Trileptal and Migraine Prevention
by Anna Hart
Filed under Prevention of Migraines
Migraine is best known for its excruciating headaches. These headaches will make some people try almost anything. They are especially eager to find migraine prevention that will reduce the number of migraine, or eliminate migraine altogether.
Trileptal for migraine prevention is sometimes “just what the doctor” prescribes. At other times, it is completely ineffective.
What Trileptal Is
Trileptal is a brand-name anticonvulsant, oxcarbazepine. Oxcarbazepine is a drug that affects the nerves and brain, decreasing nerve impulses. It was never intended for migraine prevention when developed, but that is true of all medications prescribed for treatment or prevention of migraine.
Success of Trileptal for Migraine Prevention
Doctors have had limited success in treating stubborn migraine or achieving migraine prevention with Trileptal. The response rate is reported at about 50 percent. The two abstracts that indicate this are: Johnson et al, 2002; Nett and Krusz, 2002.
Ooxcarbazepine as migraine prevention has not been approved by the FDA.
Common Side Effects
The most common side effects of Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) are:
* abdominal pain
* abnormal gait
* abnormal vision
* ataxia – inability to coordinate voluntary muscles
* dizziness
* double vision
* drowsiness
* fatigue
* indigestion
* nausea
* tremors
* vomiting
Age-related side effects: If you are over 60 years of age, your likelihood of experiencing side effects from Trileptal may be more likely. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment.
Since many of the common side effects are the very reasons you are seeking migraine prevention, you may want to reconsider Trileptal.
Other Side Effects
Serious skin reactions: Both in children and in adults taking Trileptal, serious skin reactions have been reported. These skin reactions may be life-threatening.
Alcohol Interaction: You should not drink alcohol while taking Trileptal since it could well increase the drowsiness or dizziness caused by oxcarbazepine.
Birth Control: Trileptal may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. If you want to endure protection from unintended pregnancy, you must use a second, back-up method of birth control while taking Trileptal as migraine prevention.
Pregnancy: The FDA has classified oxcarbazepine as a C category drug. This means it is not known whether oxcarbazepine will harm an unborn baby. If you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment, do not take Trileptal for migraine prevention without first talking to your doctor.
Nursing: Trileptal passes into breast milk and may harm an infant that is nursing. If you are breast-feeding a baby, do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor about it.
CAUTION: The author is not a medical professional, and presents the above material for educational purposes only. Please see your doctor for more information about Trileptal and migraine prevention.
I was prescribed a daily trileptal dose of 1500 mg in my late 40s–about 21 years after experiencing successful neurosurgery with regards to epilepsy. The trileptal has been devastating to me–headaches in the middle of the night, low sodium readings, nausea and vomiting. My trileptal-related headaches were NEVER migraines. (I know that because the only migraine I ever experienced was followed an extreme caffeine addiction that I was initially totally unaware of. Ironically, I stopped drinking my favorite Coca Cola in preparation to make the transition from dilantin to trileptal.) Once I was on trileptal, the only cure from those 3 a.m. headaches–bad enough to wake me up–was to get up and sit at. . .what else? The Internet, of course! No aspirin, motrin, or anything else would work! I’m still on trileptal, still experiencing these nighttime headaches and low sodium levels, even after being on this drug for 2+ years–more than enough time to adjust to this relatively unfamiliar drug, but never did. Until I’m able to afford a visit with Dr. A. Shah (of the Detroit area), I’ll continue to live with this drug as best as I can. While I do believe that previously relying on 400 mg dilantin for many, many years was no longer necessary beyond my neurosurgery, I do regret not having stayed on it when compared to the unexpected side effects of trileptal. I don’t like being on trileptal, and probably will never benefit from it.