Tegretol and Effexor withdrawal

I'm looking for any information regarding withdrawal effects from the above.

I've been taking tegretol for about five years at 400 to 600mg daily, along with effexor at 75 to 150 mg daily.

Recently I've been going through a hellish situation that started with an abdominal surgery that has lead to a full body, burning neuropathy. Subsequently I've been taking 600 mg of lyrica a day along with a few hundred mg of tramadol, and we started cymbalta to help reduce the nerve pain. I stopped the effexor when going on the cymbalta, but found cymbalta way too activating and not worth the nerve pain relief, which was insignificant anyway. Being on so much lyrica, I stopped taking the tegretol too, which was probably pretty stupid.

Anyway, after getting a spinal tap (part of the diagnostic tests going on for the above) I've had a bad reaction. I had a sort of 'brain event' that felt like a seizure or something, where the right side of my skull feels inflamed and I am constantly dizzy. Muscle spasms too.

What my neurologist was thinking on Friday is that what I'm going through may not be a reaction to the tap but perhaps associated with a withdrawal from tegretol and efexor. Does anyone have any ideas on any of this?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

What you seem to be describing are called "brain zaps" ... at least that's my general impression. Sometimes happens when going onto a drug, or as a withdrawal symptom. Not at all fun, and actually semi-serious as a side effect.

http://psychcentral.com/meds/tegretol.html
http://psychcentral.com/meds/effexor.html

If you're not having a good time with going off of the meds (did you do it cold turkey, or taper off?) ... I'd suggest talking to your prescribing doctor about this.

hi dennis
i am coming off effexor at the moment
it is sheer hell.
wont go into it here but check out my posts under drugs questions and you will see the personal effects i am going through