Side Effects Of Anticonvulsants

Nausea

Patients might experience nausea when they take an anticonvulsant, especially after first starting the medication. Some might have nausea severe enough to induce vomiting. Gastrointestinal issues are extremely common side effects of anticonvulsants. Because of the discomfort, some patients might stop taking their medication or take it irregularly because they don't want to feel sick. However, patients should always talk to their doctor before discontinuing medication, and until then, take it regularly. Some drugs can cause different digestive effects in comparison to others. For example, one study showed patients who were taking carbamazepine or valproic acid were much more likely to develop nausea and vomiting. However, when patients were being treated with two or more anticonvulsants at once, and gabapentin or phenytoin was added, there was a much higher risk of issues including heartburn, dysphagia, and diarrhea. The highest rate of digestive issues occurred in patients who took gabapentin in addition to two or more other anticonvulsants. This indicates taking multiple anticonvulsants at once might compound digestive issues.

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