Carbamazepine (Intravenous)

Carbamazepine injection is used as a substitute for oral carbamazepine to treat adults with specific types of seizures (epilepsy). Carbamazepine acts in the brain and nervous system to manage seizures. This medicine is an anticonvulsant.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

It is very important for your doctor to monitor your progress closely while you are taking this medicine. Your doctor may want you to have certain tests to check if you are getting the right amount of medicine or if you are experiencing side effects without knowing. Additionally, the dose of this medicine may need to be adjusted frequently.

Using this medicine during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to prevent pregnancy. If you think you might be pregnant while taking this medicine, inform your doctor immediately.

Do not use carbamazepine with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or within the first 14 days after stopping a MAOI. MAOIs are used for depression, and some examples include isocarboxazid (Marplan®), phenelzine (Nardil®), selegiline (Eldepryl®), or tranylcypromine (Parnate®). Do not take this medicine with boceprevir (Victrelis®), delavirdine (Rescriptor®), and nefazodone (Serzone®).

Serious skin reactions can happen with this medicine. Contact your doctor right away if you experience blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, a fever, or chills while taking this medicine.

Contact your doctor immediately if you have a fever, sore throat, rash, mouth ulcers, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, swollen glands, or small red or purple spots on the skin. These may be signs of a serious blood problem.

Carbamazepine may cause serious allergic reactions that affect multiple organs (like the liver or kidneys). Contact your doctor right away if you have a fever, dark urine, headache, rash, stomach pain, unusual tiredness, or yellow eyes or skin.

Carbamazepine may make some people feel agitated, irritable, or show other unusual behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts or to feel more depressed. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor immediately.

This medicine will enhance the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that induce drowsiness). Some examples of CNS depressants include antihistamines or medicines for hay fever, allergies, or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, sleeping medicines, prescription pain medications or narcotics, medicines for seizures (like barbiturates), muscle relaxants, and anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Talk to your doctor before taking any of these while using this medicine.

This medicine may cause some people to feel drowsy, dizzy, lightheaded, or less alert than usual, especially when starting treatment or increasing the dose. It may also cause blurred or double vision, weakness, or loss of muscle control in some people. Make sure you understand how this medicine affects you before driving, operating machinery, or doing anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert or coordinated.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience blurred vision, difficulty reading, or any other changes in your vision during or after treatment. Your doctor may want you to see an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

Do not stop taking this medicine without first consulting your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually decrease your dose before stopping completely. This can help prevent worsening of seizures and reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms.

Birth control pills that contain estrogen may not work effectively if you take them while using carbamazepine. Unplanned pregnancies could occur. Use a different or additional form of birth control while taking carbamazepine. If you have questions about this, consult your doctor.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may increase the effects of this medicine by raising the levels in your body. You should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless you have discussed them with your doctor. This includes prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, as well as herbal or vitamin supplements.

In deciding to use a drug, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your physician will make. For this medication, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Inform your physician if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other drugs. As well inform your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of carbamazepine injection in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of carbamazepine injection have not been performed in the geriatric population, geriatric-specific issues are not expected to limit the usefulness of carbamazepine injection in the elderly. Nevertheless, elderly patients are more likely to have hyponatremia, which may require caution.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant chance when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential chances prior to taking this medicine while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medications

Although certain medications should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medications may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your physician may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medication, it is especially essential that your healthcare professional know if you are using any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not advised. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medicine or change some of the other medications you take.

• Artemether
• Atazanavir
• Boceprevir
• Cabotegravir
• Clorgyline
• Cobicistat
• Daclatasvir
• Darunavir
• Dasabuvir
• Delamanid
• Delavirdine
• Doravirine
• Efavirenz
• Elbasvir
• Elvitegravir
• Fostemsavir
• Furazolidone
• Grazoprevir
• Iproniazid
• Isavuconazonium
• Isocarboxazid
• Lenacapavir
• Linezolid
• Lorlatinib
• Lumefantrine
• Lurasidone
• Maraviroc
• Mavacamten
• Methylene Blue
• Moclobemide
• Nefazodone
• Nialamide
• Nirmatrelvir
• Ombitasvir
• Pacritinib
• Pargyline
• Paritaprevir
• Phenelzine
• Praziquantel
• Procarbazine
• Ranolazine
• Rasagiline
• Rilpivirine
• Ritonavir
• Selegiline
• Telaprevir
• Tenofovir Alafenamide
• Toloxatone
• Tranylcypromine
• Voriconazole

Using this drug with any of the following medicines is typically not advised, but may be required in some cases. If both medications are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medications.

