Carbamazepine
 
What is Carbamazepine and why is it prescribed?
Carbamazepine is used in the treatment of seizure disorders, including certain types of epilepsy. It is also prescribed for trigeminal neuralgia and pain in the tongue and throat. In addition, some doctors use Carbamazepine to treat alcohol withdrawal, cocaine addiction, and emotional disorders such as depression and abnormally aggressive behavior. Carbamazepine is also used to treat migraine headache and "restless legs." There are potentially dangerous side effects associated with the use of Carbamazepine. If you experience symptoms such as fever, sore throat, rash, ulcers in the mouth, easy bruising, or reddish or purplish spots on the skin, you should notify your doctor immediately. These symptoms could be signs of a blood disorder brought on by the drug.

How should you take Carbamazepine?
Follow your doctors directions for taking Carbamazepine. This medication should only be taken with meals, never on an empty stomach. Shake the suspension well before using. If you miss a dose take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take two doses at once. If you miss more than 1 dose in a day, check with your doctor. Store Carbamazepine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect the tablets from light and moisture. Keep the liquid suspension away from light.

Are there any Carbamazepine side effects?
Carbamazepine side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. More common Carbamazepine side effects, especially at the start of treatment, may include dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, unsteadiness, and vomiting. Other Carbamazepine side effects may include abdominal pain, abnormal heartbeat and rhythm, abnormal involuntary movements, abnormal sensitivity to sound, aching joints and muscles, agitation, anemia, blood clots, blurred vision, chills, confusion, congestive heart failure, constipation, depression, diarrhea, double vision, dry mouth and throat, fainting and collapse, fatigue, fever, fluid retention, frequent urination, hair loss, hallucinations, headache, hepatitis, hives, impotence, inability to urinate, inflammation of the mouth and tongue, inflamed eyes, involuntary movements of the eyeball, itching, kidney failure, labored breathing, leg cramps, liver disorders, loss of appetite, loss of coordination, low blood pressure, pancreatitis, pneumonia, reddened skin, reddish or purplish spots on the skin, reduced urine volume, ringing in the ears, sensitivity to light, skin inflammation and scaling, skin peeling, skin rashes, skin pigmentation changes, speech difficulties, stomach problems, sweating, talkativeness, tingling sensation, worsening of high blood pressure, and yellow eyes and skin.

What are the possible food and drug interactions when taking Carbamazepine?
If Carbamazepine is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. Be sure to inform your doctor of all the prescription and over the counter medications you are taking. The use of the antiseizure medications phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), or primidone (Mysoline) may reduce the effectiveness of Carbamazepine. Take other anticonvulsants along with Carbamazepine only if your doctor advises it. The use of Carbamazepine with other anticonvulsants may change thyroid gland function. The following drugs may also reduce the effectiveness of Carbamazepine: cisplatin (Platinol), doxorubicin HCl (Adriamycin), felbamate (Felbatol), rifampin (Rifadin), and theophylline (Theo-Dur). The effectiveness of acetaminophen (Tylenol), alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), clozapine (Clozaril), dicumarol, doxycycline (Doryx), ethosuximide (Zarontin), haloperidol (Haldol), lamotrigine (Lamictal), methsuximide (Celontin), oral contraceptives, phensuximide (Milontin), phenytoin (Dilantin), theophylline (Theo-Dur), tiagabine (Gabitril), topiramate (Topamax), valproic acid (Depakene), and warfarin (Coumadin) may be reduced when these drugs are taken with Carbamazepine. Carbamazepine may increase the effectiveness of clomipramine HCl (Anafranil), phenytoin, or primidone if the drugs are taken together. All of the following drugs may raise the amount of Carbamazepine in the blood to harmful levels: azithromycin (Zithromax), cimetidine (Tagamet), clarithromycin (Biaxin), danazol (Danocrine), diltiazem (Cardizem), erythromycin (E-Mycin), fluoxetine (Prozac), isoniazid (Nydrazid), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), loratadine (Claritin), niacinamide, nicotinamide, propoxyphene (Darvon), troleandomycin (Tao), valproate (Depakene), and calcium channel blockers such as Calan. Lithium (Eskalith) used with Carbamazepine may cause harmful nervous system side effects. If you are taking an oral contraceptive and Carbamazepine, you may experience blood spotting and your contraceptive may not be completely reliable. Do not combine Carbamazepine suspension with other liquid medications such as Thorazine solution or Mellaril liquid. The mixture may congeal internally.

Are there any special warnings about Carbamazepine?
If you have a history of heart, liver, or kidney damage, an adverse blood reaction to any drug, glaucoma, or serious reactions to other drugs, you should discuss this history thoroughly with your doctor before taking Carbamazepine. Anticonvulsant drugs such as Carbamazepine should not be stopped abruptly if you are taking the medication to prevent major seizures. There exists the strong possibility of continuous epileptic attacks without return to consciousness, leading to possible severe brain damage and death. Only your doctor should determine if and when you should stop taking this medication. Since dizziness and drowsiness may occur while taking Carbamazepine, you should refrain from operating machinery or driving an automobile or participating in any high-risk activity that requires full mental alertness until you know how this drug affects you. Older adults, especially, can become confused or agitated when taking Carbamazepine. Carbamazepine has been known to cause serious blood, liver, and skin reactions, both early in treatment and after extended use. Alert your doctor immediately if you develop such warning signs as fever, sore throat, rash, ulcers in the mouth, easy bruising or spots in the skin, swollen lymph glands, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, or yellowing of the skin and eyes.
 

Information on this website is provided for educational purposes and should not replace discussions with your doctor.
 

Copyright 2008 MyMedications.net. All rights reserved.