A question for those who replaced Tegretol with another AED

[forward2007]

I am reducing my 1200 mg a day of Tegretol XR 100 mg a week now that I am on Vimpat. I also am on 500 mg a day of Lamictal but I am not going to stop taking the Lamictal. I am down to 900 mg a day on the Tegretol XR. I am already on the full dose of 400 mg a day of Vimpat.

My question for those who have replaced Tegretol with another anti-epileptic drug is-at what point in reducing your Tegretol dose did you and/or your Dr. know that your new anti-epileptic drug was a "success" in replacing the Tegretol?

[fez]

let you know soon,
i am soon replacing tegretol due to effects on liver.

how do you find vimpat and lamictal, and why do you take both

[forward2007]

Tegretol worked alone for 20 years and then stopped working. They added Lamictal but that with the Tegretol didn't work either. So far the Vimpat with the Lamictal is working. I don't think Vimpat is used as a mono-thereapy yet.

[Eve]

I used Tegretol until they told me that my blood levels in my liver were abnormal. Once I went off the Tegretol my live blood levels returned to normal. Now I'm taking Keppra. It seems to work with the seizures it just has some side effects.

[forward2007]

I used Tegretol until they told me that my blood levels in my liver were abnormal. Once I went off the Tegretol my live blood levels returned to normal. Now I'm taking Keppra. It seems to work with the seizures it just has some side effects.

How long did you titrate off the Tegretol before you felt the Keppra was controlling your seizures on it's own? Did you feel as if the Keppra was working before you were toally off the Tegretol?

[Eve]

As I recall it took about a month of me taking both keppra and tegretol before I was completely off the tegretol I do remember that tegretol was a hard drug to come off and I had increased anxiety and nervousness had to take Valium to curb the weaning process. But once I was completely off the Tegretol the keppra did a fine job of controlling the seizures I just had to take lots of B vitamin Complex to curb the side effects of Keppra I think it took between 4 and 6 weeks to be completely off the Tegretol and valium before the Keppra fully took its effects of preventing my seizures. It was rough going off the tegretol my Doc told me that the tegretol was one of the hardest seizures drugs to come off of .