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.
Related medicines — Neurology Medicines
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.