Carbamazepine
Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant used for epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia and bipolar mania, sold here as Tegretol tablets in 100mg, 200mg and 400mg strengths.
What carbamazepine is used for
Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant — a medicine that calms the overactive electrical signalling behind seizures. It is used for epilepsy, to cut how often seizures happen; for trigeminal neuralgia (sudden stabbing pain along the nerve in the cheek or jaw); and for the manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder. It comes as Tegretol tablets in 100mg, 200mg and 400mg, within the neurology range.
How it works
Nerve cells send signals when sodium moves across their outer membrane. Carbamazepine slows that movement, so a cell takes longer to recover between signals and is less likely to fire in a runaway burst. Against trigeminal neuralgia the action is different: it alters the way the body registers pain coming from a nerve. It keeps these conditions under control rather than curing them, so the benefit lasts while the tablets are taken. Because it acts on the nervous system as a whole rather than one spot, it is taken on a fixed schedule rather than when symptoms flare.
Fitting the tablets into your day
Plain carbamazepine tablets are usually taken two to four times a day, with meals, and at steady times from one day to the next. Doses are built up in steps from a low starting point, which is why the strength that suits you in the first week may change later. Seizure control can take a few weeks to settle. Keep the tablets somewhere cool.
Side effects to know about
Drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, nausea and a dry mouth are common in the first weeks and usually ease as the body adjusts. A painful rash, blistering or peeling skin, mouth sores, or a fever during the first few months can signal a serious skin reaction; the risk is higher in people of Asian ancestry who carry a particular inherited factor. Carbamazepine can also lower the number of blood cells, so a lingering sore throat or fever, unusual bruising or bleeding, or tiny red or purple spots on the skin all call for a blood test. Both the skin and blood reactions are rare, but they are why blood counts are checked during treatment.
What else changes how it behaves
Carbamazepine speeds up the liver's clearing of many other medicines, which can leave them working less well, and some medicines push its own level up. Alcohol adds to the drowsiness and unsteadiness. Carbamazepine also makes the combined pill, the patch and the ring less reliable.
Sources
- Carbamazepine: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Epilepsy - NHS — NHS
Where can I order Carbamazepine for delivery in Hong Kong?
Carbamazepine can be ordered online for delivery in Hong Kong, as generic Tegretol, also sold as Carbamazepine tablets, in 100mg, 200mg and 400mg tablets. Every order is sent in plain, unbranded packaging, so the outside gives no clue about the contents.
How much does Carbamazepine cost?
Prices vary between pack sizes. The product page lists its current prices in HKD or in the currency you choose.
Can I buy generic Tegretol in Hong Kong?
Yes, generic Tegretol is listed as 100mg, 200mg and 400mg tablets and contains carbamazepine. It is also sold as plain Carbamazepine tablets, in the same three strengths, so a plain name sits alongside the named one.
What are the other names for carbamazepine?
Tegretol is a brand name of carbamazepine, which is also sold as Mazetol, Zeptol and Timonil. Here, carbamazepine can be bought online as generic Tegretol. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does carbamazepine take to work?
It is not a fast-acting painkiller or rescue medicine, so the first tablet will not stop a seizure or a pain attack. Levels build up over the first days, and seizure control may take a few weeks to settle into a steady pattern.
Can I drink alcohol with carbamazepine?
Alcohol and carbamazepine both make you drowsy, and together they can leave you dizzy, unsteady or slow to react. Keeping any drinking to a small amount avoids stacking one sedating effect on another.
Does carbamazepine affect the pill?
Yes. Carbamazepine makes the combined pill, the patch and the ring less reliable, so extra protection is needed while you take it and for 28 days after the last dose. It is a strong liver enzyme inducer, which is why the effect outlasts the tablets themselves.
Can I drink grapefruit juice with carbamazepine?
Grapefruit juice can raise the level of carbamazepine in your blood, which makes side effects such as dizziness and drowsiness more likely. It is usually left out of the diet while you are taking the tablets.