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trileptal dosage
Mon, 08/21/2006 - 16:20Topic: Medication Issues
I've been on Trileptal for about a month or so. It has been helping but not completely controlling my seizures. I was taking 600mg twice a day.
My doctor decided to double the dose. I was told to take 1 pill (600mg) in the morning and 2 pills (total of 1200mg) in the evening for one week. After doing that for a week, I am supposed to take 2 pills twice a day for a total of 2400mg. I doubled the evening dose and taken it for 3 days. The 1200mg makes me feel drunk -- I have some trouble walking (balancing) and am having trouble with muscle coordination. I was trying to clap Sat night at the end of a play and had difficulty. I am also having a hard time typing this.
I have also been really nauseous for the last two days among other symptoms. I am worried about low sodium levels which I have read about from other people's posts. I had no idea about this side effect until I read it here - it wasn't something that the doctor even mentioned. He has an order in for a blood test to check my sodium levels but the nurse said to wait until I've been on the higher dose before getting the test.
Does this seem like a high dose to anyone else that has been on or is on this medication?
Comments
Re: Re: trileptal dosage
Submitted by SaraOwens on Sun, 2006-09-03 - 22:56
My birth control failed due to Trileptal as well, I take 1200 mg every 24 hrs, and my son is healthy and about to turn 3! He had low birth weight, which he made up for in a short time, and so far his learning abilities are excellent! He has one nipple that's an "innie" during normal body temperature, but when his skin gets cold it pops out just like the other one. That's the only discrepancy I see.
I went through a natural birthing process, no epidural and no drugs, that may have made a difference as well. I did not breastfeed him because of the trileptal. I was given the choice though, not doctor's orders. My son grew up strong anyway, so there's no lack of love from going with formula feeding. The only difficult part is stopping the lactation process! Oh, it's a doozy! Good luck!
Re: trileptal dosage
Submitted by angel_lts on Mon, 2006-08-21 - 19:59
I had the problem with low sodium. It doesnt happen to everyone. I was on about 1800mg a day at the time. But just because you are on a high dose doesnt mean you will have low sodium.
I am on half that much now and I am not having the low sodium problem anymore.
Make sure you tell your doctor that you are feeling drunk, your dose might be too high now.
Talk with your doctor.
take care
Lisa
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/epilepsyapproach/
Re: trileptal dosage
Submitted by sjmack2007 on Mon, 2006-08-21 - 19:27
My doctor started me out at a low dose and kept raising it also. I am 4 months pregnant now (by the way, my birth control pills failed because of the Trileptal). Anyway, since becoming pregnant, I have had many more seizures. I am up to 3000 mg a day. That sounded like a heck of a lot to me too. I'm praying it won't affect the baby, but apparently it's safe.