Carbamazepine

Pronounced kar-bah-MAZ-e-peen

Brand names: Tegretol

Type: Antiseizure medicine · All Neurology Medicines

What Carbamazepine is used for

  • Seizure disorders
  • Trigeminal neuralgia (face nerve pain)
  • Bipolar disorder

◆ Kidney note

Blood sodium lowering matters in kidney patients; specialist monitoring guides use.

Common side effects

  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Double vision
  • Nausea
  • Unsteadiness

Important cautions

  • Can cause serious skin reactions — people with certain Asian ancestry are tested for a risk gene (HLA-B*1502) before starting
  • Can lower white blood cells and blood sodium — blood tests are monitored
  • Speeds up the breakdown of many medicines, including contraceptives and transplant drugs

How it comes

Tablets, extended-release tablets and capsules, liquid. This guide lists forms only — it never lists strengths or doses.

Toxicity lists: Carbamazepine also appears on Medicines That Can Harm the Liver.

Please note: This page is a patient-education summary, not medical advice, and it deliberately contains no doses. Medicines affect everyone differently — always follow your own prescription and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.