Oxcarbazepine (Oral Route)

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Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check you or your child's progress at regular visits. This is to make sure the medicine is working properly and to allow for changes in your dose. Blood tests will also be needed to check for unwanted effects.

If your or your child's symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking this medicine. Your doctor may need you to be monitored carefully during your pregnancy and after giving birth. Also, your doctor may want you to join the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry, which is used by pregnant patients who are taking this medicine.

Hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) may occur while you are taking this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child develop confusion, decreased urine output, dizziness, fast or irregular heartbeat, headache, muscle pain or cramps, nausea or vomiting, weakness, or swelling of the face, ankles, or hands while taking this medicine.

This medicine may cause a serious type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you or your child have itching, hives, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your face, eyes, lips, or tongue while you are using this medicine.

This medicine can cause a serious reaction called angioedema. Stop using this medicine and tell your doctor right away if you or your child start to have swelling of your face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, or legs, or if you are having trouble swallowing or breathing.

Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin; red skin lesions; severe acne or skin rash; sores or ulcers on the skin; or fever or chills while you are using this medicine.

If you or your child develop a fever along with a rash or swollen glands, contact your doctor right away.

If you or your child develop any unusual or strange thoughts and behavior while taking this medicine, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Other changes might be confusion, worsening of depression, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), suicidal thoughts, and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.

Do not stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Stopping the medicine suddenly may cause your seizures to return or to occur more often. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount of oxcarbazepine you are taking before stopping it completely.

This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, lightheaded, clumsy, unsteady, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert or able to think or see well.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur, especially when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help. If the problem continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions that may affect several parts of the body (e.g., liver or kidneys). Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have more than one of the following symptoms: fever, dark-colored urine, headache, rash, itching, extra fluid around the face, stomach pain, unusual tiredness, or yellow eyes or skin.

This medicine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you or your child are getting an infection or if you or your child get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicines for hay fever, allergies or colds; sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine; prescription pain medicine or narcotics; and other medicines for seizures.

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen or progestin, contraceptive progestin injections (e.g., Depo-Provera®), and contraceptive implant forms of progestin (e.g., Norplant®) may not work properly if you take them while you are taking oxcarbazepine. Unplanned pregnancies may occur. You should use a different or additional means of birth control while you are taking oxcarbazepine. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.

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