Tegretol

What is Tegretol?
Tegretol is an anti-epileptic medication marketed by Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. It contains carbamazepine as its active ingredient and is indicated for the treatment of epilepsy and seizures. Carbamazepine is a tricyclic compound, and it acts by inhibiting the sodium channels during the phases of rapid neuronal firing and prevents the onset of seizures. Tegretol is available in 100 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg, and 400 mg chewable tablets and syrup formulations.

What are the uses of Tegretol?
– Tegretol is used as the first line of treatment for epilepsy and convulsions. Tegretol is primarily indicated for treating and preventing partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures.
– Tegretol is also used to treat trigeminal neuralgia (characterized by nerve pain in the head, face, and neck) and glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
– Tegretol is also used for diabetic neuropathy (nerve pain related to diabetes).
– Tegretol is also used in a few cases for the treatment of bipolar manic disorders.

What are the side effects of Tegretol?
Common side effects
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Drowsiness
– Dizziness
– Dry mouth
– Constipation
– Itching
– Loss of coordination
– Fatigue
Serious side effects
– Dark urine
– Skin rashes
– Confusion
– Increased seizures
– Severe headaches
– Epistaxis
– Gum bleeding
– Severe weakness
– Appetite loss
– Pounding or slow heartbeats
– Fever or Chills
Most of these side effects associated with Tegretol are self-limiting and do not require any medical attention. However, if the symptoms persist and start bothering you or getting worse, you should immediately seek medical attention.

3. What is the difference between Tegretol and Tegretol CR?
Tegretol and Tegretol CR both contain carbamazepine as the main active ingredient. Tegretol CR is a controlled release formulation that is slow acting and has a prolonged effect as a small amount of drug is released in the body. However, Tegretol is a faster-acting formulation, and the drug is quickly eliminated from the body.

5. Does Tegretol affect the thyroid?
Carbamazepine, the active ingredient of Tegretol, is known to affect the thyroid hormones and reduce the levels of thyroid function tests. Carbamazepine reduces the serum concentration of these hormones by accentuating their metabolism, especially thyroxine (T4). Carbamazepine is also known to increase the levels of thyrotropin.

7. Is Tegretol a controlled substance?
Tegretol is not a controlled substance as per the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Although carbamazepine belongs to the dibenzazepine class of anticonvulsants, still it has not been classified as a controlled substance. It is indicated for mood stabilization, neuropathic pain, and seizures; and is less likely to cause euphoria and make you high.

9. What does Tegretol do to the brain?
Tegretol acts to stabilize the electrical activity of the brain and nervous system. It reduces the hyperactivity of neurons and stabilizes the neuronal firing by inhibiting the sodium channels, leading to the reduced build-up of electrical signals that could cause epilepsy. It also reduces the levels of glutamate- a neurotransmitter that could accentuate seizures.

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– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Drowsiness
– Dizziness
– Dry mouth
– Constipation
– Itching
– Loss of coordination
– Fatigue
– Dark urine
– Skin rashes
– Confusion
– Increased seizures
– Severe headaches
– Epistaxis
– Gum bleeding
– Severe weakness
– Appetite loss
– Pounding or slow heartbeats
– Fever or Chills

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1014814924965; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6796303/#:~:text=Carbamazepine%20(CBZ)%20decreases%20the%20serum,substituted%20with%20thyroxine%20(T4).; https://www.cochrane.org/CD007124/EPILEPSY_fast-release-versus-slow-release-carbamazepine-medication-patients-epilepsy; https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Mental-Health-Medications/Types-of-Medication/Carbamazepine-(Tegretol)#:~:text=Carbamazepine%20is%20a%20mood%20stabilizer,of%20depression%20and%2For%20mania.; https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/carbamazepine/#:~:text=It%20can%20take%201%20to,take%20carbamazepine%20for%20several%20years.; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105913110300195X;

Tegretol is an anti-epileptic medication marketed by Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. It contains carbamazepine as its active ingredient and is indicated for the treatment of epilepsy and seizures. Carbamazepine is a tricyclic compound, and it acts by inhibiting the sodium channels during the phases of rapid neuronal firing and prevents the onset of seizures. Tegretol is available in 100 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg, and 400 mg chewable tablets and syrup formulations.

Most of these side effects associated with Tegretol are self-limiting and do not require any medical attention. However, if the symptoms persist and start bothering you or getting worse, you should immediately seek medical attention.