Carbamazepine verses over the counter headache medicines.What can I take?

Carbamazepine (Tegretol) is an anticonvulsant indicated for epilepsy and seizures. It may sometimes be used as a prophylactic or preventative headache medicine but check with a doc.

I take Topamax (Rx) for migraine prevention, but OTC the best is Excedrin or if you prefer generic, Wal Mart Equate Headache Relief is the same. It is the best OTC I have tried. There are times I still have to reach for the Imitrex, but no where near the 4-5 times a month that it used to be.

A very good natural remedy is Feverfew. I actually took it with magnesium and a B complex tablet twice a day and it was very effective.

Be sure to drink plenty of water, this really helps lower the severity of headaches. Also, a heating pad on the neck with a cold pack on the forehead feels great.

I hope you feel better soon!

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.