Tag: trigeminal neuralgia

Tegretol – Day 4

Bones

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Whoa, I have been through such a variety of side effects with Tegretol, almost a new one each day!

The first day was fine, just a bit of dizziness and loss of balance, nothing unusual.

Day two was worse, I was high and euphoric and so intensely itchy.  I was very careful not to itch anything and to only rub the areas that were itchy, but it drove me mildly insane.  The only benefit was, well … I was high.  So it bothered me, but not that much.

The itchiness began on my neck and shoulders and spread down my arms.  I couldn’t wear anything on my arms, because it went beyond itching into pain.  My legs itched, my back itched, my waist itched, even my breasts, and under them, itched!

When I lay down to nap that night, I noticed sharp stabbing pains up my arms and legs.  It wasn’t overly bad, more like the sensation of a decent sized needle, only in a larger area.  I still fell asleep.  Boy does the Tegretol help with sleep!

Day three I was high as a fucking kite, I was euphoric and joyous and I could have sat and watched the tree outside move in the wind all day.  I was dizzy, had difficulty focusing my eyes, and my balance was gone.  It was only through intense strength of will that I could walk straight.

Day four I’m still pretty high and euphoric and my balance is still out of it.  My tinnitus is louder.  My hearing is hypersensitive and I’m more reactive to sounds.  My skin is hypersensitive to texture, and even my usually comfortable clothing is a bit too much.  It would be a problem if I weren’t so chill and happy about everything.

Now one very important thing of note, if anyone is reading this blog specifically for the side effects I have been experiencing, Tegretol can induce some very serious and potentially fatal skin reactions.  If you, or someone you know who is taking Tegretol, are experiencing any itching, rashes, blisters (this includes in your mouth, on your tongue, or on your lips), or skin discolouration, THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, PLEASE SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT IMMEDIATELY.  These are symptoms that your skin is possibly going to begin to necrose.

I and my amazing human are monitoring me very closely for any rashes or skin discolouration in light of my itching.  Hopefully my skin decides to stay alive and in one piece!

Setbacks

Bones

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Sometimes things keep piling up and all you want is a break.

It’s been one of those months.

One of my beloved animals became very ill.  We spent a lot of time going to and from the emergency after hours.  She was admitted for a few days.  Fortunately she is now well on her way to recovery and back to shouting at me through the door as soon as my alarm goes off (“FEED ME, FEED ME HUMAN”).

Then my face started to hurt.  Just one side, around the temple, spreading to my zygomatic arch and down my jaw.  I went to the doctor, who discovered a red tympanic membrane (ear drum), so put me on antibiotics and NSAIDs with a recheck in 48 hours if the pain hadn’t gone away.

You guessed it, the pain hadn’t gone away.

Revisited and now I’m being treated for shingles (chicken pox take two) and trigeminal neuralgia.

Unfortunately I suspect it’s likely to be trigeminal neuralgia.  The tympanic membrane is looking much better.  I have no rash or blistering associated with shingles, and the pain is progressing from a tooth ache to stabby stabby.

I’d been stable on my new bunch of meds for quite some time, and I was quite liking it.  I’m not entirely pleased with this new spanner in the works, or the new medication (which makes me really sleepy).  But it is what it is, and I’m just going to have to live with it.