Compare Tegretol vs. Aptiom
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Treats seizures and epilepsy.
Tegretol (carbamazepine) is useful for preventing seizures and relieving certain types of nerve pain, but reduces how well many other medications work.
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3.3/ 5 average rating with 61 reviewsforTegretol
Prevents seizures
Aptiom (eslicarbazepine) treats epilepsy, but is more expensive than other medicines that work like it.
Upsides
- Lowers the frequency of seizures, especially for people with tonic-clonic and partial seizures.
- First-choice option for trigeminal neuralgia (nerve pain involving the face, head, and neck), and can relieve other types of nerve pain.
- Equetro is helpful in stabilizing mood for people with bipolar disorder.
- Available as a generic in many forms: pill, extended-release pill, suspension, and chewable tablet.
- Can be combined with other anti-seizure medicines if it doesn't work well enough by itself.
- Some people may tolerate Aptiom (eslicarbazepine) better than other medicines that work just like it.
Downsides
- Takes several weeks to feel the full effects.
- Interacts with many other medicines and supplements.
- Higher risk of skin reactions compared to other antiepileptic medicines, ranging from mild to life-threatening rash.
- Requires routine blood tests to see how the medicine is affecting your body.
- Can't take the suspension form with other liquid medications.
- More expensive than other medicines that work like it.
- Researchers do not know if this medicine works and is safe for children and elderly people.
Used for
- Partial seizures
- Generalized tonic-clonic seizures
- Mixed seizure patterns
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Nerve pain
- Pain
- Agitation
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
- Restless legs syndrome
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Extended-release pill
- Suspension
- Chewable tablet
- Pill
Price
Lowest price
$16.51
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$1196.61
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Reviews
61 reviews so far
56%
saidit'sworth it
43%
saiditworked well
23%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Tegretol (carbamazepine)?
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Side effects
The Tegretol (carbamazepine) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.
25possible side effects
- Dizziness20%
- Headache13%
- Drowsiness11%
- Nausea10%
- Double vision9%
- Blurry vision6%
- Vomiting6%
- Diarrhea4%
- Fatigue4%
- Inability to control your movements4%
- Falls3%
- Loss of balance3%
- Dizziness or spinning sensation2%
- Other vision problems2%
- Constipation2%
- Abdominal pain2%
- Inflammation of stomach2%
- Lack of energy2%
- Problems with walking2%
- Swelling of the hands and feet2%
- Urinary tract infections2%
- Low sodium levels2%
- Tremor2%
- Insomnia2%
- Cough2%
Risks and risk factors
- Life-threatening skin reactions
- Carrying HLA-B*1502 gene
- Asian ancestry
- Blood disorders
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
- History of depression
- Serious allergic reactions
- History of allergic reaction to Trileptal (oxcarbamazepine)
- Pregnancy
- Mental changes due to low sodium
- Age 65 or older
- Dehydration
- Taking diuretics (water pills)
- Changes in mood and suicidal thoughts and behaviors
- Serious skin problems
- Serious allergic reactions
- Low sodium levels
- Changes in alertness
- Higher doses of Aptiom (eslicarbazepine)
- Risk of increased seizures