What Carbamazepine is used for:

Carbamazepine is used:

• To treat some forms of epilepsy


• To treat a painful condition of the face called trigeminal neuralgia


• To help control serious mood disorders when some other medicines don’t work.

Do not take Carbamazepine if:

• you think you may be hypersensitive (allergic) to Carbamazepine or similar drugs,


• you think you may be allergic to any of the other ingredients of this medicine,


• you have any heart problems,


• you have had serious blood illnesses in the past,


• you have ever had problems with your bone marrow,


• you have a blood disorder called porphyria,


• you have taken drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs


• you are taking herbal preparations containing St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum).

Warnings and precautions:

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Carbamazepine if:

• you have blood problems (including those caused by other medicines)


• you are allergic to phenytoin (a medicine used to treat epilepsy)


• you have the form of epilepsy where you have mixed fits which include absences


• you have ever had any heart, liver or kidney problems


• you are over 65 years of age


• you have an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism)


• you have any eye problems such as glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye)


• you have difficulty emptying your bladder (urinary retention)


• you have problems with your mental health


• you have thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis).


• you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.


• you are a female of childbearing age

Possible side effects :

These include:

• Leucopenia; dizziness and tiredness; feeling unsteady or finding it difficult to control movements; feeling or being sick; changes in liver enzyme levels; skin reactions which may be severe.


• Changes in the blood including an increased tendency to bruise or bleed; fluid retention and swelling; weight increase; low sodium in the blood which might result in confusion; headache; double or blurred vision; dry mouth.


• Abnormal involuntary movements including tremor or tics.

Other medicines and Carbamazepine:

Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Hormone contraceptives, e.g. pills, patches, injections or implants.


• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Carbamazepine can make HRT less effective.


• Any medicines for depression or anxiety.


• Corticosteroids (‘steroids’). You might be taking these for inflammatory conditions such as


• asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, muscle and joint pains.


• Anticoagulants to stop your blood clotting.


• Antibiotics to treat infections including skin infections and TB (e.g. ciprofloxacillin).


• Antifungals to treat fungal infections.


• Painkillers containing paracetamol, dextropropoxyphene, tramadol, methadone or buprenorphine.


• Other medicines to treat epilepsy.


• Medicines for high blood pressure or heart problems.


• Antihistamines (medicines to treat allergy such as hayfever, itch, etc).


• Diuretics (water tablets).


• Cimetidine or omeprazole (medicines to treat gastric ulcers).


• Isotretinoin (a medicine for the treatment of acne).


• Metoclopramide or aprepitant (anti-sickness medications).


• Acetazolamide (a medicine to treat glaucoma - increased pressure in the eye).


• Danazol or gestrinone (treatments for endometriosis).


• Theophylline or aminophylline (used in the treatment of asthma).


• Ciclosporin, tacrolimus or sirolimus.


• Drugs to treat schizophrenia (e.g. paliperidone, aripiprazole).


• Cancer drugs (e.g. temsirolimus, cyclophasphamide, lapatinib).


• The anti-malarial drug, mefloquine.


• Drugs to treat HIV.


• Levothyroxine (used to treat hypothyroidism).


• Tadalafil (used to treat impotence).

How to take Carbamazepine:

To treat epilepsy the usual doses are:

Adults:

• 800-1,200 mg a day, although higher doses may be necessary.


• If you are elderly you might require a lower dose.

Children:

• Aged 5-10 years: 400-600 mg a day/ Aged 10-15 years: 600-1,000 mg a day.

To treat trigeminal neuralgia the usual dose is:

• 600-800 mg a day. The maximum dose is 1200mg a day.


• If you are elderly you might require a lower dose.

To treat mood swings the usual dose is:

• 400-600 mg a day

How to store Carbamazepine:

• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.


• Do not store above 25°C. Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture.


• Do not take Carbamazepine after the expiry date which is printed on the outside of the pack.

* Dosage form and route of administration of Carbamazepine 100 mg/5ml Oral Suspension andCarbamazepine 200mg and 400mg Prolonged Release Tablets should be prescribed according to therapeutic indication and disease severity of each individual patient.

Product Details:

• Quantity: 50 Tablets
• Brand: Tegretol
• Product Form: Tablets
• Product Type: Tablets