Carbamazepine Sustained-Release Capsules (Carbatrol)

• If you have an allergy to carbamazepine or any other part of this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules).
• If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs.
• If you have had any of these health problems: Bone marrow disease or porphyria.
• If you are taking any of these drugs: Boceprevir, delavirdine, efavirenz, etravirine, nefazodone, nevirapine, rilpivirine, or another drug that has carbamazepine in it.
• If you have taken certain drugs used for low mood (depression) like isocarboxazid, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine or drugs used for Parkinson's disease like selegiline or rasagiline in the last 14 days. Taking this medicine within 14 days of those drugs can cause very bad high blood pressure.
• If you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules).

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this medicine with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules). This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor.
• Have an eye exam as you have been told by your doctor.
• This medicine may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers and lab workers that you take this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules).
• This medicine may cause the results of some pregnancy tests to be wrong. Talk with the doctor.
• Talk with your doctor before you drink alcohol or use other drugs and natural products that slow your actions.
• If you drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit often, talk with your doctor.
• You may have more chance of getting an infection. Wash hands often. Stay away from people with infections, colds, or flu.
• You may bleed more easily. Be careful and avoid injury. Use a soft toothbrush and an electric razor.
• Do not switch brands or types of this medicine (like tablets, liquid) unless you talk with the doctor. They may not work the same.
• A very bad and sometimes deadly reaction has happened with this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules). Most of the time, this reaction has signs like fever, rash, or swollen glands with problems in body organs like the liver, kidney, blood, heart, muscles and joints, or lungs. Talk with the doctor.
• Patients who take this medicine may be at a greater risk of having thoughts or actions of suicide. The risk may be greater in people who have had these thoughts or actions in the past. Call the doctor right away if signs like low mood (depression), nervousness, restlessness, grouchiness, panic attacks, or changes in mood or actions are new or worse. Call the doctor right away if any thoughts or actions of suicide occur.
• Heart block has happened with this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules). Most of the time, this happened in people who already had or were at risk for an abnormal heartbeat. Call your doctor right away if you have a heartbeat that does not feel normal.
• This medicine may affect how much of some other drugs are in your body. If you are taking other drugs, talk with your doctor. You may need to have your blood work checked more closely while taking this medicine with your other drugs.
• If you are 65 or older, use this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules) with care. You could have more side effects.
• Birth control pills and other hormone-based birth control may not work as well to prevent pregnancy. Use some other kind of birth control also like a condom when taking this medicine.
• This medicine may cause harm to the unborn baby if you take it while you are pregnant. If you are pregnant or you get pregnant while taking this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules), call your doctor right away.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Dizziness.
• Feeling sleepy.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Dry mouth.
• Hard stools (constipation).
• Feeling tired or weak.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• This medicine comes with an extra patient fact sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it with care. Read it again each time this medicine is refilled. If you have any questions about this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules), please talk with the doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules). It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine (carbamazepine sustained-release capsules).

Review Date: October 4, 2017