Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take Carbamazepine as follows:
- Take this medication as ordered by your physician. Do not change the dose and frequency on this medication without consulting your doctor. Take the medication dose for the duration prescribed without fail.
- Take the medication dose at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication.
- Carbamazepine may be taken with food, as taking the medication with some food can help avoid the unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea and vomiting.
- Carbamazepine intake can induce some dizziness and results in sleep. Do not take carbamazepine with alcohol or opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, as these products can add to the dizziness and confusion caused by carbamazepine, and contribute to falls and accidents. A number of OTC cough medications and antihistamines, muscle relaxant medications, and antianxiety medications, can potentiate the confusion caused by carbamazepine and so, must be avoided taking along with carbamazepine. Stay away from activities, such as, driving and operating heavy machinery, until you are used to the side effects caused by carbamazepine intake. If the dizziness becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered.
- Avoid drinking grapefruit juice when you are taking carbamazepine. Grapefruit juice can inhibit the activity of enzymes metabolizing carbamazepine, which results in poor metabolism of the drug. This can result in carbamazepine being active in the body for longer duration, contributing to risk for toxicity with the medication.
- When taking carbamazepine as an oral liquid/suspension, use a measuring spoon/cup to measure the correct dose being taken, in order to avoid risk for over/under dosing. Also, do not forgot to shake the suspension well before you use it.
- If you are prescribed carbamazepine extended-release capsule, try to swallow the capsule as a whole, with a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole extended-release capsule, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the contents on a spoonful of apple sauce or jello or pudding. Swallow the apple sauce or pudding with the contents of capsule sprinkled over it, without chewing the contents in the mouth. Chewing these contents in the mouth can result in rapid release and absorption of the medication into the blood stream, thus resulting in toxicity.
- Take the regular tablet as a whole using a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole tablet, you may cut the tablet and swallow it in pieces with a glass of water. You can also crush the regular tablet and sprinkle the powder on a spoon of apple sauce or jello or pudding, to facilitate an easy swallow.
- If you are prescribed an extended-release tablet, do not cut or crush the tablet. Cutting or crushing the extended-release tablet can result in rapid absorption of the drug into the blood stream, thus resulting in toxicity. Swallow the extended-release tablet as a whole, using a glass of water.
- Carbamazepine can take some time to fairly adjust to your body, before preventing seizure episodes and providing relief with neuropathy. Do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Your physician could change the dose of carbamazepine, based on the relief obtained or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to update on the relief from symptoms. Be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, if need be, until you show an optimum response.
- Carbamazepine can interact with a number of other medications and can precipitate serious reactions. If you are being newly started on carbamazepine, discuss with your physician regarding all other medications you are currently taking and their safety with carbamazepine. Also, if you have been taking carbamazepine for long, discuss with your physician regarding your history of carbamazepine intake, when you are being started on any new medication.
- Carbamazepine only prevents the seizures from happening and controls the neuropathy and bipolar symptoms, by reducing the excitation and rapid firing of the nerves. But, carbamazepine does not fix the actual condition causing the seizures or the neuropathy. Continue taking carbamazepine as ordered, even if you experience relief from the symptoms. If carbamazepine is prescribed for seizure control, abrupt discontinuation on carbamazepine intake after prolonged use, can result in recurrence of seizure episodes. If carbamazepine is prescribed for control of neuropathy and bipolar symptoms, abrupt discontinuation on carbamazepine intake after prolonged use, can result in exacerbation of neuropathy and worsening of bipolar symptoms. Discontinuing the medication should only be on your physician’s recommendation.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
