Oxcarbazepine for epilepsy

About oxcarbazepine

Having epilepsy means that you have had more than one otherwise unexplained fit, or seizure. A seizure is a short episode of symptoms caused by a burst of abnormal electrical activity in your brain. Different parts of the brain control different functions of your body, so the symptoms that occur during a seizure will depend on where the abnormal burst of electrical activity occurs. Symptoms that may occur during a seizure can affect your muscles, sensations, behaviour, emotions, consciousness, or a combination of these. The seizures can be prevented in most people by suitable antiepileptic medication. Oxcarbazepine works by stabilising the electrical activity of your brain, which prevents the seizures from occurring.

Before taking oxcarbazepine

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking oxcarbazepine it is important that your doctor knows:

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind, ein Kind erwarten oder stillen.

• If you have any problems with the way your kidneys work, or with the way your liver works.

• Wenn Sie ein Herzleiden haben.

• If you have been told you have low levels of sodium in your blood.

• If you have a problem with your thyroid gland.

• Wenn Sie eine seltene vererbte Blutkrankheit namens Porphyrie haben.

• Wenn Sie andere Arzneimittel einnehmen. Dazu gehören alle Arzneimittel, die Sie einnehmen und die rezeptfrei erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Arzneimittel.

• Wenn Sie schon einmal eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Arzneimittel hatten.

How to take oxcarbazepine

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about oxcarbazepine and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take oxcarbazepine exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is usual to start treatment on a low dose, and then for the dose to be increased gradually to a regular maintenance dose. You will be asked to take two doses every day. Doses for children are tailored to their age and weight.

• Try to take your doses at the same times of day, each day. Having a routine will help you to remember to take your doses regularly. If you have difficulties swallowing tablets whole, you can break them into halves to make them easier to swallow. Taking them with a drink of water also helps. You can take oxcarbazepine either before or after meals.

• If you (or your child) have been given oxcarbazepine oral liquid medicine, make sure you understand how to measure the correct dose using the oral syringe provided. If you are unsure, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to show you.

• Wenn Sie die Einnahme einer Dosis vergessen haben, nehmen Sie sie ein, sobald Sie sich daran erinnern, es sei denn, es ist fast Zeit für die nächste Dosis; in diesem Fall lassen Sie die vergessene Dosis aus. Nehmen Sie nicht zwei Dosen zusammen ein, um eine vergessene Dosis auszugleichen.
  

Das Beste aus Ihrer Behandlung herausholen

• Wenn Sie zum ersten Mal mit einer neuen Epilepsiebehandlung beginnen, kann sich die Anzahl oder die Art Ihrer Anfälle verändern. Ihr Arzt wird Sie darüber informieren.

• Versuchen Sie, Ihre regelmäßigen Termine bei Ihrem Arzt einzuhalten. So kann Ihr Arzt Ihre Fortschritte überprüfen. Möglicherweise müssen Sie von Zeit zu Zeit Blutuntersuchungen machen lassen.

• Different formulations and makes of oxcarbazepine can act in a slightly different way in your body. Because of this, your doctor may recommend that you continue to take oxcarbazepine from the same manufacturer each time you obtain a new supply. If so, each time you collect a prescription, check to make sure your supply looks the same and that the name is the same. If you are unsure, or if you have any questions about your prescription, please ask your pharmacist to advise you.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take. This is because some medicines interfere with oxcarbazepine, and oxcarbazepine can also alter the way other medicines work.

• Menschen mit Epilepsie müssen zunächst das Autofahren einstellen. Ihr Arzt wird Sie beraten, wann Sie wieder mit dem Autofahren beginnen können. Dies ist in der Regel nach einem Jahr ohne Anfälle der Fall.

• You should avoid getting pregnant, as antiepileptic medicines can harm an unborn child. Make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you and your partner. Oxcarbazepine may affect how well the hormonal contraceptive pill works and additional barrier methods (condoms) are recommended. If you want to have a family, discuss this with your doctor so that you can be given advice from a specialist before you become pregnant.

• Während der Behandlung Ihrer Epilepsie besteht ein geringes Risiko, dass Sie Stimmungsschwankungen, beunruhigende Gedanken und Selbstmordgedanken entwickeln. Wenn dies geschieht, müssen Sie Ihren Arzt sofort darüber informieren.

• You need to take oxcarbazepine regularly every day. Do not stop taking it unless your doctor tells you to stop. Stopping treatment suddenly can cause problems and your doctor will want you to reduce your dose gradually if this becomes necessary.

• Wenn Sie Alkohol trinken, fragen Sie Ihren Arzt um Rat. Ihr Arzt kann Ihnen raten, keinen Alkohol zu trinken, während Sie dieses Arzneimittel einnehmen.

Can oxcarbazepine cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with oxcarbazepine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome haben, von denen Sie glauben, dass sie auf das Arzneimittel zurückzuführen sind, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker, um weiteren Rat zu erhalten.

How to store oxcarbazepine

• Bewahren Sie alle Arzneimittel außerhalb der Reichweite und Sichtweite von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, vor direkter Hitze und Licht schützen.

• Once a bottle of Trileptal® oral suspension has been opened, it should not be used or stored for more than seven weeks. After this time, get a new supply.

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