Oxcarbazine

Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used in adults to control partial seizures. It may be used alone or in combination with other seizure therapy.
• It is also used in children to help control partial seizures. It is used in combination with other seizure therapy.

How does it work?

• Oxcarbazine helps stop the seizure. It affects the brain where the seizure starts.

How is it best taken?

• Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes stomach upset.
• Do not stop this medicine if taking for a long time. This medicine should be slowly decreased.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.
• Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
• Do not change dose or stop medicine. Talk with healthcare provider. Can cause seizures.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives, tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, and pain medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies until you know that this medicine does not affect you.
• Follow laws about driving with a seizure condition. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. Other seizure medicines may need adjustment when used together.
• Wear disease medical alert identification for seizure condition.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine especially carbamazepine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Birth control pills may not work. Use another form of birth control.
• Do not use if breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• Headaches. Mild pain medicine may help.
• Dizziness, feeling sleepy or tired, lack of coordination. Use caution when driving, doing other tasks or hobbies. Wait to see how this medicine affects you.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.
• Change in vision or seeing double. Use caution when driving, doing other tasks or hobbies. Wait to see how this medicine affects you.

What should I monitor?

• Seizure control. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• Side effects. Are they tolerable or not? Talk with healthcare provider.
• Check blood work. If on other seizure medicines may need to check blood levels. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Follow up with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing, tightness in the chest, fever, itching, bad cough, blue skin color, fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat.
• Very nervous and excitable.
• Changes in balance. Feeling shaky or unsteady.
• Changes in thinking clearly and logically.
• Severe headaches, nausea, feeling very tired and washed out, or confused.
• Too tired or sleepy.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store in tight container at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine.

Copyright © 1978-2000 Lexi-Comp Inc. All Rights Reserved