Carbamazepine and Tiredness: What Users Say

• ggr...
• May 14, 2011

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "I've been using CARBAMAZEPINE 200mg twice a day for about two years. It does a good job in limiting the amount of pain I have with Trigeminal Neuralgia. I found it best to take the medication regularly. If I skip days when I am not having problems, the pain will be right back and it will take several days to get it back under control. I've tried GABAPENTIN 300mg and OXCARBAZEPINE 150mg, but they did not help. The CARBAMAZEPINE makes me tired and sleepy but that is a lot better than the pain."

• rji...
• May 31, 2011

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "I was put on Tegretol 2 weeks ago, and boy oh boy, the build-up felt like forever, but now that it is at 800mg, I am feeling so much better. I believe I will be going up yet again this week by another 200mg and then again if need be, before the doctor tapers me down to where it is maintainable. I am still having just a bit of breakthrough pain a few times a day, which is nothing compared to where I was 2 weeks ago. I would gladly take the tiredness, stumbles, and slurs over where I had been. This medicine works, and works well! I pray it doesn't stop working for me, ever!"

• Gur...
• August 26, 2016

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "I started taking Tegretol 500 mg every night after dinner. The initial ten days were extremely tough.... very sleepy and was sleeping over 12 hours a day. Slowly, there was some improvement, but still very lethargic, struggling to concentrate, do day-to-day activities. Going back to the doctor for a reassessment. The pain is down almost 70% and has given me some relief and relaxed me a bit."

• Rai...
• April 6, 2016

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "Diagnosed with TN (glad to learn about it and find out I'm not dying of a brain tumor or something) - the pain is horrific. I've been on the generic form of Tegretol (Carbamazepine) 100 mg 3x per day for 3 weeks. I still have episodes of pain a couple of times a day, but at least I can walk around, talk, and eat without the excruciating pain I had been experiencing. Only downside is I feel like a zombie - tired and 'out of it' - but like others have said - I'd take that any day over the near constant pain I was having."

• Ann...
• June 20, 2016

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "I started taking Tegretol for TN, and it did greatly improve my ability to function. Pain was much duller during episodes and had stopped being totally debilitating. 6-7 weeks after use, I began to be so lethargic I couldn't get out of bed and was relying so much more on my husband to see to our toddler son. It was very worrying. I then developed severely enlarged glands under my chin, lumps on my neck, and started to feel generally unwell. I then had a full blood count done, and it returned a very low white blood cell count and abnormal-looking cells also. Enlarged spleen also occurred. Now being referred to hematology and had to be taken off Tegretol as they believe I am having quite a severe reaction to it."

• Sar...
• November 10, 2017

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "I have been on Tegretol for seven years now. I still have general pain with the occasional flare-up of unbearable pain that I had before taking this medication. I am also on a high dose of folic acid as I became very anemic, this caused tiredness. It was just by chance I was diagnosed with TN after being in extreme pain for over six months. Many doctors and tests, one specialist just said it could be this, let's try this drug, it may not work, but if it does, we are on the right track. To be honest with you, if she said I needed to cut off a limb to ease the pain at that point, I would have asked for the knife. I was miserable, the pain was unbearable, and so was I. I do feel it is not working as well after all these years, may be due for review."

• Sea...
• March 27, 2012

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "Have had complex partial seizure disorder for over 40 years. My main medicine that held me for years was Phenobarbital. When I started having breakthrough seizures, Tegretol was the secondary medicine that has held me okay for the past 4 years. I tried Tegretol XR first, but for me, I felt very tired, some dizziness, poor memory, and very bland. When the Dr. switched me to regular Tegretol, it was totally opposite! I felt alive again, memory sharp, out riding horses, happy as a lark, and felt like my good old self. People should know there are many different medicines for epilepsy these days and also that there is a Tegretol XR (long-acting)."

• Bea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 5, 2013

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "I have had trigeminal neuralgia for 8 years. I have been taking carbamazepine on and off for this time. This medicine has been very good for me, as it takes 99% of the pain away, with 800 mg per day. My side effect is tiredness, but I guess that is the price I have to pay for no pain. My TN used to stop after the season changes, but now it hasn't stopped, so it's carbamazepine every day."

• No ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2016

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "Was prescribed the drug for trigeminal pain. Knowing people with trigeminal neuralgia and feeling my pain was nowhere as severe as some, I felt that it may be a bit overkill for my symptoms, maybe we were trying to castrate a mosquito with a machete? In the end, I couldn't stand how it made me feel. Put on 8 pounds in just 5 days. Blood pressure went up, and I was EXHAUSTED. I felt very edgy, lost confidence in my stride, and though the pain I was experiencing did dull, it began to expand to both temples, tingling in my lips and hands. Worst, I just didn't feel myself. I felt both drunk and somehow so fully aware of my strange symptoms. It was as though I was observing myself from a foot away. 200 mg twice daily for five days."

• Liz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 4, 2012

Carbamazepine for Bipolar Disorder "I've been on Epitol for a little over 6 months, and it has CHANGED my life. I had a hard time finding a medication that didn't worsen my condition or give me weird side effects, and so far, I've had NONE of that from Epitol. The first few weeks were a little difficult, as it made me kind of tired, but I quickly adapted and no longer get drowsy. (I still find it best to take it before bedtime.) My depressed symptoms are all but gone, and my manic spells are much more mild (though occasionally longer). This medicine was a Godsend."

• Anonymous
• July 7, 2010

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "No seizures while on Tegretol. Extreme headaches first 4 weeks, extreme tiredness. Six weeks after starting Tegretol, hives started to appear and got worse. Blood tests showed liver enzymes were three times higher than usual and red blood cell counts slightly reduced. Thyroid gland swelled up also. All these were shown to be a severe allergic reaction to the drug. People should be aware of this as a possibility."

