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Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol) (anti-seizure medications)
Summary of Anti-seizure medications Some of the more effective and commonly used medications for chronic pain are drugs that were developed to control other conditions. Anti-seizure (anticonvulsant) medications were developed primarily to reduce or control epileptic seizures, but they also help control stabbing or shooting pain from nerve damage. These drugs seem to work by quieting damaged nerves to slow or prevent uncontrolled pain signals. These medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and lack of balance and coordination. But most people are bothered only minimally. More severe but less common side effects include blood and liver disorders. To reduce your risk of side effects, your doctor will likely start you off on a small amount of the drug and gradually increase the dose while monitoring you. Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol) Carbamazepine ("CBZ") is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug, used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used to treat ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia and trigeminal neuralgia. Carbamazepine has been sold under the names Tegretol, Biston, Calepsin, Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Finlepsin, Sirtal, Stazepine, Telesmin,Teril, Timonil, Trimonil, Epimaz, and Degranol (in South Africa). Carbamazepine was first marketed as a drug to treat trigeminal neuralgia in 1962. It has been used as an anticonvulsant in the UK since 1965, but only approved in the U.S. since 1974. Common side effects include drowsiness, motor coordination impairment and/or upset stomach. Carbamazepine preparations may also greatly decrease a person's alcohol tolerance. Less common side effects include cardiac arrhythmias, blurry or double vision and/or the temporary loss of blood cells or platelets. With normal use, small reductions in white cell count and serum sodium are common, however, in rare cases, the loss of platelets may become life-threatening. This occurs commonly enough that a doctor may recommend frequent blood tests during the first few months of use, followed by three to four tests per year for established patients. In the UK, testing is generally performed much less frequently for long-term carbamazepine patients -typically once per year. Additionally, carbamazepine may exacerbate preexisting cases of hypothyroidism, so yearly thyroid function tests are advisable for persons taking the drug.
Source: Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., Chronic Pain Management Programs: A Market Analysis, Wikipedia, various other sources
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