Retard to Tegretol

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Mark Sibley

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I have just been changed from, from Tegretol Retard to Tegretol 400mg because I am working in Spain where Tegretol Retard is not available, today is the first day and I am feeling dizy and slow, I had been on the Retard for 22 years is there a large difference between the tablets the Spanish Doctor said no problem but I just dont feel right.
 
Well, the

difference, I do believe, is that Tegretol Retard is an extended release version, as opposed to the regular Tegretol. So your body is used to having to release the med out over time, instead of taking it more often, which you'll have to do with the regular Tegretol. So yes, there is a difference, but your body will have to make some adjustments.
 
Hi Mark --

If the regular Tegretol is problematic, is there any way you can get your doctor back home to authorize of the extended release version? Can you pick up some the next time you are away from Spain?
 
Tegretol

thanks for that, my worry was going back to what i had done before, the Retard has things under control bar some nocturnal when the stress is high
 
Tegretol

I have spoken to my doctor who tells me retard is available in Gibralter, so I have contacted and they will supply, my worry is now 3 days on tegretol until the retards arrive, the way the doctor explained things you would have thought things would not be different, but I can only compare these sensations to when I gave up smoking 10years ago.
 
As Meetz says, your body is probably trying to adjust to the slightly different levels of the AED in your blood. You should be fine on the regular Tegretol until the Tegretol Retard version arrives, but to be on the safe side do your best to avoid any stressors -- make sure you get enough sleep, avoid any alcohol, don't overwork, etc.
 
At first I couldn't believe they called it Tegretol "retard." That's usually used as a derogatory term in the U.S. Sort of like the term used for a bundle of sticks used to be quite innocent and now the use of it is quite offensive. I looked up retard in the dictionary, and now it the name makes a little more sense:

re·tard 1 (r-tärd)
v. re·tard·ed, re·tard·ing, re·tards
v.tr.
To cause to move or proceed slowly; delay or impede.
v.intr.
To be delayed.
n.
1. A slowing down or hindering of progress; a delay.
2. Music A slackening of tempo.
Click to expand...
www.thefreedictionary.com/retard

Which would make sense for an extended release version of Tegretol.
 
tegratol retard

I been on tegratol retard now for about 17 years iv just found out they don't make it anymore and now can only get tegratol prolonged release and getting blured vision and feeling sick and unsteady on my feet even though the chemist says its the same pill just new name and packaging ... has anyone had the same problem ????????????
 
Mark, this is a shot in the dark but have you tried comparing the binders in both tabs? Pharmacists and even doctors are often not too aware that binder can differ and for some that can create problems. Also, is it possible that your previous Tegretol had an enteric coating? If your previous Tegretol had that coating it'd prevent it from absorbing higher up in the digestive system, which can also make the absorption more sudden--that is only from my experience, though. I can't back it. I have no idea where you live or what drugs are available but playing around with a binder and enteric coating that slows the absorption down more might help. I've had pharmacists and doctors tell me that the coating is exactly the same on two different versions of a drug when it wasn't.
 
Mark, I've checked it out and, from the perspective of someone who is NOT a chemist and knows nothing about chemistry, it seems as though Tegretol Prolonged release has four excipients (inactive ingredients) in it that Retard did not. It does happen, not too often, that people have bad reactions to inactive ingredients for whatever reason. So maybe a pharmacist would be willing to work through it with you and find out if there's a generic with the same inactive ingredients that Retard did. I don't know. That's the best I can come up with. More info here

http://www.drugs.com/inactive/
 
thank you Kirsten they have now put me on lamotrigine and so far so good seems like a lot of folk are having problems with tegretol
 
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