Trileptal® oxcarbazepine Consumer Medicine Information What is in this leaflet Epilepsy is a condition in which there Partial seizures may be simple or are repeated convulsions or seizures complex. This leaflet answers some common (fits). Seizures happen because of a • During simple partial seizures, questions about Trileptal. temporary fault in the brain's the patient remains conscious electrical system. It does not contain all the available • In complex partial seizures, the information. It does not take the Normally, brain cells coordinate patient's consciousness is altered. body movements by sending out place of talking to your doctor or Trileptal may be used alone or in signals through the nerves to the pharmacist. combination with other medicines to muscles in an orderly way. The information in this leaflet was treat partial and generalised tonic- last updated on the date listed on the In epilepsy, brain cells send out too clonic seizures in adults and children. many signals in a disorderly fashion. final page. More recent information Ask your doctor if you have any on the medicine may be available. The result can be uncoordinated muscular activity that is called an questions about why this medicine You should ensure that you speak epileptic seizure. has been prescribed for you. to your pharmacist or doctor to Your doctor may have prescribed it Trileptal works by keeping the obtain the most up to date for another purpose. information on the medicine. You brain's overexcitable nerve cells Trileptal is only available with a can also download the most up to under control, thereby, reducing the doctor's prescription. date leaflet from frequency of seizures. www.medsafe.govt.nz. There are two main classes of Trileptal can be used in children aged 1 month and above and in people Those updates may contain important seizures: generalised and partial. older than 65 years of age. information about the medicine and Generalised seizures - There is no evidence that this its use of which you should be aware. involve a wide area of the brain, and All medicines have risks and can affect the whole body. medicine is addictive. benefits. Your doctor has weighed • Tonic-clonic (or grand mal) the risks of you or your child taking seizures are a sub-type of this medicine against the benefits generalised seizure in which the Before you take they expect it will have. sufferer may lose consciousness If you have any concerns about and have generalised jerky Trileptal taking this medicine, ask your muscle contractions. When you must not take it doctor or pharmacist. • Absence (or petit mal) seizures Keep this leaflet with the medicine. are brief, repetitive and involve Do not take Trileptal if you have You may need to read it again. the whole brain. They usually an allergy to: occur in children and the person • oxcarbazepine (the active loses awareness of what is ingredient in Trileptal) happening around them. They • eslcarbazepine (another active tend to stare, and roll back their What Trileptal is used ingredient related to eyes. for oxcarbazepine) Partial seizures - • any of the other ingredients of Trileptal belongs to a group of involve a limited area of the brain Trileptal listed at the end of this medicines called anticonvulsants or (i.e. focal origin), may spread to the leaflet antiepileptics. Trileptal is used in whole brain, and may cause a Tell your doctor if you are allergic adults and children to control some generalised tonic-clonic seizure. types of epilepsy. to carbamazepine, the active TRILEPTAL® 1 ingredient in Tegretol®, another without first checking with your (HRT) for menopause and in oral medicine used to treat epilepsy. doctor. contraceptives (see below) About 25 to 30% of people who are Ask your doctor or pharmacist for • cyclophosphamide, a medicine allergic to carbamazepine are also advice before taking any medicine used to treat some types of cancer allergic to oxcarbazepine (Trileptal). during pregnancy. and to suppress the immune Symptoms of an allergic reaction Tell your doctor if you are system may include shortness of breath, breastfeeding or plan to • some medicines used to treat wheezing or difficulty breathing; breastfeed. stomach ulcers, including swelling of the face, lips, tongue or The active ingredient in Trileptal omeprazole, lansoprazole and other parts of the body; rash, itching passes into breast milk and may pantoprazole or hives on the skin. possibly affect your baby. • St John's wort, which is found in Tell your doctor if you are of Han You should not take Trileptal many medicines that you can buy Chinese or Thai origin. during breast-feeding. without a prescription in a The risk of serious skin reactions pharmacy, health food shop or Ask your doctor or pharmacist for supermarket may be predicted by testing your advice before taking any medicine • blood. Your