. i have trouble in school now....studying is pointless. I'm being switch to Lamictal after this semester.

Thanks for all the info. It was very interesting. I saw my doctor who says the blood work is fine. She believes the anxiety attacks are stress. If stress had a face it would look like my 13 year old daughter…but that’s another board. When I asked about the dizzy spells she said a virus was going around our area. I found it hard to believe but she was right. The dizzy spells are gone. For me, it looks like the problem was not the Tegretol, but the level of stress.

Mandi, keep hitting the books. Is it possible to get some outside help like a tutor or friend to help? My memeory like you is not great but some days are better than others. I have learned I need to get lots of sleep and eat heathly. I'll be thinking of you.