Tegretol | Epilepsy Talk

How are your meds affecting you?

April 29, 2021
29 Comments

They’re necessary, but not necessarily nice.

And every med has its own side-effect. Just as different people experience different difficulties.

Here’s the low-down on the possible side-effects of your drugs and others.

Some might sound painfully familiar…

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues
Tags: anti-epilepsy drug side-effects, Ativan, Banzel, Briviact, Carbatrol, Depakote and Depakene, Diamox, Diastat Acudial, Dilantin, Felbatol, Gabitril, Hp Acthar Gel, Kepppra, Klonopin, Lamictal, Lyrica, Mysoline, Neurontin, Onfi, Peganone, Perampanel, Phenobarbital, Phenytek, Portiga, Rufinamide, Sabril, Tegretol, Topamax, Tranxene, Trileptal, Viibryd, Vimpat, Zarontin, Zonegran

Anti-Epilepsy Drugs and Osteoporosis – It’s Not Just a Women’s Disease

February 24, 2021
17 Comments

A research team consisting of epilepsy specialists and epidemiologists (persons who study the causes and control of diseases) reports on a study that answered an important but simple question:

Do anti-seizure drugs cause reductions in bone density?

Why ask this question?

Posted in Epilepsy
Tags: Actonel, AEDS, Boniva, Calcium, Carbatrol, Dilantin, FDA, Fosamax, Mysoline, Osteomalacia, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, Phenobarbital, Tegretol, Vitamin D

32% of Epilepsy Cases are Secretly Caused by This…

February 16, 2021
29 Comments

Touch your neck, right above your collarbone, and you’ll find a little gland called your thyroid.

It only weighs an ounce, yet this thyroid’s hormones control your metabolism.

When those hormones are balanced, everything is fine.

But if your thyroid makes just a little less or more than you need…it could cause havoc, both with how you function and the effectiveness of your AEDs.

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues, Research
Tags: AED effectiveness, depakote, Dilantin, full thyroid panel, hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid, hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid, metabolism, selenium, Tegretol

Death, Depression and AEDs

March 3, 2020
25 Comments

“Suicide Risk from 11 Anti-Epilepsy Drugs,” headlines blared across the country.

But we’re still here.

Was it sensationalism by the journalists, irresponsibility by the pharmaceutical industry or laxness of the FDA?

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues, Research
Tags: anti-epilepsy drugs, depakote, depression, FDA analysis, Felbatol, Gabitril, Keppra, Lamictal, Lyrica, Neurontin, suicide risk, Tegretol, Topamax, Trileptal, Zonegran

Calcium — Friend or Foe?

June 16, 2013
51 Comments

After talking to a famous epileptologist, I learned that calcium is really a two-edged sword. Which surprised (and scared) me.

I’ve always read that calcium was imperative if you were taking anti-epilepsy drugs — especially Dilantin. Even if your doc “forgot” to tell you!

Speaking of which, a survey found that fewer than one-third of neurologists routinely evaluated AED patients for bone disease. And fewer than 10% prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D.

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues, Research, Tips
Tags: benefits, bone mineral density, Calcium, calcium rich foods, controversy, DEXA scans, Dilantin, Epilepsy, heart disease, Mysoline, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, Phenobital, risks, supplements, Tegretol, Valproate, Vitamin D