doctor should be able to during breast-feeding. proguanil, a medicine used to advise if you need a blood test before treat malaria starting this medicine. Taking other medicines • medicines (such as cyclosporin) Do not take Trileptal after the used to help prevent organ Tell your doctor if you are taking expiry date printed on the pack or transplant rejection or to treat any other medicines, including if the packaging is torn or shows certain problems with the medicines that you buy without a signs of tampering. immune system prescription from a pharmacy, In that case, return it to your supermarket or health food shop. The above medicines may be pharmacist. affected by Trileptal or they may Some medicines and Trileptal may affect how well it works. You may If you are not sure whether you interfere with each other. These need to take different amounts of should start taking Trileptal, talk include: to your doctor or pharmacist. your medicines or you may need to • some other medicines used to take different medicines. Your treat seizures such as Before you start to take it doctor will advise you. phenobarbitone, phenytoin, Tell your doctor if you are taking Tell your doctor if you have, or carbamazepine, rifampicin and oral contraceptives (birth control have had, any medical conditions, valproic acid pills). especially the following: • propranolol and calcium If you begin taking Trileptal while • liver problems antagonists such as felodipine and you are taking birth control pills, the verapamil, which are medicines • kidney problems pill may not work as well as it used to treat heart problems and • a low level of sodium in your should. Unplanned pregnancies can high blood pressure blood happen. Your doctor can suggest • medicines which reduce the level another form of birth control while • problems with your heart of sodium in your blood, e.g. you are taking Trileptal. Tell your doctor if you are diuretic medicines, also called Your doctor and pharmacist have pregnant or intend to become fluid or water tablets, which are more information on medicines to be pregnant. used to help the kidneys get rid of careful with or avoid while taking salt and water by increasing the It is important to control epileptic Trileptal. seizures during pregnancy. However amount of urine produced If you have not told your doctor there may be a risk to your unborn • diazepam, a medicine used to about any of the above, tell baby if you take Trileptal or other help you sleep or calm you down antiepileptic medicines during him/her before you take Trileptal. • some medicines used to treat pregnancy. Your doctor will tell you depression, including imipramine, the benefits and potential risks amitriptyline, clomipramine and involved and help you to decide citalopram whether you should take Trileptal. • progesterone, which is often used Do not stop your treatment with in hormone replacement therapy Trileptal during pregnancy TRILEPTAL® 2 How to take Trileptal Trileptal can be taken either with or If you take too much without food. (overdose) Follow all directions given to you Take the tablets with a full glass of Immediately telephone your doctor by your doctor and pharmacist water. or National Poisons and Hazardous carefully. If you have to divide any tablets, you Chemicals Information Centre, These directions may differ from the can buy a tablet cutter from your Dunedin (Phone 0800 POISON or information contained in this leaflet. pharmacist to make sure the dose is 080 764 766) for advice or go to the If you do not understand the accurate. Accident and Emergency instructions on the label, ask your Department at your nearest doctor or pharmacist for help. How long to take it hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too Continue taking your medicine for much Trileptal. Do this even if How much to take as long as your doctor tells you. there are no signs of discomfort or Before and during your treatment Trileptal helps to control your poisoning. with Trileptal, your doctor may epilepsy but does not cure it. You Keep the telephone numbers for perform blood tests to determine the must take this medicine every day, dose for you. Your doctor will tell these places handy. even if you feel well. you when to have the tests. Some of the symptoms of an Do not stop taking Trileptal or Do not exceed the recommended overdose may include sleepiness, lower the dose without first dose. dizziness, nausea and vomiting, loss checking with your doctor. Do not Adults and Elderly patients: of coordination, hyperactivity and let yourself run out of medicine rolling of the eyes. Your doctor will decide your starting over the weekend or on holidays. dose. The usual starting dose of Stopping your medicine suddenly or Trileptal is 600 mg per day. lowering the dose may cause you to The dose can be gradually increased have seizures.