Trileptal (oxcarbazepine)

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

- Sleepiness (somnolence).
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
- Visual disturbances such as double vision or blurred vision.
- Fatigue.
- Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain.
- Low blood sodium level (hyponatraemia).
- Agitation.
- Confusion.
- Depression.
- Unstable moods (emotional lability).
- Shaky movements and unsteady walk (ataxia).
- Concentration or memory difficulties.
- Skin reactions such as rash and itch.
- Acne.
- Hair loss (alopecia).
- Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia).
- Decreased number of white blood cells in the blood (leucopenia).
- Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).
- Irregular heart beats.
- Chronic inflammatory disease which affects the skin and various internal organs (systemic lupus erythematosus).

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

Oxcarbazepine may increase the blood levels of the following antiepileptic medicines:

- phenobarbital (phenobarbitone)
- phenytoin.

These medicines may also decrease the effect of oxcarbazepine. If you are taking either of these medicines with oxcarbazepine your doctor may need to adjust your doses.

Oxcarbazepine may decrease the blood levels of the following medicines:

- carbamazepine (carbamazepine may also decrease the effect of oxcarbazepine)
- ciclosporin
- oral contraceptives (this may make oral contraceptives ineffective, hence women of childbearing age should use additional non-hormonal methods of contraception, eg condoms, to prevent pregnancy)
- some calcium channel blockers, eg felodipine.

If this medicine is taken with lithium or lamotrigine there may be an increased risk of side effects.

There may be an increased risk of low blood sodium levels if this medicine is taken with any of the following medicines, which can also lower blood sodium levels:

- antidepressants
- diuretics, eg furosemide, bendroflumethiazide
- NSAIDs, eg indometacin
- desmopressin.

People taking these medicines in combination with oxcarbazepine should have regular tests to monitor the amount of sodium in their blood.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

Oxcarbazepine tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.

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