Carbamazepine (Oral Route)

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Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Blurred vision or double vision
• Continuous back-and-forth eye movements

• Actions that are out of control
• Behavioral changes (especially in children)
• Confusion, agitation, or hostility (especially in the elderly)
• Diarrhea (severe)
• Discouragement
• Drooling
• Fear
• Feeling of unreality
• Feeling sad or empty
• Headache (continuing)
• Increase in seizures
• Irritability
• Lack of appetite
• Loss of balance control
• Loss of interest or pleasure
• Muscle trembling, jerking, or stiffness
• Nausea and vomiting (severe)
• Other problems with muscle control or coordination
• Sense of detachment from self or body
• Shakiness and unsteady walk
• Shuffling walk
• Stiffness of the limb
• Sudden, wide mood swings
• Talking, feeling, and acting with excitement
• Thoughts or attempts of killing oneself
• Tiredness
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble sleeping
• Twisting movements of the body
• Uncontrolled movements, especially of face, neck, and back
• Unusual drowsiness

• Black, tarry stools
• Blood in the urine or stools
• Bone or joint pain
• Chest pain
• Cough or hoarseness
• Darkening of the urine
• Difficulty with speaking or slurred speech
• Fainting
• Frequent urination
• Irregular, pounding, or unusually slow heartbeat
• Lower back or side pain
• Mental depression with restlessness and nervousness or other mood or mental changes
• Muscle or stomach cramps
• Nosebleeds or other unusual bleeding or bruising
• Numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the hands and feet
• Pain, tenderness, swelling, or bluish color in the leg or foot
• Painful or difficult urination
• Pale stools
• Pinpoint red spots on the skin
• Rapid weight gain
• Rigidity
• Ringing, buzzing, or other unexplained sounds in the ears
• Shortness of breath
• Skin rash, hives, or itching
• Sore throat, chills, and fever
• Sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• Swelling of the face, hands, feet, or lower legs
• Swollen or painful glands
• Sudden decrease in the amount of urine
• Trembling
• Uncontrolled body movements
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Visual hallucinations (seeing things that are not there)
• Wheezing, tightness in the chest, or troubled breathing
• Yellow eyes or skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

• Body spasm in which head and heels are bent backward and body is bowed forward
• Clumsiness or unsteadiness
• Convulsions (seizures)—especially in small children
• Dizziness (severe) or fainting
• Drowsiness (severe)
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Irregular, slow, or shallow breathing
• Large pupils
• Nausea or vomiting (severe)
• Overactive reflexes followed by underactive reflexes
• Poor control in body movements (for example, when reaching or stepping)
• Trembling, twitching, or abnormal body movements

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Dizziness (mild)
• Drowsiness (mild)
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea or vomiting (mild)

• Accidental injury
• Aching joints or muscles
• Acid or sour stomach
• Back pain
• Belching
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dryness of mouth
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight (skin rash, itching, redness or other discoloration of skin, or severe sunburn)
• Increased sweating
• Indigestion
• Irritation or soreness of the tongue or mouth
• Itching skin
• Lack or loss of strength
• Loss of hair
• Loss of memory
• Problems with memory
• Sexual problems in males
• Sleepiness
• Stomach pain, upset, or discomfort

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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