oxcarbazepine
Brand names: Trileptal
Oxcarbazepine is a medicine used to treat seizures. It helps to control seizures in adults and children.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$5.46/unit
Generic Price
$0.12/unit
Generic Savings
98%
Generic Available
Yes (22 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Oxcarbazepine is used to treat partial-onset seizures.
Common side effects
Dizziness, Sleepiness, Double vision
Key warnings
This medicine can cause low sodium levels in your blood.
How It Works
Oxcarbazepine works by reducing the electrical activity in the brain. This helps to prevent seizures. It stabilizes overexcited nerve cells.
How to Take It
Take oxcarbazepine exactly as your doctor tells you. Adults usually start with 600 mg per day, split into two doses. Children's doses are based on weight, usually 8 to 10 mg/kg per day, split into two doses. Your doctor may change your dose over time.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Oxcarbazepine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take this medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll by calling 1-888-233-2334.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store oxcarbazepine tablets at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 17,298 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 31,347 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2001–2025.
Total Reports
31,347
Death-Related Reports
2,109
Hospitalization Reports
9,541
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 2,867 |
| 2 | SEIZURE | 2,805 |
| 3 | OFF LABEL USE | 1,617 |
| 4 | FATIGUE | 1,607 |
| 5 | DIZZINESS | 1,519 |
| 6 | CONVULSION | 1,463 |
| 7 | HEADACHE | 1,434 |
| 8 | SOMNOLENCE | 1,410 |
| 9 | NAUSEA | 1,299 |
| 10 | HYPONATRAEMIA | 1,274 |
| 11 | FALL | 1,183 |
| 12 | VOMITING | 1,120 |
| 13 | DRUG INTERACTION | 1,027 |
| 14 | RASH | 985 |
| 15 | ANXIETY | 967 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
This medicine can cause low sodium levels in your blood. Your doctor should check your sodium levels, especially if you take other medicines that can also lower sodium. This medicine may cause suicidal thoughts or actions. Contact your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood, thoughts, or feelings.
Known Drug Interactions
Anticonvulsants: Oxcarbazepine Phenytoin Phenobarbital ↓Dolutegravir Avoid coadministration with DOVATO because there are insufficient data to make dosing recommendations.
Mechanism: Oxcarbazepine lowers the amount of dolutegravir in your body, which could make your HIV treatment less effective.
What to do: You should avoid taking these two medications together because there is not enough information to determine a safe dose.
Product Clinical Comment on Concomitant Use [See Contraindications (4.1)] ; Predominant Effect/Risk [Hypertensive Reaction (HR) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] ; or Serotonin Syndrome (SS) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] ] Altretamine Use with caution If not otherwise specified in this table, consider avoiding concomitant use (see also information on medication-free intervals , use agent at the lowest appropriate dose, monitor for effects of the interaction, advise the patient to report potential effects, and be prepared to discontinue the agent and treat effects of the interactio...
Mechanism: Taking these medicines together can cause a risky increase in serotonin levels or a sudden, severe rise in blood pressure. This happens because both drugs interfere with how the body processes certain brain chemicals.
What to do: Use caution if these drugs are prescribed together and consider avoiding the combination. Your doctor should use the lowest dose possible and watch you closely for any bad reactions.
7.2 Effect of Other Drugs on Oxcarbazepine Strong inducers of cytochrome P450 enzymes and/or inducers of UGT (e.g., rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital) have been shown to decrease the plasma/serum levels of MHD, the active metabolite of oxcarbazepine (25% to 49%) [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )].
Mechanism: Rifampin speeds up the way your body breaks down oxcarbazepine, which can lower the amount of active medicine in your blood by nearly half.
What to do: Your doctor may need to increase your dose of oxcarbazepine to make sure the medicine still works correctly.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS • Phenytoin: Increased phenytoin levels. Reduced dose of phenytoin may be required ( 7.1 ) • Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, and Phenobarbital: Decreased plasma levels of MHD (the active metabolite). Dose adjustments may be necessary ( 7.1 ) • Oral Contraceptive: Oxcarbazepine may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives ( 7.3 ) 7.1 Effect of Oxcarbazepine on Other Drugs Phenytoin levels have been shown to increase with concomitant use of oxcarbazepine at doses greater than 1200 mg/day [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )].
Mechanism: Oxcarbazepine can slow down how your body gets rid of phenytoin, which may cause phenytoin to build up to high levels.
What to do: Your doctor may need to lower your dose of phenytoin and will likely check your blood levels more often.
Reduced dose of phenytoin may be required ( 7.1 ) • Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, and Phenobarbital: Decreased plasma levels of MHD (the active metabolite). 7.2 Effect of Other Drugs on Oxcarbazepine Strong inducers of cytochrome P450 enzymes and/or inducers of UGT (e.g., rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital) have been shown to decrease the plasma/serum levels of MHD, the active metabolite of oxcarbazepine (25% to 49%) [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )].
Mechanism: Phenobarbital causes your body to process and remove the active part of oxcarbazepine more quickly than usual.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your dose of oxcarbazepine to ensure it stays at a level that helps you.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking oxcarbazepine suddenly?
Will oxcarbazepine interact with my birth control?
Can oxcarbazepine cause allergic reactions?
Will this medicine make me sleepy?
How often will my sodium levels be checked?
Can children take this medicine?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Can I drink alcohol while taking oxcarbazepine?
How long does it take for oxcarbazepine to start working?
Does this medication have a generic version?
What are the common side effects of oxcarbazepine?
Does oxcarbazepine interact with other medications?
What drug class is oxcarbazepine?
Is there a generic version of oxcarbazepine?
Is oxcarbazepine safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Anticonvulsant
Other drugs grouped near oxcarbazepine — same-class peers and common alternatives.
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alprazolam
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amitriptyline
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amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
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aripiprazole
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for oxcarbazepine
The FDA label for oxcarbazepine (sold under brand names such as Trileptal) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Anticonvulsant class. Oxcarbazepine is used to treat partial-onset seizures. Official labeling lists 12 commonly reported side effects, including Dizziness, Sleepiness, Double vision.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 17,298 voluntary reports. The database also lists 18 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.12 versus $5.46 for the brand — a 98% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: May 29, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages