carbamazepine for muscle spasms

[Heather1987]

Saw MS nurse today and told her about the increase in muscle cramps/spasms in legs and feet. She has suggested starting carbamazepine. Wondering if anyone has been on this , what dose did you start on and what were the side effects? Did you feel it helped ease them and if not what did work. Many thanks Heather

[Justsayyes]

I've always had muscle spasticity and numbness in my right leg and foot. I take a small dose of flexeril, a mild muscle relaxer and it works well for me. It even helps my bladder relax when I am having retention episodes. I generally take it before bed.

I also stretch every day and get a massage every two weeks. I find this to be really beneficial!

[Spydre]

I was on carbamazepine for other reasons - seizures. I was on it over 10 years (I can no longer remember the dosage). With carbamazepine and it's cousin Trileptal (can't remember the generic name for it, but it's what I'm on now) you need to get your cholesterol checked REGULARLY. It's a little known side efffect that both drugs, but it's worse with carbamazepine, cause an increase in cholesterol. I was 28 years old, and my doc did a routine check of my cholesterol and it was around 350 total. I went to my neurologist at that time (I did not have MS) and gave him the evidence that I had researched and he switched me to Trileptal - it may still have a bit of the same side effect, but evidently not as bad. My cholesterol still runs high, even with medication, but I'm not looking at heart attack city anymore.

[Spydre]

Okay, I just double checked and trileptal causes it too - which is probably why my cholesterol is over 300. I'm not saying don't take the carbamazepine - it's a good drug for things like that. I'm just saying keep an eye on your ldl and hdl levels, because it effects both.