Oxtellar

Oxtellar XR is a prescription medication used to treat partial seizures in adults and children 6 years and older with epilepsy. It is used with other medications. Oxtellar XR belongs to a group of drugs called anticonvulsants, which work by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

This medication comes as an extended release tablet. Oxtellar XR is usually taken once a day. 

Common side effects of Oxtellar XR include dizziness, sleepiness, and headache. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Oxtellar XR affects you.

Oxtellar XR is a prescription medicine used:

• with other medicines to treat partial seizures in adults.
• with other medicines to treat partial seizures in children 6 years to 17 years. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take Oxtellar XR exactly as prescribed. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. The dosage must be individualized based on your age and weight, other medicines you take, as well as other medical conditions you have.

Do not stop taking Oxtellar XR without first talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping Oxtellar XR suddenly can cause serious problems.

Oxtellar XR can cause serious side effects, including:

1. Oxtellar XR may cause the level of sodium in your blood to be low. Symptoms of low blood sodium include:

• nausea 
• tiredness, lack of energy 
• headache 
• confusion 
• more frequent or more severe seizures.

Similar symptoms that are not related to low sodium may occur from taking Oxtellar XR. You should tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects and if they bother you or they do not go away.

Some other medicines can also cause low sodium in your blood. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the other medicines that you are taking.

2. Oxtellar XR may also cause allergic reactions or serious problems which may affect organs and other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:

• swelling of your face, eyes, lips, or tongue 
• trouble swallowing or breathing
• a skin rash
• hives
• fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that do not go away or come and go
• painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes
• yellowing of your skin or eyes 
• unusual bruising or bleeding
• severe fatigue or weakness 
• severe muscle pain 
• frequent infections or infections that do not go away

Many people who are allergic to Tegretol (carbamazepine) are also allergic to Oxtellar XR (oxcarbazepine). Tell your healthcare provider if you are allergic to Tegretol (carbamazepine).

3. Like other antiepileptic drugs, Oxtellar XR may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500.

Call a doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:

• thoughts about suicide or dying 
• attempts to commit suicide 
• new or worse depression 
• new or worse anxiety 
• feeling agitated or restless 
• panic attacks 
• trouble sleeping (insomnia) 
• new or worse irritability 
• acting aggressive, being angry, or violent 
• acting on dangerous impulses 
• an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania) 
• other unusual changes in behavior or mood

Watch for early symptoms of suicidal thoughts and actions:

• Pay attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. 
• Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled.

Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you are worried about symptoms.

Do not stop taking Oxtellar XR without first talking to a healthcare provider. Stopping Oxtellar XR suddenly can cause serious problems. Stopping a seizure medicine suddenly in a patient who has epilepsy may cause seizures that will not stop (status epilepticus).

Suicidal thoughts or actions may be caused by things other than medicines. If you have suicidal thoughts or actions, your healthcare provider may check for other causes.

Oxtellar XR may cause other serious side effects including:

• your seizures can happen more often or become worse
• trouble concentrating
• problems with your speech and language
• feeling confused
• feeling sleepy and tired
• trouble walking and with coordination

Do not take Oxtellar XR if you are allergic to Oxtellar XR or any of its ingredients.

• Many people who are allergic to carbamazepine are also allergic to Oxtellar XR.
• Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how Oxtellar XR affects you. Oxtellar XR may slow your thinking and motor skills.
• Do not drink alcohol or take other drugs that make you sleepy or dizzy while taking Oxtellar XR until you talk to your healthcare provider. Oxtellar XR taken with alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness or dizziness may make your sleepiness or dizziness worse.

See “Drug Precautions”.

The most common side effects of Oxtellar XR include:

• dizziness
• sleepiness
• headache
• problems with walking and coordination (unsteadiness)
• shakiness
• nausea
• vomiting
• double vision
• weakness
• tiredness

These are not all the possible side effects of Oxtellar XR. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• amiodarone (Cordarone)
• amitriptyline (Elavil)
• amlodipine (Norvasc)
• diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac)
• felodipine (Plendil)
• isradipine (DynaCirc)
• nicardipine (Cardene)
• nifedipine (Procardia)
• nimodipine (Nimotop)
• nisoldipine (Sular)
• verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan)
• chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
• clomipramine (Anafranil)
• cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar)
• desmopressin (DDAVP, Minirin, Stimate)
• diazepam (Valium)
• diuretics
• hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, rings, patches, implants, injections, and intrauterine devices)
• indapamide (Natrilix)
• other medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), and valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote)
• proton-pump inhibitors such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), and pantoprazole (Protonix)
• theophylline (Theo-Dur)
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft).

Taking Oxtellar XR with certain other medicines may cause side effects or affect how well they work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Oxtellar XR may harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking Oxtellar XR. You and your healthcare provider will decide if you should take Oxtellar XR while you are pregnant.

If you become pregnant while taking Oxtellar XR, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334. 

Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Oxtellar XR passes into breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should discuss whether you should take Oxtellar XR or breastfeed; you should not do both.

Keep oxcarbazepine oral suspension in the original container. Use within 7 weeks of first opening the bottle.

Do not stop taking oxcarbazepine without talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping oxcarbazepine suddenly can cause serious problems.

Tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to carbamazepine. Many people who are allergic to carbamazepine are also allergic to oxcarbazepine.
• are using birth control. Oxcarbazepine may cause your birth control medicine to be less effective. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best birth control method to use.