What are they?
Anticonvulsants are medications prescribed to control seizures. They can be helpful for nerve pain, especially burning, stabbing pains due to diabetic neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia.
Active Ingredients (Common Brands)
Carbamazepine (Tegretol) and gabapentin (Neurontin)
Common Side Effects
Clumsiness, dizziness, light-headedness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, or irregular, pounding, or unusually slow heartbeat and chest pain
Safe Use
Take this medicine as prescribed for a specified pain only. Do not use it to treat minor discomforts. These agents are not simple analgesics and should be not taken casually.
Hidden Benefits
Carbamazepine has been used to treat the acute phase of schizophrenia when other agents have failed.
Not Recommended For
People who are allergic to tricyclic antidepressants and those with liver or bone marrow disease should avoid taking carbamazepine.
Special Hints
Keep this medicine out of damp places, including your bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and moisture cause it to break down.