A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.
Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.
Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.
Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.
Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who take Tegretol
- abnormal laboratory test results
- blood and bone marrow problems - you must seek immediate medical advice if you get a fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers, petechia or unexplained or easy bruising of the skin
- coordination problems
- feeling dizzy
- feeling drowsy
- nausea
- skin reactions including skin rashes, allergic reactions, urticaria, dermatitis or reddening of the skin. You must seek immediate medical help if you get a skin rash
- tiredness
- vomiting
Common: More than 1 in 100 people who take Tegretol
Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who take Tegretol
Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who take Tegretol
- feeling agitated
- feeling restless
- folic acid deficiency
- heart problems
- hypersensitivity reactions - these may occur with fever, skin rashes, lymphadenopathy, vasculitis or in the organs of the body such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas or colon. You must seek immediate medical help if you get joint pain
- itching
- liver problems - you must seek immediate medical help if you develop jaundice
- loss of appetite
- lowered or raised blood pressure
- lupus or lupus-like problem
- lymphadenopathy
- muscle weakness
- neuropathy of the extremities
- paraesthesiae
- paresis
- speech problems including slurred speech
- stomach pain
- thoughts of committing suicide, behavioural problems or worsening of behavioural problems including: aggression, depression, confusion, hallucination or psychosis or psychotic-like behaviour - you or your carer must seek medical advice if you have behavioural changes, thoughts of committing suicide or have attempted to commit suicide
Very rare: Fewer than 1 in 10,000 people who take Tegretol
The frequency of these side-effects is unknown
If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.