Wondering how many people take tegretal?

not me, i used to

Hi,
I take Carbatrol, you probably know this, but it's the generic version of Tegretol. I take it along with Lamictal. Be well, Kathy

Used to, not anymore

Yes, it is the only drug I take.

I haven't had one seizure since I started taking it, some 8 months or so ago. Yaaaay!!!!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I was just told today by my Dr. that I will replace Tegretol w/Carbatrol because Tegretol is getting hard to find lately. I was worried about side effects, but I see that it is just the generic of Tegretol & that makes me feel better. It also saves me some $ http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

JB

I used to take Tegretol XR, but doc changed it to trileptal. I have read up on this and it is supposed to be better than tegretol because of less side effects. You don't need to have as much blood work done either due to it not causing problems with the liver. I was still having SZ while on tegretol, but now not having any on trileptal.

Jan 2
How often did u have to get blood work done due to Tegretol? I probably had to have it done about every 4 to 6 mo's. Hopefully I won't have to as often now. I still take Neurontin & Topomax so who knows. I will remember Trilpetal (spelling) if the one I start today doesn't work.

JB - I too had to have blood work every 6 months. Liver enzymes need to be checked often to make sure that they are at a normal range. My mom also has problems with sz's and she is on tegrital too. So far we both have not had problems. The only thing I do notice is some swelling in hands and feet. Dr said this is due to low sodium levels, which tegrital sometimes causes.

I started on tegretol or carbamazepine,but it made me feel crappy,and when I woke up on a morning,I felt like I was light headed and was floating.I am on Lamictal now,and no more light headedness.By the way the doc told me,in England they alway's subscribe Tegretol first because it's cheaper than Lamictal,and for some reason,I don't know why but I don't have blood tests anymore.Anybody know why that is?.

I was on Tegretol when I was first diagnosed and then moved onto Tegretol Retard which gave me double vision.

Not sure about the US but it seems to be a popular drug for newly diagnosed in the UK - until some sort of pattern is established.

Regards

Hi,
I was told that most emergency room patients here in the USA are put on Dilantin because it is the only common AED that can be administered by IV. It could be that this is unreliable information, but it makes sense to me. Be well, Kathy

Grumps,
I am still taking the Tegretol & have the dbl vision, I just assumed it was because I was tired. I didn't really think it was a side effect.Thanks for the tip. I was just taken off of that drug yesterday....yeah http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Jan 2
I haven't had any swelling in my feet or hands, I am SO glad.

Krazykcio,
Who told you that Carbatrol was the generic for Tegretol? The reason I am asking is because I went to pick it up for the 1st time yesterday & they wanted to charge me dbl. my co-pay at the pharmacy because it isn't one of my preferred meds. Apparently more expensive to manufacture, I called my insurance this morning...that really bites. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Now I have to find a different med to take the place of that one. I wonder which one my dr. will pick now.?

Talk to y'all later,
JB

I'm sorry, I goofed in my last response -- I confused myself. Sorry. I am not on tegretal any more, now on triletal. I had no problems on tegretol, but some hand and foot swelling from trileptal.

JB,
I'm pretty sure that my Neurologist #1 told me that Carbatrol and Tegretol are the same. Be well, Kathy

Originally posted by heaven24:
Wondering how many people take tegretal?

Hi there.
i have been taking tegretal since 1989. And it's doing the job for me i have been seizure free for almost (2) years.

Josephine

Originally posted by heaven24:
Wondering how many people take tegretal?

Hi there.
i have been taking tegretal since 1989. And it's doing the job for me i have been seizure free for almost (2) years.

Josephine

------------------

My son takes Tegretol and has been siezure free for over 2yrs now. It also seemed to help with his mood swings.

My 16 yr old son starts Tegretol tomorrow ? We are going to keep our fingers crossed and hope it works without the side effects.

My 4yr old son has been takeing Tegretol for the last 2yrs and has been siezure free since. His mood even got better since being on it. He was on Dilantin first--didn't control his seizures and he was unbearable. His neurologist was leary on putting him on Tegretol because it can not be given by IV and he was scheldule to have a brain tumor removed in 4mths and in case something was to happen that they had to give him his meds through IV they could with Dilantin but not with Tegretol. But finally after agreeing that he was having tooo many siezures that needed to be under control we made the switch and that they could give him Dilantin if he ended up haveing his meds by IV. It did not come to that so he has been on Tegretol since and seizure free http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm on Trileptal, which is similar to Teg.
(I'm also on Keppra)

Tegretol(R) is a brand name of the drug, carbamazepine, manufactured by Norvartis, Inc.

