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.