Oxcarbazepine For Preventing Seizures 1

information for parents and carers
Oxcarbazepine for preventing seizures

This leaflet is about the use of oxcarbazepine for preventing
seizures. (Seizures may also be called convulsions or fits.)
This leaflet is for parents and carers about how to use this Continue to give the medicine in the way that you have been
medicine in children. Our information sometimes differs from told to. Oxcarbazepine may not stop your child’s seizures
that provided by the manufacturers, because their information completely. If you are worried about whether it is helping,
is usually aimed at adults. Please read this leaflet carefully. contact your doctor.
Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it again.
What if my child is sick (vomits)?
Do not stop giving oxcarbazepine suddenly, as your • If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a
child may have more seizures. dose of oxcarbazepine, give them the same dose again.
• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having
Name of drug a dose of oxcarbazepine you do not need to give them
Oxcarbazepine another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
Brand name: Trileptal
What if I forget to give it?
Why is it important to take this medicine? If you remember up to 4 hours after you should have given
a dose, give your child the missed dose. For example, if you
It is important that your child takes oxcarbazepine regularly
usually give a dose at about 7 am, you can give the missed
so that they have fewer seizures.
dose at any time up to 11 am. If you remember after that time,
What is oxcarbazepine available as? do not give the missed dose. Just give the next dose as usual.
• Tablets: 150 mg, 300 mg, 600 mg Never give a double dose of oxcarbazepine.
• Liquid medicine: 300 mg in 5 mL
What if I give too much?
When should I give oxcarbazepine? You are unlikely to do harm if you give an extra dose of
• Oxcarbazepine is usually given twice each day, once oxcarbazepine by mistake, but side-effects may increase.
in the morning and once in the evening. Ideally, these If you are concerned that you may have given too much,
times are 10–12 hours apart, for example some time contact your doctor or local NHS services (details at end of
between 7 and 8 am, and between 7 and 8 pm. leaflet). Have the medicine or packaging with you if you
Give the medicine at about the same time(s) each day so that telephone for advice.
this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help
you to remember. Are there any possible side-eff ects?
We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes
How much should I give? they have other effects that we don’t want (side-effects).
Your doctor will work out the amount of oxcarbazepine (the
dose) that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on Side-eff ects you must do something about
the medicine label. If your child is short of breath or is wheezing, or their
Your doctor will start your child on a low dose, then gradually 999 face, lips or tongue start to swell, or they develop a rash,
increase it over a few days or weeks to help your child get they may be allergic to oxcarbazepine. Take your child
used to the medicine. If you are not sure how much to give, to hospital or call an ambulance straight away.
check with your doctor or pharmacist. If your child has a rash with a sore throat and is also
999 generally unwell, and has a fever (temperature above
It is important that you follow your doctor’s
38°C) or unusual bruises or bleeding, or if they seem
instructions about how much to give.
very confused and their muscles start to twitch, contact
How should I give it? your doctor or take them to hospital straight away, as
this may indicate a more serious reaction.
Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of
water, milk or juice. Your child should not chew Other side-effects you need to know about
the tablets. Oxcarbazepine usually causes only mild side-effects,
Liquid medicine: Shake the bottle well and which should get better as your child’s body gets used to
measure out the right amount using an oral the medicine. If they are still a problem after 2 weeks, or
syringe or a medicine spoon. You can get these you are worried, contact your doctor, but continue to give
from your pharmacist. Do not use a kitchen oxcarbazepine.
• Your child may be feel sick (nausea) or be sick (vomit) or
5.0 ml
teaspoon as it will not give the right amount.

2.5 ml
have stomach ache, diarrhoea or constipation (difficulty

When should the medicine start working? doing a poo).
It may take a few weeks for oxcarbazepine to work properly, • Your child may have a headache or feel dizzy, tired
so your child may still have seizures during this time. This is (lethargic) or sleepy (drowsy).
because the amount of medicine has to be increased slowly.
• Your child may seem less alert than normal, and may Do not change the dose of any drug without talking to
say they cannot think clearly or remember things, or your doctor first.
their coordination may be affected. They may also have • It is best that your child always has the same brand of
changes in mood. each medicine, as there may be differences between
• They may develop a rash. brands. Keep a record of which medicines your child
has.
• Your child’s hair may become thinner and some may fall
out. If this happens discuss it with your doctor at your • Try to give medicines at about the same times each day,
next visit. to help you remember.
• Some children find that their eyesight is blurry or double. • If you are not sure a medicine is working, contact your
There may, sometimes, be other side-effects that are doctor but continue to give the medicine as usual in
not listed above. If you notice anything unusual and are the meantime. Do not give extra doses, as you may do
concerned, contact your doctor. harm.
• Only give the medicine(s) to your child. Never give them
Can other medicines be given at the same time as to anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the
oxcarbazepine? same, as this could do harm.
• You can give your child medicines that contain If you think someone else may have taken the medicine
paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told by accident, contact your doctor straight away.
you not to. • Make sure that you always have enough medicine.
• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any Order a new prescription at least 2 weeks before you
other medicines to your child. This includes herbal or will run out.
complementary medicines. • Make sure that the medicines you have at home have
not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the
Is there anything else I need to know about this packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to
medicine? dispose of.
Epilepsy and pregnancy
• Pregnancy presents a risk to both the mother with Where I should keep this medicine?
epilepsy and her unborn baby. If your daughter has sex, • Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and
it is essential that she uses adequate contraception to direct sunlight. It does not need to be kept in the fridge.
prevent an unplanned pregnancy. • Make sure that children cannot see or reach the
• If your daughter is worried that she may be pregnant, it medicine.
is important that she sees your family doctor as early • Keep the medicine in the container it came in.
as possible. Your daughter should keep taking her
medication until she sees her doctor. Who to contact for more information
Oxcarbazepine and pregnancy Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will be able to give you more
• Doctors don’t yet know whether oxcarbazepine can information about oxcarbazepine and about other medicines
harm an unborn baby. Your daughter must always speak used to treat epilepsy.
to her doctor before trying to conceive. You can also get useful information from:
• The oral contraceptive pill may not work for women or England: NHS 111 - Tel 111 - www.nhs.uk
girls who are taking oxcarbazepine. Scotland: NHS 24 - Tel 111 - www.nhs24.scot
Wales: NHS Direct - Tel 111 - www.111.wales.nhs.uk
General advice about medicines for seizures Northern Ireland: NI Direct - www.nidirect.gov.uk
Do not suddenly stop giving any of these medicines
Young Epilepsy
to your child, as they may have a seizure. If you are
www.youngepilepsy.org.uk - Helpline: 01342 831 342
worried, contact your doctor but carry on giving the
medicine to your child as usual. Epilepsy Society
If your child seems to have more seizures than usual, www.epilepsysociety.org.uk - Helpline: 01494 601 400
contact your doctor or epilepsy nurse. Epilepsy Action
• If your doctor decides to stop a particular medicine, they www.epilepsy.org.uk - Helpline: 0808 800 5050
will discuss this with you. You will usually reduce the
dose bit by bit.
www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
Version 1.2, May 2012 (minor update November 2012). © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Reviewed by: May 2015.
The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through
our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is
important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply
to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and
editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.

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information for parents and carers

Oxcarbazepine for preventing seizures

teaspoon as it will not give the right amount.

have stomach ache, diarrhoea or constipation (difficulty

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