OXCARBAZEPINE
(ox kar BAY zeh peen) Brand: Oxtellar XR, Trileptal
What is the most significant information I must know about oxcarbazepine?
• Oxcarbazepine is used to treat partial seizures in adults and children who are at least 2 years old.
• Oxcarbazepine can reduce the sodium in your body to dangerously low levels, which can reason a life-threatening electrolyte imbalance. Contact your doctor right away if you have headache, problems with thinking or memory, weakness, loss of appetite, feeling unsteady, confusion, hallucinations, fainting, shallow breathing, and/or heighten or more severe seizures.
• Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
What is oxcarbazepine?
• Oxcarbazepine is in a group of drugs called anticonvulsants, or antiepileptic drugs. It works by decreasing nerve impulses that reason seizures.
• Oxcarbazepine is used to treat partial seizures in adults and children who are at least 2 years old.
• Oxcarbazepine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking oxcarbazepine?
• You must not take this medicine if you are allergic to oxcarbazepine.
• To create certain you can safely take oxcarbazepine, speak your doctor if you have:
· liver disease;
· kidney malady; or
· if you are allergic to a similar medication called carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol).
• Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking an antidepressant. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using oxcarbazepine. Your family or another caregivers must also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
• FDA pregnancy category C. Do not start or stop taking oxcarbazepine during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both mother and child. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking oxcarbazepine for seizures.
• If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to estimate any effects of oxcarbazepine on the baby.
• Oxcarbazepine can create birth control pills smaller effective. Ask your doctor about using a non hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking oxcarbazepine.
• Oxcarbazepine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while you are taking oxcarbazepine.
• Do not give this medicine to a baby younger than 2 years old.
How must I take oxcarbazepine?
• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.
• Take oxcarbazepine with a full glass of water.
• Do not crush, chew, or interrupt an extended-release tablet. Swallow it intact.
• Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just till you measure a doze. To be certain you get the correct doze, use the oral dosing syringe provided with this medication. If you did not receive an oral syringe with your medicine, ask your pharmacist for one.
• Give the oral liquid directly from the oral syringe, or mix the medication with a little glass of water. After using the syringe, rinse it with water and let it to air dry.
• Use oxcarbazepine regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.
• Do not stop using oxcarbazepine suddenly, even if you feel beautiful. Stopping suddenly may reason heighten seizures.
• While using oxcarbazepine, you may need blood trials at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.
• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take oxcarbazepine. Any medical care provider who treats you must know that you are using oxcarbazepine.
• Seizures are often treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medicine manual or patient instructions provided with every medicine. Do not change your doses or medicine schedule without your doctor's advice.
• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Throw away any unused liquid 7 weeks after opening the bottle.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What must I avoid while taking oxcarbazepine?
• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercice and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you must drink. In some cases, drinking too many liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
• Oxcarbazepine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
• Drinking alcohol can magnify determined side effects of oxcarbazepine. Alcohol may also magnify the risk of seizures.
What are the possible side effects of oxcarbazepine?
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Oxcarbazepine can reduce the sodium in your body to dangerously low levels, which can reason a life-threatening electrolyte imbalance. Contact your doctor right away if you have headache, trouble concentrating, memory problems, weakness, loss of appetite, feeling unsteady, confusion, hallucinations, fainting, shallow breathing, and/or heighten or more severe seizures.
• Message any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
• Call your doctor at once if you have:
· heighten seizures;
· swollen glands, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat;
· light bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;
· severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;
· urinating smaller than normal or not at all;
· chest pain, dry cough, wheezing, feeling short of breath;
· upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.
• General side effects may include:
· headache, mental slowness, trouble concentrating;
· problems with speech, balance, or walking;
· dizziness, drowsiness, weary feeling;
· mild nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea;
· blurred vision, double vision;
· tremors or shaking; or
· skin rash.
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What another drugs will affect oxcarbazepine?
• Speak your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with oxcarbazepine, especially:
· cyclosporine;
· felodipine;
· phenytoin;
· valproic acid; or
· verapamil.
• This list is not complete and there are much another drugs that can interact with oxcarbazepine. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor. Hold a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.
• This list is not complete and much another drugs can interact with oxcarbazepine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has information about oxcarbazepine.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.