This substance is used in medicine primarily as an anti-epileptic drug. It stops it by stopping recurring excitations in neurons, which in turn lead to seizures characteristic of epilepsy. During an attack, nerve cells receive too much stimulation, and at the same time the entire process responsible for reactions is drastically shortened.
Carbamazepine is designed to introduce order and proper reception of stimuli in our body. For these reasons, it is often used for other types of bodily seizures as well. Medicine notes that this organic chemical is used as a psychotropic drug and more generally to stabilize mood. That is why it is also used in therapies related to the treatment of depression and schizophrenia.
Despite the wide use of this substance in the treatment of pharmacological diseases related to the psyche and nerves, it is worth noting that the principles of carbamazepine action have not yet been fully decoded. Any use of it must be especially careful and is completely discouraged without proper medical consultation. Despite this, this drug is not particularly dangerous, you should use common sense and caution. Simply taking into account the specific functioning of patients in the pharmacological treatment of mental diseases.
Carbamazepine and neurosis
This drug has also proven effectiveness in anti-neurosis therapies, although it belongs to the so-called first-generation (classic) drugs. It eliminates anxiety and reduces irritability, although, unfortunately, it easily interacts with other drugs that are used in therapies related to neuroses. Therefore, its use is recommended rather secondarily or in specific cases when it will not be compatible with other substances.
Carbamazepine is alcohol
As with other drugs, it is not recommended to consume alcohol while taking carbamazepine. Even a small amount can inhibit the drug’s action and the effects are completely opposite to the assumed ones. It should also be remembered that carbamazepine affects the way the body absorbs alcohol quite strongly. Even in the case when we are not taking the drug, it may turn out that aggressive behavior and general negative agitation may appear. In the case of this drug, the interval between taking it and drinking alcohol must be longer than when we are talking about other drugs of this type. Let us add that the sudden withdrawal of this drug may also intensify the recurrence of attacks, so if we plan to party, it is better to give it up – friends will have to accept it.
Blood tests
When using carbamazepine, it is important that the right dose reaches our body, not too much and not too little. To do this, your doctor may order blood tests to monitor the levels of your medicine until you have found the dose you want. Such a test does not differ from standard blood sampling, of course, we are interested in the concentration of the drug, the standard presence of which is in the range of 4-12 mg / l. However, if we are dealing with a dose above 12 mg / l, then it is a toxic dose for our body. It causes dizziness, vomiting, drowsiness, redness of the face, tremors, agitation, but also loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest or heart rate. Therefore, it is worthwhile to be alert to the symptoms typical of standard poisoning while taking large doses.
Carbamazepine – side effects
As with any drug, the use of carbamazepine can cause a variety of side effects. With this medicinal product, we can expect swelling and fluid retention, headaches, blurred and double vision, a feeling of dry mouth. Some of these ailments may appear very often. Most often, these ailments may appear at the beginning of taking, when we do not yet have an appropriate dose for us. Usually they pass over time (within a few days), when the dose of the drug is fixed for us. The request to divide the assigned dose into smaller parts for consumption over a longer period of time also helps. Then our body has a chance to adapt to the new situation more easily. Other side effects are much less frequent and if we want to get acquainted with all of them and their specificity, it is worth looking at the information leaflet attached to the drug or consult the doctor who prescribes it.