Can a AED you have been taking for years simply stop working?

[forward2007]

I have been taking Tegretol and Tegretol XR for at least 15 years now. But lately I have started having more seizures that I have since I was 18 years old (I'm 38 now). Is it possible for a medication that has worked just fine for many years to stop working over a 6-12 month period?

[Bernard]

I don't think that is the right characterization - stopped working - but yes, people can have complete seizure control for years and then have breakthrough seizures where the medicine is no longer effective at providing complete control.

[RobinN]

I have said it before on this site... In my opinion (for some) it is like putting a piece of duct tape over the red light on your car. You can ignore the causes of the problems for some time, until the car shuts down. The duct tape (anti-epileptic drug) no longer works to hide the problems.

[TeeTees]

I believe we can adapt to things, so why not anti-epileptic drug's ?

Your body, metabolism, tolerance levels, recovery periods required after accidents, and a whole bunch of other things would've been completely different back when you were 18, in comparison to twenty years later.

So yep - I think you're right. But like Bernard put, it's not necessarily that the medication has STOPPED working, it's more that you're system has changed since back then.

[brain]

Is it possible for a medication that has worked just fine for many years to stop working over a 6-12 month period?

Unfortunately the answer to your question is:
YES!

Your body can develop a resistance or
tolerance to the medication.

I've had some medications that I've developed
resistance/tolerance to where they've become
null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

[jamie0168]

That's exactly what happened to me..on that same medication, too. Only I'd been taking it for almost 17 years. Looks like you'll have to find a new medication...and trust me it can be a pain.

[TeeTees]

Just a thought, but maybe the dosage needs changing ?

I certainly didn't weight 200 pounds when I was first given Tegretol all those moons ago, and I can confirm that my Ulcerative Colitis Specialist always gives me a weigh-in, and if there's any increase in weight - he'll up the dosage by a certain percentage per pound.

[forward2007]

My Dr. chose to raise my dose. But to be honest I think it's time for me to change meds. My dose was raised from 1200 mg a day of Tegretol XR to 1400 mg a day. I've heard from more than one source that Tegretol isn't supposed to be taken in doses greater than 1200 mg a day. I still had a seizure after I was taking 1400 mg a day.