Tegretol xr

[Quilter 2]

Hi everyone;
I just wanted to relate my experience with Tegretol, aka, Carbamazepine, Carbatrol and maybe a few other names. I had asked Dr. Quesada if he had ever heard of it when I last saw him. He offered to let me try it and I declined for the moment. I told him I thought I was taking enough and with the shot, I thought I'd be ok. The shot backfired.. Oh my god do I hurt. This was the first time it ever happened to me. I've had 5 previous shots. After a week I called his office and he prescribed Tegretol. My pharmacist was a little concerned so he wanted me to keep him in the loop every few days. Ok, I took 1 pill for 7 days and then started on 2. During the 1 pill wk. I really didn't see much difference. I was still in a lot of pain, so I was taking 400 mgs. of Tramadol and 1 Valium suppository per day. By the second week of taking 2 pills, I wanted to throw in the towel. Absolutely nothing would help the pain levels of 9 & 10 and that includes ice. One day, I even took Oxycodone along with the other drugs. When I because half lucid, I got out the sheet that comes with medicines. Bingo, right on it, it states Tegretol can decrease pain meds. Duh! That's it. I called the pharmacist and told him I was getting off the $35.00 med I just paid for and how do I do it safely. Of course he can't answer that legally and he told me to call Dr. Q. I told him how I was going to do it and he (the pharmacist) said that sounded safe to him. There's always a way to get around tricky questions. I wrote Dr. Quesada a letter telling him what and why I'm doing. This way I know he will read my words and not get second hand info from a nurse. Don't misunderstand, I feel Dr. Q's nurses do a great job, but they are busy and I'm sure they breakdown a patients conversation when relaying a message.
This is just my experience. I first heard of the drug from a lady on the old site. She said her mom had pn and it helped her greatly.
I just want to say, The pharmacies give us info sheets for a reason. I know I skim them and if others do also, it's a mistake. Once I read on the old site that we shouldn't put anything in our mouths before we research it. I think the guy was from CA, so if you're reading this, thank-you. I really should have taken your advice and not just assume.
Less pain to all;
Doreen

[missmarple]

This is very strange, because I just started back on Tegretol - just at 200mg. In the 90's I was on it and did very well - until I had a seizure and stopped it. My daughter, who was with me during the episode, now insists it was low potassium levels and not the Tegretol?
The Pain Mgt Doctor that I saw last month and told me he couldn't help me had called in an Rx for Tegretol. I picked it up, but hadn't used it. After the Dr he referred me to for treatment on PN, insisted that I had IC ( No symptoms of it - and have since read that everyone who walks into his office is treated for IC) and did a bladder instillation of Heparin/Lidocaine, which has put me in more pain than ever, I dug it out I went back on Tegretol. I am desperate from this pain and will take my chances of having a seizure from it - that's how bad it is.
I don't think my Primary Doctor (who seemed to side with the OB/GYN) is qualified to treat pain, so I want a referral to another Pain Mgt Dr who can monitor my use of Tegretol. When I was on it before, it was prescribed with Prozac, which I am on now. I attempted to research my use of it, but all records between the 80's and 90's have been destroyed. So here's hoping!!!

[angiemcs]

Anyone have any experience with nucynta, considered "new"kind of opiate.? Thanks for any feedback.