Tegretol XR & Keppra XR

[Crystal11]

Hello everyone- I was thinking tonight about asking my doctor (family doctor) about changing my Keppra 3000mg to Keppra XR 3000mg which would mean I am taking XR of two meds. If this possible?
I am waiting to get a new neurologist and don't want to go to the E.R. if I don't have to. So I was thinking of ways to reduce seizure frequency and thought about a possible med change. I took Dilantin before which did absolutly nothing for me- it was as if I took sugar pills. It was weirdo lol. Tegretol XR and Keppra are the only other meds I've tried for Epilepsy. Tegretol XR works really well and if you miss a dose or even a day, you pretty much okay- but i get jittery almost like a withdraw from meds. Keppra runs out very quick and causes me to have seizures if I miss evening meds and next day morning meds, or a full day worth on accident somehow.

The other day i had a seizure while swimming, which scared me really bad. I went swimming today but was not easy to convence to go back in. My twin and my friends had to talk me into it hehe.
Anyways- i had missed my evening meds and morning meds I think.
SO with that- has anyone take XR of two medications at one time?
Anyone know of this working well together?

Tegretol is a first generation drug while Keppra is a second generation drug. Tegretol is stronger in side-effects than Keppra but I'm thinking that it might help if I have Keppra XR which would keep the level very stable the whole day.

Take care everyone.
Crystal

 

[epileric]

XR (CR in Canada) means that it's extended or slow release so that the levels of medication in your blood don't peak & drop so drastically. I don't see how any two drugs would be incompatible with each other because they're both XR (or CR). IMHO think getting the XR meds usually makes them more effective but see what your neurologist has to say.

 

[Crystal11]

That is what I was thinking since Tegretol XR takes 3 days to get out of my system. Found out the hard way when I went AMA and reduced or tried to stop meds on my own- BAD IDEA but I was in college and was way to sleepy, and there are a few other excuses too LOL. So after three days, sure enough I had a bad Complex partial seizure in class. EMS was called and class was dismissed cause of it. How embarassing! Anyways, if Tegretol XR is so stable, I'm thinking that Keppra XR would work real well with me too. So I will give it a try or call my doctor tomorrow and ask about it.
Thanks for your input..

Crystal

 

[Eve]

Hi. I am currently taking the Keppra XR.
I was taking tegretol, cabamezapine and then carbatrol for years and stopped because I had bad bone density and liver enzyme scores were off. Anyway in the last month I was switched to KEPPRA , the first 2 weeks were hard , I had panic attacks and felt weird. About 2 weeks ago I had the DR switch me over to KEPPRA XR. During the first week after going from KEPPRA to KEPPRA XR I had a seizure. When I told the DR he said that was normal because even though I was still taking KEPPRA , just switching from regular Keppra to Keppra XR can cause a seizure due to different dosage timing and all that. Anyway now I have been on KEPPRA XR for 2 weeks and I havent had any more seizures and the side effects are easier and I feel more balanced. It just took a week to addjust from Keppra to Keppra XR. But I am glad I switched. The regular Keppra made me feel too edgy.

 

[momof3boys]

Im on Keppra XR (3000mgs a day) & Carbotrol ER (1200mgs a day). I have had no problems with being two medications that are Extended release. I was on the regular Keppra for the past 8 years or so... but I was switched over last month to the Keppra XR. Ive noticed that with the regular Keppra, I would be having headaches all the time! NON STOP! with this Keppra XR, Im hardly having any at all! Plus it came out to be cheaper for us too instead of the regular Keppra. I get 6 months supplies because its cheaper for us with our insurance that way.... I was paying $150 for the Keppra, and the Keppra XR is only $100 for a six month supply.... plus I got a savings card, which saves me $30, so I only pay $70 for a 6 month supply.

 

[Crystal11]

Wow this post was forever ago hehe.
I've been on Keppra Xr for over 5 years and we added Lamicatal XR and added Zonegran (for migraine w/aura and better seizure control) and dropped Tegretol XR in January. Zonegran I started October 23 but don't think it's doing any good. I'm waiting to gear back from my epileptologist soon. I miss nurse call this morning. No good.

XR of any med is going to last longer in the body as it's used and I noticed that if I miss a dose, I dont have trouble hardly at all. If I miss a day then I have drop attacks which are scary.
The migraines are out of control so we added Butalbital as needed until I start physical therapy and see if something else besides Zonegran works. What a pain, pain is! Lol

 

[Meetz1064]

Does anyone

know how similar Carbatrol ER and Tegretol XR are to each other? I was just curious. Someone asked me the other day, and I had no idea. I know that they're both carbamazepine, but slightly different forms.......

 

[Nakamova]

They are identical.
Generic Name: carbamazepine
Brand Names: Carbatrol, Carbatrol ER, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol XR
Brand name depends on the country in which it's sold and/or manufactured

 

[Meetz1064]

Hmmmmmmm

I thought there was a bit of a difference between the carbamazepines for the Carbatrols, and Tegretols......

Thanks, Nak.

*scratching head*

 

[Meetz1064]

I actually

went and check the chemical make-up, just because my mind couldn't wrap around the slim possibility that they WEREN'T identical. (Sorry Nak.)

I found the chemical make-ups, on www.rxlist.com, and they ARE identical. Whew.

Nak, you ARE the bomb.

 

[Nakamova]

No need to apologize -- I get things wrong all the time. And I type things wrong. Plus the science keeps changing. I can't keep track of whether red wine is good for me or bad for me. I think I'll have a glass or two to see if that makes things clearer...