Carbatrol Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Generic Name: carbamazepine USP

Pronounced: TEG-re-tawl

Brand Name(S): Carbatrol

Carbatrol (CAR-ba-trol) is used in the treatment of all types of partial seizures and in the treatment of generalized tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures. It (CAR-bah-trohl) is a brand name used in the United States for one form of the seizure medicine called carbamazepine. It is a multi-component capsule formulation consisting of three different types of beads: immediate-release beads, extended-release beads, and enteric-release beads. Carbatrol should be introduced gradually in low doses; slow increases in dose is likely to improve tolerance of certain side effects. One of the oldest and still most widely used anti-epileptic drug (AED) is carbamazepine. Carbatrol is an "extended-release" form of carbamazepine, which means that the medicine is released into the body slowly instead of all at once. Carbamazepine can rarely cause a severe anemia - your bone marrow stops making red blood cells. 

Carbatrol Dosage:

• The dose of carbamazepine will be different for different patients.
• The number of tablets or teaspoonfuls of suspension that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.
• Carbatrol is an extended-release formulation for twice a day administration.
• Adults and children over 12 years of age: Initial: 200 mg twice daily.
• Children 6 to 12 years of age-At first, 50 mg taken four times a day.
• Children up to 6 years of age-Dose is based on body weight and will be determined by your doctor.
• Carbatrol is an extended-release formulation for twice a day administration.

Uses of Carbatrol :

• Carbamazepine (kar-ba-MAZ-e-peen) is used to control some types of seizures in the treatment of epilepsy.
• Carbamazepine may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
• Carbamazepine also treats nerve-related pain such as trigeminal neuralgia, or the pain associated with shingles.
• It can also be used in the treatment of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).

Side Effects of Carbatrol:

The first signs and symptoms appear after 1-3 hours. The following side effects of Carbatrol may includes:

• Redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth.
• Darkening of urine.
• Lower back or side pain.
• Nosebleeds or other unusual bleeding or bruising.
• Dizziness.
• Sleepiness.
• Blurred or double vision.
• Headache.
• Dizziness.
• Blurred or double vision, uncontrollable eye movements.
• Drowsiness.
• Fever or chills, sore throat.
• Increased thirst.
• Mouth ulcers.

Warnings and precautions before taking Carbatrol:

• Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths or sunlamps. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors.
• Do not use a sunlamp or tanning bed or booth.
• Do not take any other liquid medicines at the same time that you take your dose of Tegretol without first checking with your doctor.
• Diazepam or barbiturates may aggravate respiratory depression (especially in children), hypotension, and coma.
• Do not take double or extra doses.
• Before taking carbamazepine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other anti-seizure medications or tricyclic antidepressants; or if you have any other allergies.
• Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to carbamazepine or to any of the tricyclic antidepressants.

Drug Interaction:

If you are taking certain drugs with Carbatrol, then it may be increased, decreased, or altered the effects of Carbatrol. It is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that cause drowsiness)
• Estrogens (female hormones)
• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen
• Quinidine
• Isoniazid (e.g., INH)
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox)
• Risperidone [e.g., Risperdal]

Overdosage:

• After taking Carbatrol, If you feel that overdose is suspected, then contact with your doctor immediately.
• US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
• Symptoms of a carbamazepine overdose may include shallow breathing, nausea, muscle twitches,tremors, slurred speech, or fainting.
• Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

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