Trying Carbatrol with Stimulants?

[TempleHall1]

Neuro wants me to try Carbatrol, but I suspect if like Lexapro it will make me so sleepy I won't be able to function for the week or two it takes to "kick in". So, if it does make me sleepy just wondering if then taking a stimulant like extra coffee would be ok... or might that negate some of the Carbatrol chemistry ?(for the record, it seems like any med that makes the average person a "little sleepy" tends to make me *very* sleepy )

 

[edirish73]

Is Carbatrol the same thing as Tegretol (Carbamazepine)?, if it is ,I can tell you that some forum members have had quite some success using it. Carbamazepine is one of the older anticonvulsants, it's a sodium channel blocker and drastically reduces the glutamate(excitatory neurotransmitter)activity. Actually there are reports of total remission of symptoms after treatment with Tegretol so it seems completely reasonable that your neuro wants to try it. Trust your neuro and if you want additional info maybe you can contact via PM the following members : -Mermaid-43RichyThe43rdGood luck,Eduardo

 

[TempleHall1]

FWIW, I've been on Carbatrol for about 9 days now and I'm amazed and pleased that so far, no problems with sleepiness at all. Not sure if twitching has decreased yet or not....but I think it will take a few more weeks to know if it's really helping. And yes, I think it's basically the same as Tegretol.