Seizures In Adults

Trileptal is a brand name for oxcarbazepine, an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug that is used to treat epilepsy (recurrent seizures) and bipolar disorder (manic depression).

Seizures occur because of an abnormal firing of neurons in the brain and cause abrupt changes in motor activity and sensory perception. There are two broad classes of seizures officially identified, namely focal (partial) seizures and generalized seizures. Trileptal is used primarily for the treatment of partial seizures. It works by reducing nerve impulses from nerve cells affected.

Trileptal is a drug clinically proven to control partial seizures in adults and children even as young as 4 years. In such cases, Trileptal has been found to be effective both by itself (monotherapy), and in combination with anti-seizure of other (adjuvant). In addition, patients who were administered the drug experienced significantly fewer seizures. Thus, it was concluded that Trileptal may reduce the frequency of partial seizures. Partial seizures occur when a group of nerve cells starts firing their impulses abnormally in one hemisphere of the brain. Whether a simple or complex partial seizure depends on the level of alertness or vigilance of the patient during the seizure takes hold. Trileptal is also useful in adjunctive therapy for children 2 years and older who suffer from epilepsy.

Trileptal is available in tablet form in 150mg, 300mg, 600mg and. Trileptal can be taken with food or on an empty stomach. Take it with a full glass of water. Do not drink alcohol during treatment because this will not only cause drowsiness, it will enhance the risk of seizure. Do not drive or operate dangerous machinery until you are sure you know exactly how Trileptal will affect these activities. So if you are having dizziness, drowsiness, having blurred vision, or poor coordination, abandon these activities.

Generally mild side effects moderately severe that you must be aware of include dizziness, drowsiness, double vision, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, incoordination, blurred vision, abdominal pain, tremor, indigestion, and abnormal gait . For children, they have additional side effects of infection and infestation.

Sometimes a condition called hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the plasma) is observed in patients treated with TRILEPTAL. This is usually accompanied by feelings of severe fatigue, and in this case, the levels of sodium in the blood will be tested and controlled. Other side effects of this disease include a desire for salty foods such as potato chips.

Your doctor should also be informed by the past you took the epilepsy drug, carbamazepine. 25-30% of patients with allergic reactions to carbamazepine may respond well to Trileptal. So if you have developed serious skin reactions after taking this medication, consult your doctor immediately. Patients who are on contraceptive pills may need other forms of contraception, as this drug will make the pill less effective.

It is strongly recommended that you wear or carry a medical identification tag to know that you are taking this medication in case of emergency.

Warning: This article does not substitute for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information on Trileptal.