• Abemaciclib
• Abiraterone Acetate
• Acalabrutinib
• Acetazolamide
• Adagrasib
• Adenosine
• Afatinib
• Alfentanil
• Almotriptan
• Alpelisib
• Alprazolam
• Amiodarone
• Amodiaquine
• Amphetamine
• Amprenavir
• Apixaban
• Apremilast
• Aprepitant
• Aripiprazole
• Artesunate
• Atogepant
• Avacopan
• Avapritinib
• Axitinib
• Bedaquiline
• Belumosudil
• Bendamustine
• Benzhydrocodone
• Benzphetamine
• Berotralstat
• Betrixaban
• Bictegravir
• Bortezomib
• Bosutinib
• Brexpiprazole
• Brigatinib
• Buprenorphine
• Bupropion
• Butorphanol
• Cabozantinib
• Calcifediol
• Cannabidiol
• Capmatinib
• Cariprazine
• Cenobamate
• Ceritinib
• Chloroquine
• Chlorpromazine
• Cisatracurium
• Citalopram
• Clarithromycin
• Clonazepam
• Clozapine
• Cobimetinib
• Codeine
• Conivaptan
• Copanlisib
• Crizotinib
• Cyclophosphamide
• Cyclosporine
• Dabigatran Etexilate
• Daridorexant
• Darolutamide
• Dasatinib
• Deflazacort
• Desmopressin
• Desogestrel
• Desvenlafaxine
• Dexamethasone
• Dextroamphetamine
• Dextromethorphan
• Dienogest
• Dihydrocodeine
• Diltiazem
• Dolasetron
• Dolutegravir
• Doxorubicin
• Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
• Dronedarone
• Drospirenone
• Duloxetine
• Duvelisib
• Edoxaban
• Elacestrant
• Elexacaftor
• Eliglustat
• Encorafenib
• Entrectinib
• Enzalutamide
• Eravacycline
• Erdafitinib
• Erlotinib
• Erythromycin
• Escitalopram
• Eslicarbazepine Acetate
• Estetrol
• Estradiol
• Ethinyl Estradiol
• Ethynodiol
• Etonogestrel
• Etravirine
• Everolimus
• Exemestane
• Ezogabine
• Fedratinib
• Felodipine
• Fenfluramine
• Fentanyl
• Fexinidazole
• Finerenone
• Fluconazole
• Fluoxetine
• Fluvoxamine
• Fosamprenavir
• Fosaprepitant
• Fosnetupitant
• Fosphenytoin
• Fostamatinib
• Futibatinib
• Gefitinib
• Gepirone
• Gestodene
• Gilteritinib
• Glasdegib
• Glecaprevir
• Granisetron
• Halofantrine
• Hemin
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Hydroxyamphetamine
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Hydroxytryptophan
• Ibrexafungerp
• Ibrutinib
• Idelalisib
• Ifosfamide
• Imatinib
• Indinavir
• Infigratinib
• Irinotecan
• Irinotecan Liposome
• Isoniazid
• Istradefylline
• Itraconazole
• Ivabradine
• Ivacaftor
• Ivosidenib
• Ixabepilone
• Ixazomib
• Ketoconazole
• Lamotrigine
• Lapatinib
• Larotrectinib
• Lasmiditan
• Ledipasvir
• Lefamulin
• Lemborexant
• Leniolisib
• Levoketoconazole
• Levomilnacipran
• Levonorgestrel
• Levorphanol
• Linagliptin
• Lisdexamfetamine
• Lomitapide
• Lopinavir
• Loratadine
• Lorcaserin
• Loxapine
• Lumateperone
• Lurbinectedin
• Macimorelin
• Macitentan
• Manidipine
• Maribavir
• Medroxyprogesterone
• Mefloquine
• Meperidine
• Mestranol
• Metaxalone
• Methadone
• Methamphetamine
• Methotrexate
• Midostaurin
• Mifepristone
• Milnacipran
• Mirtazapine
• Mitapivat
• Mobocertinib
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Nalbuphine
• Naloxegol
• Nelfinavir
• Neratinib
• Netupitant
• Nifedipine
• Nilotinib
• Nimodipine
• Nintedanib
• Nomegestrol
• Norelgestromin
• Norethindrone
• Norgestimate
• Norgestrel
• Olanzapine
• Olaparib
• Olutasidenib
• Omaveloxolone
• Ondansetron
• Orlistat
• Osimertinib
• Oxcarbazepine
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone
• Paclitaxel
• Palbociclib
• Paliperidone
• Palonosetron
• Palovarotene
• Panobinostat
• Paroxetine
• Pazopanib
• Pemigatinib
• Pentazocine
• Perampanel
• Pexidartinib
• Phenobarbital
• Phenytoin
• Pibrentasvir
• Pimavanserin
• Piperaquine
• Pirtobrutinib
• Pitolisant
• Ponatinib
• Ponesimod
• Pralsetinib
• Pretomanid
• Primaquine
• Primidone
• Proguanil
• Propoxyphene
• Pyrimethamine
• Quetiapine
• Quinine
• Quizartinib
• Regorafenib
• Relugolix
• Remifentanil
• Ribociclib
• Rimegepant
• Ripretinib
• Risperidone
• Ritlecitinib
• Rivaroxaban
• Rolapitant
• Romidepsin
• Ruxolitinib
• Samidorphan
• Saquinavir
• Segesterone
• Selpercatinib
• Selumetinib
• Sertraline
• Sildenafil
• Simvastatin
• Sirolimus Protein-Bound
• Sofosbuvir
• Sonidegib
• Sotorasib
• Sparsentan
• Stiripentol
• Sufentanil
• Sunitinib
• Tacrolimus
• Tafenoquine
• Tamoxifen
• Tapentadol
• Tasimelteon
• Tazemetostat
• Telithromycin
• Temsirolimus
• Terfenadine
• Tezacaftor
• Thioridazine
• Thiotepa
• Ticagrelor
• Tipranavir
• Tivozanib
• Tofacitinib
• Tolvaptan
• Topiramate
• Trabectedin
• Tramadol
• Trazodone
• Tucatinib
• Ubrogepant
• Ulipristal
• Upadacitinib
• Valbenazine
• Valproic Acid
• Vandetanib
• Velpatasvir
• Vemurafenib
• Venetoclax
• Verapamil
• Vigabatrin
• Vilazodone
• Vincristine
• Vincristine Sulfate Liposome
• Vinflunine
• Voclosporin
• Vonoprazan
• Vorapaxar
• Vortioxetine
• Voxelotor
• Voxilaprevir
• Zanubrutinib
• Zileuton
• Ziprasidone
• Zolpidem
• Zuranolone

