Left SIded pain in my head. that lasts about 5-10minutes

[gcole]

Am a 20 year old female, and I have been diagnosed as an Epileptic for the pass year. I took a CAT SCAN which was normal, and a EEG which was also normal, and these would of been done in 2008 November. I have Grand Mal seizures, and have been told that during my seizure episode that i get violent with the thrashing. I was managed on Dilantin 300mg a day which made me increasingly sleepy, then i was placed on Valproic ACidd 4 times a day. Now am managed on Tegretol 200mg 3 times a day. July was the last time i had a seizure (I took myself of the medications and I havent had one seizure since then...I know i hate taking pills)
But from August of this year I have been having some horrible pain in the left side of my head that last about 3-10 minutes. It usually occurs early in the morning when I wake then it occurs at least 2 or 3 times during the day. But of lately the pain is gettin really worse, when it started it off it was dull and i really didnt pay to much attention to it But now when it occurs I have no other choice but to cry when it does happen. I have also had some blurred vision in my right eye. I also noticed that I am having alot of hiccups i dont kno what that have to do with it but it occurs. I also have excrutiating neck pain when the pain does occur. At times i feel a little dizzy also.
Please help because this pain is getting worse. I have a visit with the neurologists in January. An I have started taking my medications again jus t to be on the safe side sense the pain are gettin worse and lasting longer. Please help i dont know what to do .

[gcole]

Ok doctor, but i dont think its the Tegretol because my last seizure which would of been in July..and i had stopped takin the medications from before July. And the pain has been coming ever since August...I have now started to take the tegretol like about a wweek ago...However the intensity and duration the pain has increased before i started taking the Tegretol again.
Am getting really scared because am thinking what if it is a ttumor..And pain medications doesnt work becasue these pain just comes at any time of the day lasting about3-5 or 10 minutes. Is that really a headache...i really need some clarification on this.
I will however try to get a quicker appointment datte

[Abhijeet Ghosh]

Dear Friend gcole,
Many thanks for posting this question through this forum.
The last drug, you were on was Tegretol. It
s also called as Carbamazepine.
Headache is a very common side effect of this drug.Other common side-effects are Muscle aches/cramps, skin rashes/burns,stomach discomfort,blurred vision/double vision, continuous back and forth movements of the eyes, dizziness,etc.
I think, once your visit with your neurologist takes place, he will alter your medications.
If possible, please alter the dates of the visit, so that you can consult him soon , as the blurring of the vision and severe headache is not a good sign and needs to be taken care quickly.
The pain medications, which you have started, can give you some relief, but the root cause of the pain is the side-effects of Tegretol, and that needs to be addressed.
So request you to meet your treating neurologist soon.
Feel free to discuss more.
Regards