oxcarbazepine ER
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) is an extended-release antiepileptic for people 6 years and older. You take it once a day to treat partial-onset seizures (also called focal aware seizures). This medication calms brain activity to keep seizures under control. Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) comes as a tablet you swallow whole and take on an empty stomach. Side effects can include dizziness, sleepiness, and vomiting. Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) is available in brand-name and generic versions. You can take it on its own or with other anti-seizure medications.
What is Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)?
What is Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) used for?
Partial-onset seizures (or focal aware seizures)
How Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) works
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) is an antiepileptic or an anti-seizure medication. It’s not exactly known how the medication works to treat seizures. But it's thought to block signaling in the brain to calm brain activity. This helps stop seizures from happening.
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What are the side effects of Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)?
Common Side Effects
- Dizziness (up to 41%)
- Headache (up to 15%)
- Vomiting (up to 15%)
- Drowsiness (up to 14%)
- Double vision (up to 13%)
- Balance problems (up to 7%)
- Weakness (up to 7%)
Other Side Effects
- Feeling tired
- Blurry vision
- Other changes in vision
- Stomach pain
- Tremor
- Poor coordination
- Shaky eye movements (nystagmus)
Serious Side Effects
- Serious allergic reaction or skin reaction: hives, rash, blisters, skin reddening, skin peeling, fever, swelling of the lips or tongue, trouble breathing
- Low sodium levels: nausea, tiredness, headache, muscle cramps, confusion, hallucinations (seeing things that aren't real), seizures, unconsciousness
- Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
- Seizures
Source: DailyMed
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The following side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Infection—fever, chills, cough, or sore throat
- Low sodium level—muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, headache, confusion
- Rash, fever, and swollen lymph nodes
- Redness, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth
- Seizures
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood, or feelings of depression
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Difficulty with paying attention, memory, or speech
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Double vision
- Headache
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Nausea
- Slow or sluggish movements of the body
Pros and cons of Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)
Pros
Taken once a day
Dose can be adjusted based on response to the medication
Okay for children 6 years and older to take
Cons
Must take on an empty stomach (at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating)
Can make it hard to focus and react fast
Can cause serious skin reactions
Pharmacist tips for Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)
For the best results, take Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) at around the same time every day. This can also help you remember to take the medication as it becomes a part of your daily routine.
Take Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) on an empty stomach (at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal). Taking it with food raises your risk of side effects.
Swallow the Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) tablet whole. Don't crush, break, cut, or chew them. Talk to your prescriber if you have trouble swallowing the tablet whole. They can discuss options with you.
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can sometimes make you feel dizzy or sleepy. Don't drive or do anything else that needs your full attention until you know how the medication affects you.
It's best to limit or avoid alcohol while taking Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER). Alcohol can make dizziness and sleepiness worse. This can raise your risk of having an accident and hurting yourself.
Be sure to watch out for skin reactions like a red rash, painful blisters, and peeling skin. Some people have had a serious skin reaction from Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER). Call your prescriber right away if you notice any skin reactions like this while taking the medication.
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can raise your risk of having suicidal thoughts. Tell your prescriber right away if you or your loved ones notice any changes in your behavior or mood. Call 911 as soon as possible if you start thinking about hurting yourself.
Make sure to tell your healthcare team about all the medications you take and plan to take. Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can interact with some other medications. This includes some diuretics and other seizure medications, like phenobarbital. Your care team can check that your medications are safe together.
If you can get pregnant, talk to your prescriber or gynecologist about birth control options that are best for you. Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can make hormonal birth control not work as well. This might raise the risk of having an unplanned pregnancy.
Don't change your dose or suddenly stop taking Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) without talking to your prescriber first. If you lower your dose or stop taking the medication too quickly, it can make your seizures come back. It can be dangerous if seizures happen more often or last longer. Your prescriber will help you lower your dose slowly and safely if you need to stop.
Frequently asked questions about Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)
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What are the risks and warnings for Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)?
