![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KimberlyDi on May 11, 2004, at 16:44:17
At work, wondering "what have I done now?"
I become very forgetful in everything, including meds. I was bumped up to 800mg of Carbamazepine during a stressful period. Didn't quite make that dosage because I have to eat to take this med, and I was too stressed to eat... Anyways, I dropped the Carbamazepine completely for a tiny bit (actually don't remember how long.) If you go past the half life where it's out of your body, do you have to start over again at the beginning level? I had a stressful day today and I took 400mg in the morning (was ok actually), then 400mg during late afternoon. Now, it's "whoa dude, i'm dizzy". Boss wondering what's up because I've joked around about people's answers to his questions, singing bits of broadway tunes. (we share the same office) I was almost manic for a bit, went into a cleaning frenzy.
Is 800mg's a day a dangerous level if you haven't taken it regularly for a few weeks?
Once again, it's generic Tegretol (Carbamazepine).
KDi in TX
Posted by finelinebob on May 11, 2004, at 21:11:24
In reply to When you stop taking meds, then resume..., posted by KimberlyDi on May 11, 2004, at 16:44:17
Best answer IMHO is "call your pdoc"
"past its half-life" doesn't necessarily mean its washed out of your bloodstream. One half life means it's dropped to 50% of the starting level. Two would mean 25% of the starting level and so on.
With some meds, you can take a "drug holiday" for a few days and start right back up. On the other hand, I just finished 4 months off of nortriptyline, and my pdoc sure as heck made me gradually increase over two weeks back to my prior level.
maybe someone with more familiarity specifically with carbamazepine can say something more specific....
flb
Posted by chemist on May 12, 2004, at 12:16:18
In reply to When you stop taking meds, then resume..., posted by KimberlyDi on May 11, 2004, at 16:44:17
> At work, wondering "what have I done now?"
>
> I become very forgetful in everything, including meds. I was bumped up to 800mg of Carbamazepine during a stressful period. Didn't quite make that dosage because I have to eat to take this med, and I was too stressed to eat... Anyways, I dropped the Carbamazepine completely for a tiny bit (actually don't remember how long.) If you go past the half life where it's out of your body, do you have to start over again at the beginning level? I had a stressful day today and I took 400mg in the morning (was ok actually), then 400mg during late afternoon. Now, it's "whoa dude, i'm dizzy". Boss wondering what's up because I've joked around about people's answers to his questions, singing bits of broadway tunes. (we share the same office) I was almost manic for a bit, went into a cleaning frenzy.
>
> Is 800mg's a day a dangerous level if you haven't taken it regularly for a few weeks?
>
> Once again, it's generic Tegretol (Carbamazepine).
>
> KDi in TX
>
>
well, i agree with finelinebob that you ought to give your doctor a call. my opinion about treating your co-workers to a taste of ``Oklahoma!'' during business hours is that you will probably have a higher chance of keeping your job if you relegate these outbursts to the shower at home. as for a burst of tegretol to your system: bad for your liver, and bad for your mood, clearly. a few things you need to do: call your doctor. stop singing at work (cleaning sounds good, but i assume that you are not hired to do cleaning?). get a CBC and look at liver enzymes. 400 mg/day is a ``normal'' starting dose, and if you have been off for 1 month or so, then you are more or less starting anew. if you don't like the side-effects, consider trying Trileptal: the same active metabolite that is produced when you ingest Tegretol results, but via a different route (aryl ketone reductase), and you need not monitor liver function. all the best, chemist
Posted by Sebastian on May 12, 2004, at 19:37:42
In reply to When you stop taking meds, then resume..., posted by KimberlyDi on May 11, 2004, at 16:44:17
Normaly when I go off my meds and I tell the doctor. He will increase slowly. And sometimes find a new dose. If you insist that you need the old dose right away and you can handle it, its ok. Usualy comes with a warning. Sounds like you should start on a low dose again. Work up to the amount you still need.
Posted by KimberlyDi on May 13, 2004, at 17:05:34
In reply to Re: When you stop taking meds, then resume..., posted by Sebastian on May 12, 2004, at 19:37:42
Thanks folks...
I survived the night, and started the next day at my beginning dosage again. I'm a nut at work anyways so hopefully my singing days won't live permanently, notated in my Employee File. lolI missed this place.
KDi in TX
Posted by chemist on May 13, 2004, at 17:07:18
In reply to Re: When you stop taking meds, then resume..., posted by KimberlyDi on May 13, 2004, at 17:05:34
> Thanks folks...
> I survived the night, and started the next day at my beginning dosage again. I'm a nut at work anyways so hopefully my singing days won't live permanently, notated in my Employee File. lol
>
> I missed this place.
>
> KDi in TX
>good work! looking forward to the release of your best hits!...all the best, chemist
>
>
>
>
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.