What is Oxcarbazepine used for :

• Oxcarbazepine is a medication that is used for:


• Monotherapy (used alone) or adjunctive therapy (in combination with another medication) in the treatment of partial seizures (unusual electrical activity that affects a small part of the brain) in adult patients.


• Monotherapy in the therapy of partial seizures in children aged 4–16 years.


• Adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial seizures in children aged 2–16 years.

Do not take Oxcarbazepine :

• If you are allergic to Oxcarbazepine, or any of the ingredients in this medicine. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.

Warnings and precautions :

• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you develop allergic reactions such as shortness of breath, skin rash, swelling of the face or neck, decreased blood pressure and dizziness. Make sure to tell your doctor about any previous similar allergic reactions that you had to carbamazepine before starting this medication.


• This medication may cause hyponatremia (low sodium levels). Talk to your doctor if you experience signs like, malaise, nausea, headache, confusion, lethargy, altered level of consciousness, or increase in seizure frequency or severity. Your doctor may recommend monitoring of your serum sodium levels.


• This medication may cause serious skin reactions. Talk to your doctor immediately if you experience Stevens-Johnson syndrome signs which is a rare, serious disease of the skin that usually begins with signs of a flu and followed by a severe and painful skin rash with blisters, or if you experience toxic epidermal necrolysis which is a skin problem that may spread to eyes, mouth, throat, genitals, urethra and anus, and is manifested by signs, like, painful, red area that spreads rapidly, peeling without blistering, fever, discomfort, raw areas of skin. Make sure to tell your doctor about any previous similar allergic or skin reactions that you previously had to other medications that could be similar to this one (carbamazepine).


• This medication may cause mood changes. Contact your doctor if you experience unusual changes in behavior or mood, appearance or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts, excessive drowsiness or fatigue and weakness.


• Abrupt discontinuation of this medication may increase your risk of having seizures. Do not stop oxcarbazepine unless recommended by your doctor. This medication requires gradual discontinuation before you completely stop taking it.


• This medication may cause cognitive dysfunction (changes in ability to reason, think and remember), drowsiness and decreased level of coordination. Therefore, make sure to avoid driving or using machineries if you are not feeling well.


• This medication may cause Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) also known as multi-organ hypersensitivity which is a type of medication allergy. This type of hypersensitivity can be fatal and therefore it is crucial to report to your doctor immediately any signs that you experience. Signs of multi-organ hypersensitivity include fever, rash, lymphadenopathy (changes in lymph nodes), facial swelling, liver damage (signs like, pale skin, yellow eyes, white stools, dark urine, fatigue, swelling of abdomen), kidney damage (signs like, pain in your pelvis, frequent urination, blood or pus in your urine, cloudy urine, burning or pain when urinating and abdominal pain), hematologic abnormalities (signs like, bleeding, delayed wound healing, easy bruising, feeling tired or dizzy, fever and looking pale), heart problems (like, chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heart rhythms, fatigue, swelling of your ankles, legs and feet), or muscle inflammation (signs like, muscle pain, muscle spasms or cramps and difficulty with muscle movement) and increase in eosinophils levels (signs like, rash, itching, difficulty breathing, runny nose and diarrhea). This medication requires immediate discontinuation in case of multi-organ hypersensitivity reaction.


• This medication may cause blood problems. Talk to your doctor if you experience signs, like, weakness, fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, bleeding, easy bruising, infections and rashes.


• If you are pregnant, make sure to follow up closely with your doctor for any medication adjustments if necessary. Continue close following up with your doctor after your delivery.


• Although it may be rare, but this medication may worsen your seizures and should be stopped if this happens. Contact your doctor if this occurs.


• Before starting the medication, make sure to tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including: depression, mood problems and liver or kidney problems.

Possible side effects :

Possible side effects of Oxcarbazepine include signs of allergic reaction, like rash, signs of low sodium levels, like, malaise, nausea, headache, confusion, lethargy, altered level of consciousness, or increase in seizure frequency or severity, signs of serious skin reactions, like, severe and painful skin rash with blisters, painful, red area that spreads rapidly, peeling without blistering, fever, discomfort, raw areas of skin, signs of hypersensitivity reactions, like, fever, rash, lymphadenopathy (changes in lymph nodes), facial swelling, liver damage (signs like, pale skin, yellow eyes, white stools, dark urine, fatigue, swelling of abdomen), kidney damage (signs like, pain in your pelvis, frequent urination, blood or pus in your urine, cloudy urine, burning or pain when urinating and abdominal pain), hematologic abnormalities (signs like, bleeding, delayed wound healing, easy bruising, feeling tired or dizzy, fever and looking pale), heart problems (like, chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heart rhythms, fatigue, swelling of your ankles, legs and feet), or muscle inflammation (signs like, muscle pain, muscle spasms or cramps and difficulty with muscle movement) and increase in eosinophils levels (signs like, rash, itching, difficulty breathing, runny nose and diarrhea), signs of mood and behavior changes, like, difficulty sleeping, unusual changes in behavior or mood, appearance or worsening of depression, panic attacks, irritability, trouble concentrating, aggression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, confusion, excessive drowsiness, or fatigue and weakness, problems with language and speech, problems with walking and coordination, seizures.

Common side effects include: dizziness, double vision, nausea, drowsiness, tiredness, vomiting, coordination and walking problems, vision problems, trembling and rash.

Other medicines and Oxcarbazepine

• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medications.


• If you are taking carbamazepine, phenytoin or phenobarbital (used for convulsions).


• If you are taking oral contraceptives (used to prevent unwanted pregnancy).

How to take Oxcarbazepine :

• Do not stop taking the medication without consulting your doctor first. Abrupt discontinuation of oxcarbazepine can worsen your case.


• Make sure to take your medication as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will tell you how much to take of this medication and may change doses depending on your clinical status and response to the medication.


• Take tablet with or without food.


• Take medication twice daily.


• Take tablet with a full glass of water.


• Take at the same time every day.


• Do not take for more or less than prescribed by your doctor.


• If you are taking oxcarbazepine oral suspension, start by shaking the bottle well and then measure your dose with the oral dosing syringe provided with the bottle. You may then swallow the measured amount immediately from the syringe or mix the medication in a small glass of water and then take the mixture. Make sure to clean the measuring syringe with warm water and let it dry after every use.


• Do not drink alcohol while taking this medication to avoid excessive drowsiness and dizziness.

How to store Oxcarbazepine :

• Store tablets and oral suspension at 15 to 30°C


• Keep out of the reach of children and pets


• Do not use beyond the expiry date mentioned on the box


• Keep medication in its original pack to protect it from moisture and light


• Do not use damaged pills


• Do not dispose medication in the wastewater or household waste


• Dispose oral suspension after 7 weeks of its first opening


• Shake oral suspension well before using it.