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Tegretol XR Warning

Fri, 06/26/2009 - 14:01

Hi everyone.  I have been on Tegretol XR for quite a while now but always wondered about a warning that it has.  It says to avoid illness on this medication.  Okay, so none of ever plan on getting sick so I don't know how we are supposed to avoid it!  LOL 

My questions is does anyone know why they give this warning?  Does illness effect its effectiveness?  Or, does it lower your immunity against illness?  I've always wondered about this.

I thought what better time to ask than now as I just landed in the ER yesterday because of the flu.  I didn't want to ask the ER doc (um, okay I admit it-- I didn't want to tell him I had a seizure)  but I have never been hit so hard by the flu ever in my life as I was in the wee hours of yesterday.  

So I am just wondering did I have  the seizure because I was sick, or did I get <so> sick because of the medication?  Or, both? 

Thanks to anyone that has any info on this!!

Comments

Re: Tegretol XR Warning

Submitted by Texas_med on Fri, 2009-06-26 - 15:31

My name is Shawn. I am a nurse in the neurology sector at the hospital and can answer this question for you pretty easily. 

I can tell you the main reason the tegretol has the warning about avoiding illness while on the product is that it has the potential to cause a reduction in the number of platelets and white blood cells in your blood stream. The reduction in the platelets and white blood cells can therefore lead to a higher possibility of infection or sickness. One thing I'm curious about is whether or not you've ever been ordered to get a blood test by the doctor who prescribed you the tegretol. I know they usually make you get one every month or so until you get "established" on the medication, and then make you have a test every three to four months, or even as little as once a year after that to check the WBC count as well as the liver enzymes since tegretol is made into an active form by your liver.  I would see about getting a blood test if you haven't had one in over a year!!!

In reference to the other question, the medication, seizure, and illness can work in all ways. If you're sick, you're already forcing your body to metabolize quicker since it's having to create more white blood cells to fight the infection, so the medication may not be effective as long as it typically is. You may have also gotten sick due to a reduction in the number of white blood cells caused by the medication.

Hope I helped. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. My main e-mail is shawn@tcvfd.org (since I'm also training officer for the fire department). I check it most often.

My name is Shawn. I am a nurse in the neurology sector at the hospital and can answer this question for you pretty easily. 

I can tell you the main reason the tegretol has the warning about avoiding illness while on the product is that it has the potential to cause a reduction in the number of platelets and white blood cells in your blood stream. The reduction in the platelets and white blood cells can therefore lead to a higher possibility of infection or sickness. One thing I'm curious about is whether or not you've ever been ordered to get a blood test by the doctor who prescribed you the tegretol. I know they usually make you get one every month or so until you get "established" on the medication, and then make you have a test every three to four months, or even as little as once a year after that to check the WBC count as well as the liver enzymes since tegretol is made into an active form by your liver.  I would see about getting a blood test if you haven't had one in over a year!!!

In reference to the other question, the medication, seizure, and illness can work in all ways. If you're sick, you're already forcing your body to metabolize quicker since it's having to create more white blood cells to fight the infection, so the medication may not be effective as long as it typically is. You may have also gotten sick due to a reduction in the number of white blood cells caused by the medication.

Hope I helped. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. My main e-mail is shawn@tcvfd.org (since I'm also training officer for the fire department). I check it most often.

Re: Tegretol XR Warning

Submitted by Believe on Fri, 2009-06-26 - 19:23

Thank you so much for your response Shawn!  You were so helpful and this was just the information I was looking for!  It is greatly appreciated.

I actually have to have bloodwork for the next 5 years, every 3 months.  It is a standing order in the hospitals computer so all I have to do is show up at the lab and they test me.  Pretty convenient!  My doc said after the 5 years when we do a re-evaluation we will decide whether or not to stay on the medication (which will then result in another standing order) or wean off of them.

Yesterday the ER doc didn't like my first blood panel results, as he said my sodium levels were very low.  I stayed on an IV much of the day until he did a another work up later in the afternoon and the levels were brought into the normal range.  Other than that the rest seemed fine he said.  I haven't looked up the results yet myself on the computer (I've slept most the day away) but that is something I typically do.  I like to compare my old test results to new ones to see if I ever notice any trends.  A couple of times I have seen some results that were borderline and have emailed my doc to question them.  She always said we would monitor them and sure enough they would be higher the next.  I know it seems silly for me to monitor it myself, but I just figure that they have so many patients they have to deal with-- and well, I just have me to watch over so it can't hurt to keep an eye out too. 

Again, Shawn, thank you!  Your input is greatly appreciated!!

 

"Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action." - Gandhi

Thank you so much for your response Shawn!  You were so helpful and this was just the information I was looking for!  It is greatly appreciated.

I actually have to have bloodwork for the next 5 years, every 3 months.  It is a standing order in the hospitals computer so all I have to do is show up at the lab and they test me.  Pretty convenient!  My doc said after the 5 years when we do a re-evaluation we will decide whether or not to stay on the medication (which will then result in another standing order) or wean off of them.

Yesterday the ER doc didn't like my first blood panel results, as he said my sodium levels were very low.  I stayed on an IV much of the day until he did a another work up later in the afternoon and the levels were brought into the normal range.  Other than that the rest seemed fine he said.  I haven't looked up the results yet myself on the computer (I've slept most the day away) but that is something I typically do.  I like to compare my old test results to new ones to see if I ever notice any trends.  A couple of times I have seen some results that were borderline and have emailed my doc to question them.  She always said we would monitor them and sure enough they would be higher the next.  I know it seems silly for me to monitor it myself, but I just figure that they have so many patients they have to deal with-- and well, I just have me to watch over so it can't hurt to keep an eye out too. 

Again, Shawn, thank you!  Your input is greatly appreciated!!

 

"Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action." - Gandhi

Re: Tegretol XR Warning

Submitted by jholley on Sat, 2009-06-27 - 19:36

Low sodium levels is a common side effect with Tegretol. When I started exercising and diteting 8 years ago my sodium levels dropped far below average. I was not only sweating away my sodium but I rarely eat processed foods. During the last 2 years I had to add 1/4 tpsn of sea salt to every 8oz of water I drank to avoid hyponatremia.

Taking tegretol for 24 years sure did lower my bone testity. A test last summer verified I have osteopenia so I switched to Keppra shortly after that.

Being off tegretol since last fall I no longer have to add sodium to my water.

Low sodium levels is a common side effect with Tegretol. When I started exercising and diteting 8 years ago my sodium levels dropped far below average. I was not only sweating away my sodium but I rarely eat processed foods. During the last 2 years I had to add 1/4 tpsn of sea salt to every 8oz of water I drank to avoid hyponatremia.

Taking tegretol for 24 years sure did lower my bone testity. A test last summer verified I have osteopenia so I switched to Keppra shortly after that.

Being off tegretol since last fall I no longer have to add sodium to my water.

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