Carbamazepine
Also sold as: Tegretol
Prescription neededEpilepsy and nerve pain
Comes as:TabletSuspension
Also sold as: Tegretol
Usual adult dose: start with 100 mg to 200 mg once or twice a day; the doctor raises it slowly, usually to 400 mg to 1,200 mg a day. It is also used for trigeminal nerve pain. Do not stop it suddenly.
Your doctor may give you a different dose. Children's doses depend on weight.
Stop taking it and see a doctor straight away if you notice:
Medicines that can react with this one.
Clarithromycin raises carbamazepine levels and can cause toxicity.
Carbamazepine strongly lowers daclatasvir levels; do not combine.
Carbamazepine makes the contraceptive pill less effective; use another method.
Carbamazepine makes levonorgestrel less effective; ask a doctor about a double dose or a copper IUD.
Carbamazepine lowers sofosbuvir levels so treatment may fail.
Carbamazepine lowers the effect of warfarin; INR must be checked.
Carbamazepine lowers albendazole levels, which matters for long treatment of tissue worm infections.
Carbamazepine lowers aripiprazole levels; the dose may need to be raised.
Carbamazepine lowers clonazepam levels.
Raises carbamazepine levels and can cause toxicity.
Carbamazepine can lower flunarizine levels.
Carbamazepine lowers haloperidol levels, so it may work less well.
Isoniazid can raise carbamazepine levels.
Carbamazepine lowers lamotrigine levels.
Carbamazepine lowers norethisterone levels and can make it less effective.
Carbamazepine lowers olanzapine levels, so it may work less well.
Carbamazepine lowers praziquantel levels.
Carbamazepine lowers progesterone levels and can make it less effective.
Carbamazepine strongly lowers quetiapine levels, so it may not work.
Carbamazepine lowers risperidone levels, so it may work less well.
Carbamazepine lowers valproate levels; levels should be checked.
Carbamazepine lowers tramadol levels and both affect seizure risk; avoid together.