• Kat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 20, 2014

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "I have been on this medicine for 27 years. Except for extreme tiredness, I seem okay. Have not had a fit when on this medicine. One week I came off the medicine, between suicidal thoughts, crying jags, and depression, I had massive fits. I have not been off since. This medicine seems to affect the liver, so liver tests are a must."

• cia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 24, 2020

For Trigeminal Neuralgia "This medication is awful. It is horrible. I felt like my life was slipping away on it. Gave me mood swings, I had sad thoughts, I was dizzy, nauseous, and tired. Carbamazepine is so toxic, please don’t take it. It even lowered my white blood count and I got really sick. I visited the ER three times. I was so lightheaded and so nauseous. I felt like I was going to pass out any second. If you're on carbamazepine, please go do blood work and make sure everything is okay."

• fly...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 20, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on carbamazepine for 17 years and find it keeps my mood stabilized and works best as an anti-manic. It is not much help with depression. I had tried Lithium, Depakote, and a few of the atypical antipsychotics prior to carbamazepine, and the thing I loved about this drug is I did not gain weight on it, in fact, after coming off Depakote and onto this, I lost 40 pounds. So for me, it is weight neutral. I have heard others say otherwise...some gained, some lost, some stayed the same. My serum sodium does run slightly low, and I am sometimes tired, but that is the mainstay with psychiatric drugs. The initial breaking-in phase was rough, about 3 months to adjust to the medication, but with the weight loss after Depakote..."

• dmm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "No good made me with no energy, zero libido, foggy thoughts, drowsiness, forgetfulness, made me more irritable, and after a few weeks got the feeling I was going to snap and lose it. Got taken off this medicine and changed to Lamictal, and things got a lot better."

• Anonymous
• December 20, 2009

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "Dizziness for a couple of days as I adjusted to it, then again had dizziness for a couple of days as dosage was later increased to 1200 mg per day. Slept well, but was tired early and required going to bed about an hour earlier. Took for five years. Unfortunately, it did not eliminate all seizures. Had several absence seizures requiring that I change medication."

• bos...
• October 3, 2007

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "I am 41 years old and have epilepsy. I take 1000 mg of Tegretol XR and have been seizure-free since 12/01. However, the side effects of Tegretol XR (to me) are significant. I have constant exhaustion and have trouble with my hand-eye coordination and memory."

• Suz...
• April 7, 2015

For Epilepsy "Been on carbamazepine for 2 years now, worked up to 800 mg a day. I take it with lamotrigine. Started experiencing seizures and was hospitalized and sedated because of them. I still have one a week, so not controlled, but getting there with finding the right mix of meds! My side effects were tiredness, and every time I increased, there was major dizziness and sickness that lasted for hours after I took the pill."

• wan...
• January 6, 2009

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "I have been diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy (seizures are so fleeting that I referred to them as funny turns). Lamotrigine worked for 4 months, and then I was changed to Tegretol Retard, which for the last 3 months has been effective. Side effects were tiredness and a rash, which was treated with an antihistamine."

• Ang...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 26, 2016

For Epilepsy "Temporal lobe with mesial temporal sclerosis. Using for 8 weeks. Sometimes headaches or dizzy, frequent minor muscle tremors and twitching, shortened menstrual cycle, sensitive mood. Always tired and not very productive, sleep more. Went from monthly 2-5 day blackout seizure binge with 2-5 day recovery, so far only 1 minor convulsion while conscious with mostly full recovery by morning. Major improvement."

• ell...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 21, 2018

Carbamazepine "I have been on Carbatrol capsules for about 9 years now. I started out with taking 300 mg daily, I had mild side effects, diarrhea and headaches, but they subsided fairly quickly. Then my psych Dr. increased it to 300 mg twice a day. It made me tired and I didn't feel like doing anything for about 2 weeks. I slept 12-14 hours every day and was still tired. Then it got a little bit better, I guess, with time. I hate getting my blood drawn every 3-6 months to check my WBC and CBC. I also think it's not working so good for me anymore. I have Bipolar Depression, and I also take Viibryd, Wellbutrin XL, Klonopin, Abilify, and Synthroid for my Hypothyroidism. I'm just wondering if there is anything just as effective as Carbatrol but I don't have to have blood work done. Also, my moods are all over the place, one minute I'm fine and the next I have a short fuse, and the next minute I'm crying. I'm so confused."

• Adv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 4, 2024

Carbamazepine "I've been on this med for a few months. I haven't experienced any highs or lows yet. Some of the side effects I've had are that I am still getting nausea after a few months. Sometimes when I stand up, I get light-headed and dizzy. I feel like I have some light tremors. At times, I feel like I get hot flashes that come and go. I'm still too young to be in menopause as well. I saw another man had mentioned this in his review too about having the hot flashes. At times, I feel tired and less motivated. I'm losing some weight, but that may be because I came off the drug risperidone, which I was on for 25 years."

• Wil...
• February 13, 2013

Carbamazepine for Epilepsy "Have been taking for 13 years. Have been seizure-free. It has changed my life. Only side effect I've noticed is a little more tired than normal. Only sometimes. Other than that, good to go!"

• Anonymous
• July 11, 2010

Carbamazepine for Trigeminal Neuralgia "Made me exhausted every day (wanted to sleep 24/7) and had changes to menstrual cycle."

• DCG...
• October 16, 2010

Carbamazepine for Dystonia "I have been taking Carbatrol 200 mg for 13 years, and I can only pinpoint being tired from the medicine. When I take it as prescribed, I do not have any episodes."