A bit of backround on generics v brands

When a company first develops a drug, the own the exclusive rights (intellectual property) to that drug.
Until the patent runs out, or it is no longer extended, or unless a company drops exlusive rights, or sells the brand name to another company, no one else may make that drug. Every company, the maker of the brand or of a generic owns the process by which the drug is manufactured. Unlike a patent, this does not run out, as long as the manufactured continues to use the same process to make a drug. While talking about drugs we need to discuss the "parent compound", and the drug delivery system/carrier/flavor module.

Drugs, such as a pill, capsule, or other method of getting the chemical compounds in to your system require that they be stored in a material, they may need a binder or filler, they may need stabilizers, and preservatives, flavoring and/or coloring. They may need a mechanism that will permit the pill/capsule to pass the acid of the stomach to be absorbed later in the gut, or an ointemnt that makes the skin permeable. Collectively, those 'modules', while essential, are not the theraputic chemical compounds. The chemical compounds are called 'the parent compounds', or simply 'parents'. Many companies manufacture carmazepine's parent;

Shire Pharmaceuticals, (who owns the brand name Carbatrol),
Norvartis (who owns the brand name Tegretol),

and many generics (who sell as 'carbamazepine')
TEVA, PLIVA, TARO, APOTEX, MORTON GROVE, CARACO, WARNER-CHILCOT (some companies listed may have since been bought out or have merged).

Not every seller of a Brand Name drug actually makes the brand name. It is often more profitable to sell a generic version (because the market demand is for the lower priced generic drugs). The Brand name is often either sold or it is licensed to another company, often a generic manufacturer who sells their generic as a brand name.

How a parent is manufactured - the unique process by which it is made - can affect the therapeutic effect of the drug. Some drugs are NOT sensitive by manufacturing process (such as phenobarbitol). The theraputic index of other drugs does matter.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a such a sensitive drug. No matter what your insurance company may claim, the brand name and the generic are NOT equivalent. This is true for one maker of CBZ to another. The U.S. government tests the theraputic index by manufacturer of every drug sold in the U.S., except for those drugs that had been made before the law existed, except for those drugs which are unique.

While there have been many drugs that had been recalled, either by the FDA, or by the manufacturer,
(BTW, the law does not require that the patient be notified of a drug recall) the drug that had been recalled more than any other drug is Norvartis's Tegretol (more frequently 200 mg). According to the US govenment, over the past 15 years, more than one TRILLION doses of brand name Tegretol had been recalled, usually for the same reason: Dissolution rate failure.

CBZ is, by it's nature, a 'flakey' drug, with respect to a steady state serum level. The serum level of CBZ may swing from a near toxic to a sub-theraputic level - which can trigger seizures. This problem has been adressed by the drug makers by making CBZ a time release drug.

Because the manufacturing process can affect the therapuetic effects, not all CBZ is similarly affected as the CBZ manufactured by Norvartis.
Carbatrol, which is a brand name, has not had Norvartis's track record.

There are a few web sites which list drug recalls, and others that list drug shortages (by any cause). In searching, the best web site for drug recalls is the government's web site. The best web site for tracking shortages, although the government purports to list drug shortages, is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The reason is because the govenment does not require that companies list shortages. ASHSP, on the other hand, is the web site which is run by the pharmacutical industry.

Hi, my boyfriend has epilepsy and says Tegratol is the best med (at least for him, he has gran mal). He's had E for 17 years, so I trust he knows his meds. He also takes Lamictin and Rivotrol.

My son Sean started on 200mg of tegretol twice a day on wednesday. It is now saturday and he looks spaced out is always dozing off,can hear a buzzing noise, always thirsty, will these side effects subside when he gets used to it or are they permanent? We are supposed to increase the dosage to 400mg twice a day after 2 weeks. And also the consultant never mentioned anything about having blood tests done.
Paula

Hi. A, my boyfriend, says that he had the same side effects, except for being thirsty. He says these side effects are common when changing meds. He is now fine and even drinks alcohol. You always start low and then take blood tests to see how much the meds can be increased. He says that you MUST ask about the blood tests.

Common minor side effects include dizziness, unsteadiness, nausea and vomiting.

Dosages need to be lowered in patients with kidney or liver dysfunction.