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Low sodium levels
Risk factors: Older adults | Taking other medications that can lower your sodium level
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) might cause low sodium levels in your blood. With the immediate-release version of the medication, this has happened in the first 3 months after starting it. But it can also happen more than a year later. Most people didn't have symptoms. Instead, their care team found the problem through blood tests. In most cases, sodium levels went back to normal a few days after stopping the medication.
To be safe, your prescriber might check your sodium levels while you're taking Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER). Call you care team if you feel nauseous, tired, or dizzy or have muscle cramps. And get medical help right away if you feel confused or start having more seizures. These could be signs of low sodium.
Severe allergic reaction
Risk factors: Allergy to carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Although rare, severe and life-threatening allergic reactions to Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) are possible. Signs include swelling of the face, lips, eyes, tongue, or throat. In particular, swelling in the tongue or throat can make it hard to breathe. You might also have other signs of anaphylaxis, like rash or hives. Call 911 right away if you think you're having an allergic reaction.
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome can also happen. This rare reaction cause a red, peeling rash; fever; and swollen lymph nodes. Get medical help right away if you notice these signs.
Tell your prescriber if you're allergic to carbamazepine (Tegretol). People who had an allergic reaction to it might also have one with Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER). Your prescriber might choose a different seizure medication that's safer for you.
Serious skin reactions
Risk factors: Asian descent | Have the HLA-B*1502 allele (a certain gene that raises your risk of skin reactions) | Allergy to carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can sometimes cause serious skin reactions that can be dangerous. These problems include Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). The risk is higher if you have a gene called HLA-B*1502, which is mostly found in people of Asian background. Serious skin reactions usually happen within the first few months of treatment.
Stop taking Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) and get medical help right away if you have a serious skin reaction. Watch closely for a rash, painful blisters, skin reddening, or skin peeling.
Risk of suicidal thoughts
Risk factors: History of depression or other mental health conditions
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) can raise your risk of having thoughts of suicide or harming yourself. This can happen as early as a week after starting the medication.
If you or those around you notices that you're acting differently, talk to your prescriber. Be aware of anxious behavior, panic attacks, anger, irritability, and restlessness. If you ever think about hurting yourself, call 911 right away.
Higher risk of having new seizures
Risk factors: Children
The immediate-release version of oxcarbazepine might make seizures get worse. Some people had a new type of seizure while taking it. It's more likely to happen in children, but it can also happen in adults. It's possible that this could happen with Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER), too.
Make sure your family and friends know what a seizure looks like. That way, they can get medical help quickly if you have a seizure while taking Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER).
Withdrawal seizures
Stopping Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) too fast can raise the risk of seizures. These seizures can happen more often or last longer, which can be dangerous.
Don't stop taking Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) without talking to your prescriber first. If you need to stop, your prescriber will help you do this safely. Usually, this means slowly lowering the dose over time to help prevent seizures.
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) dosage forms
Typical dosing for Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)
People ages 17 years and older: The typical starting dose is 600 mg by mouth once daily, on an empty stomach. If needed, your prescriber will raise your dose weekly. The recommended maintenance dose ranges from 1,200 mg to 2,400 mg daily.
Children 6 to less than 17 years: The prescriber will calculate the dose based on your child's body weight. The typical starting dose is 8 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg of body weight taken by mouth once daily (up to a maximum of 600 mg), on an empty stomach. The typical maintenance dose ranges from 900 mg to 1,800 mg daily, depending on your child's body weight.
Your dose might differ if you take certain medications that interact with Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER). Your dose might also differ if you're an older adult or if you have kidney problems.
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How much does Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) cost?
Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) contraindications
Allergy to oxcarbazepine or eslicarbazepine (Aptiom)
What are alternatives to Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER)?
Partial-onset seizures (or focal aware seizures)
Seizures (partial seizures, tonic-clonic seizures)
Seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome - immediate-release only
Bipolar disorder - immediate-release only
Mixed seizure patterns
Trigeminal neuralgia (facial nerve pain)
Bipolar I disorder - Equetro brand only
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Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine ER) images
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