Reviewer: 35-44 Female on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Patient)

Comment:
I was hit with an outbreak of shingles, on cranial nerve 5...which has caused Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). The pain was truly intense, only on the right side...I could not touch my scalp (shower water was horribly painful), my right ear had shooting pain into my jaw, right side of my face was numb and slack, and looked like I had a black eye. My gums & teeth on right side hurt, spices (even mus ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
I was hit with an outbreak of shingles, on cranial nerve 5...which has caused Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). The pain was truly intense, only on the right side...I could not touch my scalp (shower water was horribly painful), my right ear had shooting pain into my jaw, right side of my face was numb and slack, and looked like I had a black eye. My gums & teeth on right side hurt, spices (even mustard on my hotdog) hurt!! I truly feared I had a tumor!! Dr. prescribed Tegretol 100mg 2x day for two days, then increase to 200mg 2x for 2 days...working my way up to 400mg 2x. On the 3rd day of the meds, I attempted to increase to the 200mg...and it was way too much. Pain creeps in at the 100mg dose, so we are supplementing with a liquid and increasing it slowly as needed...seems to be working. I do feel like I'm in a fog, have trouble thinking of words, speaking coherently, making sentences...I fall. I am depressed. But the meds are helping with the pain...they work well...I just don't like the side effects...I even have to get someone to help my kids with their homework, as I just can't wrap my brain around it, which makes me feel worthless, which adds to the depression. Have gained weight, which adds to depression. Very tired. Hoping it will only be a 6 month course of meds, hoping no more shingles.
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: 65-74 Male on Treatment for 10 years or more (Patient)

Comment:

Comment:

Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: bruzzes, 55-64 Male on Treatment for less than 1 month (Patient)

Comment:
carbamazepine Oral / Tegretol It is also used to relieve one type of nerve pain (trigeminal neuralgia). Mine was located just under my molar on the left side of my face. Ironically, I had just had a dental procedure done to the lower molar on that side of my mouth. I repeatedly went to my dentist to have the severe pain corrected. He could find nothing wrong, but gave me Vicodan to relieve ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
carbamazepine Oral / Tegretol It is also used to relieve one type of nerve pain (trigeminal neuralgia). Mine was located just under my molar on the left side of my face. Ironically, I had just had a dental procedure done to the lower molar on that side of my mouth. I repeatedly went to my dentist to have the severe pain corrected. He could find nothing wrong, but gave me Vicodan to relieve the pain. At first, the Vicodan worked. After 10 to 20 minutes the pain disappeared like the snap of my fingers. I can descibe it no other way. It worked for a for about 3 hours before the pain returned. It was not very long, maybe 4 days or so before it stopped working and I had that intense pain again. I kept adding pain relievers to the vicidan...tylenol, asperin, alieve etc. Nothing worked. At one point I took the Vicidan, 3 tablets, 3 asperin, alieve and some percoset given to me by a co-worker all within an hour. I know that this was dangerous and very very stupid. However, even this excessive dose did NOTHING for the pain. I finally went to my doctor and within seconds of explaining the pain and location he prescribed this medicine. I only had to take 200 mg, for one or two days and my condition ended. To me this is a miracle drug and thank the Lord for a miracle doctor. I realize that this medicine is proscribed for many conditions and may not work for all of them, but for my particular condition, it was a Godsend.
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: Sue, 35-44 Female on Treatment for less than 1 month (Patient)

Comment:
I have only been taking this med for 2 days. My lips have been all tingly since, and i am in a complete fog. For some reason i am squinting alot, even in dimly lit rooms, and i feel very weak and unco-ordinated. Im only taking half a pill right now before bedtime. I sleep pretty good, but wake up feeling very out of it and almost stoned. right now it's been 12 hours since i took my 2nd dos ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
I have only been taking this med for 2 days. My lips have been all tingly since, and i am in a complete fog. For some reason i am squinting alot, even in dimly lit rooms, and i feel very weak and unco-ordinated. Im only taking half a pill right now before bedtime. I sleep pretty good, but wake up feeling very out of it and almost stoned. right now it's been 12 hours since i took my 2nd dose and i am in a complete daze and very out of it. Yesterday the facial pain was lessened, but the pain around the side/back of my head was still constant. The numbness in my lips is annoying, but i can live with that if i could just WAKE UP and shake this drugged out feeling. Conversations are an effort.....I'd just like to go back to bed.
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: 35-44 Male on Treatment for less than 1 month (Patient)

Comment:
I've been on 100mg twice daily for about a month. It has been effective for the pain relief. I was supposed to increase to 200 mg twice daily after ten days but didn't do it. The down side is it has turned me into a complete dullard. Tired, slow to respond, dropping out of conversations, long nights of sleep and still wake up tired. I'm going to try and taper off and try alternatives i ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
I've been on 100mg twice daily for about a month. It has been effective for the pain relief. I was supposed to increase to 200 mg twice daily after ten days but didn't do it. The down side is it has turned me into a complete dullard. Tired, slow to respond, dropping out of conversations, long nights of sleep and still wake up tired. I'm going to try and taper off and try alternatives if the pain comes back.
Hide Full Comment