weaning off of tegretol

[nicholas:)]

I have been coming off of tegretol for the past two months - was on 800mg, now on 400mg. The doctor feels clonazepam 5mg is best for me. My Seizures have fallen from 15 a month to 5 a month (I was on tegretol since may and tegretol dropped my seizures from 78 a month to 14 a month).

Thing is I becoming very depressed so tonight I'm upping my tegretol by 200mg to 600mg where I was last month.

Is it wise to make these decisions on one's own - I feel I know my body and mind better then my GP. I see her later this week and she may not be happy and some of you may say wait until you have seen her but I think I cannot cope daily with the depression. She said I was on enough meds to knock out a horse when she decided to wean me off of the tegretol- I was clumsy and kind of dopey but I prefer that to depression.

Nick

 

[Nakamova]

Nich --

1. It's a bad idea to make any medication changes without checking with your doctor first. It's definitely your call to make, but it's best done with your doctor's knowledge. Even if she disagrees with your choice, she needs to be aware of what that choice is.

2. If you are changing your dose (whether under supervision or not), it's much safer to go slowly, in small increments, over the course of several weeks to months. Jumping from 200mg up to 600mg in one go seems pretty extreme. I urge you to go slowly, and to keep your doctor in the loop.

Best,
Nakamova

 

[nicholas:)]

Thank you Nakamova. I'm going up from 400mg to 600mg. but I agree I should be working with my GP. I have an appointment with her Thursday- will keep you informed.

 

[LW6279]

Go as slow as your body will let you. Only you know your own body.

LW

 

[greggipod]

Hi Nick!

Speaking from my experience dealing with MDD and GAD, another thing you may want to consider is seeing a psychiatrist to discuss the possibility of a supporting antidepressant medication in addition to your antiseizure medication.

I've too had a bout of seizures last year--mind you, NOWHERE near as many as you!!!--and both my neuro and pdoc have told me that it's not out of the realm of possibility that the seizures have caused some damage which have exacerbated my psychiatric disorders.

I don't know how your doctor's office is set up, but you can usually call and speak with your doctor's nurse, who should be able to answer--or get the doctor to answer--medication related questions without an appointment.

Good luck on the clonazepam...I take diazepam (Valium) for sleep and anxiety, which is also a benzodiazepine medication. Keep us posted on how it works for you--I didn't know it was used as a long term treatment option for epilepsy.

I hope this helps--and hope you have a good appointment!


Greg

 

[nicholas:)]

hi Greggipod, Thank you for your post. I am on Mirtazapine 45mg and quetiapine 500mg for depression. You are right, they don't like you on daizepam or clonazepam long term but the GP said they make exceptions if the pros out weighs the cons. I was on diazepam for four months- spring and summer, before starting tegretol in June.

Tegretol is used as a mood stabilizer as well as for epilepsy - my mood has dropped and this is why I want my GP to allow me 600mg tegretol, 400mg PM and 200MG am.

I see my Gp today- will let you know the outcome.

 

[nicholas:)]

Hi, saw my GP today- she's happy for me to up the tegretol to 600-800mg again as I was doing so well on it, and remain on the clonazepam 5mg on the condition I make an appointment with my neurologist and I don't make myself too spaced out! This I shall do- my neurologist is a nice lady, I'm sure I can explain how I feel on my current meds.

Nick

 

[Nakamova]

Sounds good Nich.