|
|
Home | Pain Overview | Types of Pain | Treatment Methods | Chiropractors | Anesthesiologists | Biofeedback | Videos | Get Answers To All Of Your Pain Questions Massage | Pain Management Drugs | Glossary of Pain Drugs | Top Pain Programs | Pain Associations | Pain Doctors | Pain Terminology | Insurance | Site Map
(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.
V Related drugs include the sodium salts sodium valproate, used as an anticonvulsant, and a combined formulation, valproate semisodium, used as a mood stabilizer and additionally in U.S. also as an anticonvulsant. Common side effects are dyspepsia and/or weight gain. Less common are fatigue, peripheral edema, dizziness, drowsiness, hair loss, headaches, nausea, sedation and tremors. Valproic acid also causes hyperammonemia, which can lead to brain damage. Valproate levels within the normal range are capable of causing hyperammonemia and ensuing encephalopathy. Actually, there have been reports of brain encephalopathy developing without hyperammonemia or elevated valproate levels. Rarely, valproic acid can cause blood dyscrasia, impaired liver function, jaundice, thrombocytopenia, and prolonged coagulation times. In about 5% of pregnant users, valproic acid will cross the placenta and cause congenital anomalies. Due to these side effects, most doctors will ask for blood tests, initially as often as once a week and then once every 2 months. Temporary liver enzyme increase has been reported in 20% of cases during the first few months of taking the drug. Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), the first symptom of which is jaundice, is found in rare cases. Branded products include:
|
|
||||
|
||||||
