© Tegretol Retard |
Carbamazepine |
Geigy |
Information for Patients
What you need to know about Tegretol Retard 200mg and 400mg
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your tablets. It contains important information about your tablets.
What's in your medicine
Tegretol Retard contains carbamazepine. This is one of a group of medicines called anticonvulsants. The tablets come in two strengths containing 200mg or 400mg of carbamazepine in a special 'controlled-release' form. They also contain the following inactive ingredients:
Cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methacrylic acid copolymer, ethylcellulose, talc, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide, polyethoxylated castor oil, yellow iron oxide, red iron oxide.
Both the 200mg and 400mg tablets come in blister packs of 56 and 100.
Made by Ciba-Geigy Limited, Stein, Switzerland.
Product Licence Holder: Ciba-Geigy plc, Hulley Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
What this medicine is used for
Tegretol Retard is used to treat epilepsy. It is also used to treat a painful condition of the face called trigeminal neuralgia. Doctors sometimes prescribe Tegretol Retard to help control mood swings. Ask your doctor if you would like further information.
Before taking your medicine
If the answer to any of these questions is YES, do not take the tablets without talking to your doctor again.
If the answer to either of these questions is YES, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Are you taking any of the following:
If the answer to any of these questions is YES, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Other special warnings
Taking your medicine
It is important to take your tablets at the right times. You must take them as instructed by your doctor. Your doctor will probably start Tegretol Retard at a fairly low dose which can then be increased to suit your individual needs. Tegretol Retard is usually taken twice a day. The dose needed varies between patients - the usual ranges are as follows:
Epilepsy
400-600mg twice a day.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
300-400mg twice a day.
Mood Swings
200-300mg twice a day.
Children
5-10 years: 200-300mg twice a day. 10-15 years: 300-500mg twice a day.
Elderly patients
Older people are sometimes more sensitive to the effects of Tegretol Retard and your doctor may decide to start with a lower dose and monitor your progress.
If you are not sure how many tablets to take or when to take them, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
After taking your medicine
These tablets sometimes cause unwanted effects in some people. If you get any of the following tell your doctor at once:
Other effects which may occur include:
These effects are often mild and may wear off after a few days' treatment. If they are severe or last for more than a few days, tell your doctor Also, if your tablets upset you in any other way, tell your doctor.
Storing your medicine
REMEMBER: this medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give it to someone else. It may harm them even if they have the same symptoms as you.
The information in this leaflet applies only to Tegretol Retard. This leaflet does not contain the complete information about your tablets. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Supplied by Geigy Pharmaceuticals, Horsham, West Sussex
Date: August 1995 Copyright Ciba-Geigy PLC