Sinusitis FAQ

Allergy medicine mixing with Tegretol

Question:

I am on a massive dose of Tegretol 2000mg and still not controlled for my complex partial seizures. We are working on it… As to the allergies- I am very reluctant to take any allergy drug due to interactions but i have found one that is incredible–Becanase Inhaler–try it just in the morning and use it each day. I think it will be the ticket as long as you use it whether you have symptoms or not. Once you stop using it the sneezing starts etc. It is a prescription med. But it is used in very small quantities and seems to have few if any side effects and no drug interaction. Bryan

Response:

BHemScott5 wrote: > I am on a massive dose of Tegretol 2000mg and still not controlled for my > complex partial seizures. We are working on it… > As to the allergies- I am very reluctant to take any allergy drug due to > interactions but i have found one that is incredible–Becanase Inhaler–try it > just in the morning and use it each day. I think it will be the ticket as long > as you use it whether you have symptoms or not. Once you stop using it the > sneezing starts etc. > It is a prescription med. > But it is used in very small quantities and seems to have few if any side > effects and no drug interaction. > Bryan

Howdy Bryan! Becanase Inhaler has little or no side effects or Becanase Inhaler has little or no side effects WHEN TAKEN WITH TEGRETOL? There’s a big difference! In either case shouldn’t you be saying that it has little or no side effects IN YOUR PARTICULAR CASE? Everybody is different. — David A. Naess URL:     http://bigfoot.com/~dnaess e-mail:  dna…@bigfoot.com ICQ

Response:

Carrie wrote: > I’m on 1200 mg of Tegretol a day and I take non-drowsy Claritin when my > allergies are bad (spring and ragweed season).  I get awful sinus > infections with allergies and I would rather be a little drowsy than have > sinusitis.  Why would the doctor say she couldn’t take it?  If she took the > non-drowsy stuff, she should be fine. > Carrie

Just an update, she made an appiontment today with her doctor and insisted he find her something to take for her allergies. He finally came up with Allegra.   The reason he stated that he did not want her to take Claratin is that the Clartin will raise the Tegratol levels in her system. This was apparently confirmed by the pharmacist. He is trying to keep her in a low a dose a possible that is still effective because she was getting to drowsy on a higher dosage. Sorry I didn’t give more of this info in my first post. Thanks to all who wrote with the suggestions. I will post later after shes been on it a while to let you know the Allegra is working. Thanks again Scott

Response:

I guess I should take Allegra for my allergies now that I know this. Thanks for the information! Carrie

Response:

Hi all, I have taken Tegretol for many years and I used to have a terrible time with allergies in early spring.  I tried all the "non-drowsy" ones (ie) Hismanal, Claritin, and Seldane with no adverse effects.  Each worked for a few seasons and then I became immune to the effects. Finally I was sent to an allergist who tested for the allergens and made up a serum.  After becoming a pin cushion for several months, I am now allergy free–too bad it isn’t seizure-free!!! Hope this helps. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Scott wrote in message <35FF41A8.2…@fast.net>… >My wife is currently taking 400 mg of Tegretol a day to control her >seizures. ( which by the way is working great ) But she is also having >terrible allergies.  She used to take Claretin for the allergies before >she had her first seizure. But were told that she can no longer take >this medication for her allergies because she is on Tegretol, as >indicated by her neurologist.  He did not give her any other suggetions >for alternative allergy medications at this time other the Benedryl. Is >anyone else on or knows of an new allergy medications that are >compatible with Tegretol. She has been taking the Benedryl but this does >very little to control her allergies. >Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. >Scott

Response:

In article <01bde155$f6662140$6759bbcc@carrie>, Carrie <car…@vianet.on.ca> wrote: >I’m on 1200 mg of Tegretol a day and I take non-drowsy Claritin when my >allergies are bad (spring and ragweed season).  I get awful sinus >infections with allergies and I would rather be a little drowsy than have >sinusitis.  Why would the doctor say she couldn’t take it?  If she took the >non-drowsy stuff, she should be fine.

Some of the nondrowsy antihistamines interact badly with a number of other drugs because of the way they are metabolized – the other drug inhibits a major enzyme that metabolizes the antihistamine, causing toxic levels of the antihistamine to build up.  Zyrtec doesn’t seem to have too many of these problems, and I don’t know about Claritin or Allegra.  Seldane and Hismanal are notorious for it, though. Tegretol can _decrease_ thee effectiveness (by increasing the metabolism of several drugs.  Tegretol levels can be increased by a number of drugs, including Seldane, as well.  The relevant liver enzyme (if anyone cares) is cytochrome P450 3A4. -elizabeth

Response:

I’m on 1200 mg of Tegretol a day and I take non-drowsy Claritin when my allergies are bad (spring and ragweed season).  I get awful sinus infections with allergies and I would rather be a little drowsy than have sinusitis.  Why would the doctor say she couldn’t take it?  If she took the non-drowsy stuff, she should be fine. Carrie

Response:

My wife is currently taking 400 mg of Tegretol a day to control her seizures. ( which by the way is working great ) But she is also having terrible allergies.  She used to take Claretin for the allergies before she had her first seizure. But were told that she can no longer take this medication for her allergies because she is on Tegretol, as indicated by her neurologist.  He did not give her any other suggetions for alternative allergy medications at this time other the Benedryl. Is anyone else on or knows of an new allergy medications that are compatible with Tegretol. She has been taking the Benedryl but this does very little to control her allergies. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Scott

Response:

I understand your dilema.  I too am on Tegretol.  My neurologist said the same thing.  I took Claretin.  It didn’t work!  Benedril sure didn’t work.  The doctor told me that some of the allergies are caused by meds.  I feel for your wife and you. Hopefully someone will have an answer.  Thanks for your Question!  I can’t wait to hear what others say. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Scott wrote: > My wife is currently taking 400 mg of Tegretol a day to control her > seizures. ( which by the way is working great ) But she is also having > terrible allergies.  She used to take Claretin for the allergies before > she had her first seizure. But were told that she can no longer take > this medication for her allergies because she is on Tegretol, as > indicated by her neurologist.  He did not give her any other suggetions > for alternative allergy medications at this time other the Benedryl. Is > anyone else on or knows of an new allergy medications that are > compatible with Tegretol. She has been taking the Benedryl but this does > very little to control her allergies. > Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > Scott

Response:

On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 21:42:16 -0700, Scott <sl…@fast.net> wrote: >My wife is currently taking 400 mg of Tegretol a day to control her >seizures. ( which by the way is working great ) But she is also having >terrible allergies.  She used to take Claretin for the allergies before >she had her first seizure. But were told that she can no longer take >this medication for her allergies because she is on Tegretol, as >indicated by her neurologist.  He did not give her any other suggetions >for alternative allergy medications at this time other the Benedryl. Is >anyone else on or knows of an new allergy medications that are >compatible with Tegretol. She has been taking the Benedryl but this does >very little to control her allergies. >Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. >Scott

Hi, My head man has allowed me to get a prescription for Zyrtec, which I was told was stronger than the Claritin which I used to take.  I am on 2,400 mg of Tegretol – XR daily.  What is the reason for the Neurologist’s caution? My GP also allowed the Zyrtec, and when I am bad (in the spring) I also use an inhalant (Vancanese).  He did increase the conc. of the inhalent last spring, and took me off of the Zyrtec. Jim from NJ

Response:

Filed under: Sinusitis

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