carbamazepine

hello joanne, l see your dosage is at 1400mg, did you get to that amount initialy at the start to bring symptoms under control? or did you keep increasing dosage because attacks would  return? I'm interested because l am in Australia, and the max dosage is 1500mg.

Hi Kenneth, I started on 200mg per day, increasing by 100mg per week until pain eased. The first attack, the maximum I was taking was 800mg, the second attack was 1200mg. It seems that either the pains are increasing on each recurrence, or the meds are less effective. I did increase to the maximum dose here in France of 1600mg, however the side effects were so awful. Nausea, dizziness, tiredness etc. hence spending much of the day in bed. I've since decided that the max I will take is 1200-1400mg as the horrible side effects out weigh the pain! I still have tingling in lips, mouth pains, a bit of earache, but I can live with that.

I find that my attacks last around a couple of months so as soon as I feel the symptoms subside, I begin to reduce the meds, usually by 100mg per day,per week but stop decreasing when I reach 100mg per day and continue with this dosage until I feel another attack coming on. I find that this help as the meds are still in my system so I don't have to through all the side effects upon each increase. I'm not saying this works for everyone, but it does for me. Luckily my GP gives me a 3 month prescription for the max dosage, so I've always got plenty on hand.

What dosage are you currently on?

800 Lucky me.

I did start at 200 and had full pain reduction at 400 within one week. Pain returned after another two weeks, dosage went up too 600, had relieve within 24 hours. My head at this point was very hazy, syptoms of drug disipated after two weeks, and l had a good four weeks of normal living.

This is where l stuffed up! thought to reduce over two weeks back too 400, then the pain started again worse than it had ever been, l was on the floor in tears, and the 600mg wouldn't do anything, it only took effect at 800mg, and l've been ok for four months now, and will never reduce the dosage. The worry l have is what can you do when you reach maximum dosage, where next?

I don't mind the drug its a bit relaxing, if you don't mind the pun,  but it doesn't cause me any physical problems at all with food, stomach, sex, it does make me a cheap date on the drink though. LOL.  CHEERS!

I never had a problem with alcohol and Carbamazepine except the occasional feeling of being drunk after 1 drink, however about a month ago after a few sangrias, I started to feel really sick and light headed ( not drunk), so I've been off alcohol since. It's very difficult to give up wine in France :-(

I guess that the only think to do when the max is not enough is to change meds. There are others available in the UK but my GP here says that carbemazepine is all they prescribe here. Have you had a MRI yet to see if there's a cause to the nerve pain?

I just started carbemazepine I'm taking 800 mg. Your symptoms sound like mine. All right sided I was just diagnosed with Atypical. Facial disorder. The question I have is did you have a tingling on your head. The top off my head on right side doesn't feel right. The doctor is now going to up the dose to 1200. I haven't had a attack in days. But i just stated on the med.