Using this medication with any of the following medications may cause an increased risk of certain adverse effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medications are prescribed together, your clinician may change the dose or how frequently you use one or both of the medications.

• Acetaminophen
• Acetylcysteine
• Aminophylline
• Amitriptyline
• Amoxapine
• Anisindione
• Aripiprazole Lauroxil
• Caspofungin
• Dalfopristin
• Danazol
• Desipramine
• Dicumarol
• Doxepin
• Etretinate
• Felbamate
• Flunarizine
• Furosemide
• Ginkgo
• Haloperidol
• Hydrochlorothiazide
• Imipramine
• Influenza Virus Vaccine
• Levetiracetam
• Lithium
• Methylphenidate
• Methylprednisolone
• Metronidazole
• Mianserin
• Midazolam
• Miokamycin
• Nafimidone
• Niacinamide
• Nortriptyline
• Omeprazole
• Ospemifene
• Phenprocoumon
• Pipecuronium
• Protriptyline
• Psyllium
• Quinupristin
• Remacemide
• Rifampin
• Rifapentine
• Rocuronium
• Rufinamide
• Sabeluzole
• Theophylline
• Tiagabine
• Ticlopidine
• Troleandomycin
• Valnoctamide
• Vecuronium
• Viloxazine
• Warfarin

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not advised, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how frequently you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Grapefruit Juice

Using this medication with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your clinician may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Black Tea

Other Medical Issues

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this drug. Make sure you inform your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Anemia or
• Behavior or mood issues or
• Depression, history of or
• Glaucoma, or history of or
• Hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) or
• Liver disease, or history of or
• Porphyria (an inherited disease)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Asian ancestry (eg, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese)—May raise the chance for serious skin reactions. Your doctor may order a special test prior to prescribing this medicine.

• Bone marrow depression or
• Kidney disease, moderate to serious—Should not be used in patients with this condition.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

• Back pain
• chest tightness
• chills
• fever
• flushing
• headache
• nausea and vomiting
• pale skin
• trouble breathing
• troubled breathing with exertion
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Rare

• Coma
• confusion
• convulsions
• decreased urine output
• dizziness
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• increased thirst
• muscle pain or cramps
• swelling of the face, ankles, or hands

Incidence not known

• Bleeding gums
• blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• blood in the urine or stools
• bloody, black, or tarry stools
• changes in behavior
• chest pain
• cough or hoarseness
• dark-colored urine
• decreased urine output
• diarrhea
• fainting
• general feeling of tiredness or weakness
• high fever
• itching
• joint or muscle pain
• light-colored stools
• lightheadedness
• lower back or side pain
• painful or difficult urination
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• rapid, shallow breathing
• red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• red, irritated eyes
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• stiff neck or back
• stomach pain, continuing
• swelling of the face, ankles, or hands
• swollen or painful glands
• thoughts of killing oneself
• tightness in the chest
• yellow eyes or skin

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

• Sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

Less common

• Double vision
• seeing double

Incidence not known

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• burning, dry, or itching eyes
• diarrhea
• difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
• discharge, excessive tearing
• dry mouth
• loss of appetite
• redness, pain, or swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid
• redness, swelling, or soreness of the tongue
• swelling or inflammation of the mouth
• weight loss

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In the U.S.

• Carnexiv

Chemical Class: Dibenzazepine Carboxamide

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins.