Avloire (Carbamazepine)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Avloire Used For?
Avloire contains carbamazepine, an anticonvulsant medication that helps prevent or reduce seizures and control certain mood conditions.
Primary Uses
Avloire is used to control epilepsy (repeated seizures or fits), sudden repeated attacks of face pain (trigeminal neuralgia), mania (overactivity, excessive happiness or irritability), and bipolar mood disorder where periods of mania alternate with periods of depression.
How It Works
Avloire is an anticonvulsant medicine that prevents or reduces fits by stabilizing electrical activity in the brain.
How to Take Avloire
Your doctor will determine the right amount of Avloire for you. Take the tablets during or after meals with a little liquid.
Dosage Instructions
Swallow Avloire tablets with a full glass of water. Take during or after a meal, 2 or 3 times per day according to your doctor’s instructions. Follow your doctor’s instructions exactly and continue taking until told to stop.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If your next dose is not due for more than 2-3 hours, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, then continue with your normal schedule. If your next dose is due within 2-3 hours, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- tiredness/sleepiness
- dry mouth
- hair loss
- loss of appetite
- change in sense of taste
- feeling sick
- vomiting
- swelling/fluid retention
- weight increase
- reduced muscle coordination
- headaches
- slurred speech
- weakness, numbness or tingling
- blurred vision
- double vision
- depression
- agitation
- itchy red skin
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers, swollen glands
- tiredness, headache, shortness of breath, looking pale, frequent infections, unusual bleeding or bruising
- red blotchy rash on face with fatigue, fever, nausea
- yellowing of eyes or skin
- dark urine, less urine than normal, blood in urine
- severe skin rash, blisters, skin peeling with fever
- swelling of face, eyes, tongue, difficulty swallowing, wheezing
- muscle stiffness, high fever, unconsciousness
- irregular heartbeat, chest pain
- fainting
- severe diarrhea, stomach pain with fever
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Avloire should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Take Avloire
Do not use if you are allergic to carbamazepine or related medicines, taking tricyclic antidepressants, have blood diseases with low red/white blood cells or platelets, have systemic lupus erythematosus, irregular heartbeat from A-V block, hepatic porphyria, severe liver disease, or if baby is less than 4 weeks of age.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have blood illnesses, heart/liver/kidney disease, prostate problems, glaucoma, mental disorders like depression or schizophrenia, or allergies to oxcarbazepine or phenytoin. Special blood tests may be required for patients of Han Chinese or Thai origin due to risk of serious skin reactions.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
There is possible risk of physical birth abnormalities if taken during pregnancy. Avloire passes into breast milk and may cause skin rash, sleepiness or other symptoms in babies. Avoid becoming pregnant while using Avloire and for 2 weeks after stopping. Women of child-bearing age taking hormonal birth control should use additional non-hormonal contraception.
MAOI Interaction: Do not take with MAOIs or within 14 days of taking MAOIs – may cause sudden increase in body temperature, extremely high blood pressure and severe convulsions.
Drug Interactions
Many medicines can interfere with Avloire and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking.
Grapefruit interaction: Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Avloire.
- ibuprofen
- dextropropoxyphene
- danazol
- macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, clarithromycin)
- ciprofloxacin
- antidepressants (desipramine, fluoxetine, paroxetine)
- vigabatrin
- antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole)
- antihistamines (loratadine, terfenadine)
- antipsychotics (olanzapine, quetiapine)
- isoniazid
- HIV protease inhibitors (ritonavir)
- calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil)
- oxcarbazepine
- phenobarbital
- phenytoin
- rifampicin
- theophylline
- St John’s wort
- warfarin and other anticoagulants
- hormonal contraceptives
- lithium
- alcohol
Alcohol & Driving
Avloire can affect your ability to drive safely and should not be combined with alcohol.
Alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while taking Avloire as this could cause increased sleepiness, dizziness or light-headedness.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before driving or using machines until you know how Avloire affects you. It may cause dizziness, sleepiness, blurred vision, double vision or lower coordination. Children should avoid riding bikes or climbing trees while taking Avloire.
Sun Protection
Avloire makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Wear protective clothing and sunscreen (at least SPF 15+) when outdoors to prevent skin rash, itching, redness or severe sunburn.
Storage
Store Avloire below 30°C and protect from moisture. Keep in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on windowsills. Keep out of reach of children. Dispose of expired medicine at any pharmacy.
Overdose Information
If you think you have taken too much Avloire, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if you feel fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
The source does not specify how long Avloire takes to work. Your doctor will monitor your progress and may adjust your dose as needed. Keep all your doctor’s appointments to track how well the medication is working for you.
Yes, Avloire tablets should be taken during or after meals with a little liquid. This helps with absorption and may reduce stomach upset.
Do not stop using Avloire suddenly as this may worsen your fits. Always check with your doctor before lowering your dose or stopping the medication.
No, do not drink alcohol while taking Avloire. This combination could cause increased sleepiness, dizziness or light-headedness.
Yes, weight increase and swelling/fluid retention are listed as possible side effects of Avloire. Speak to your doctor if these side effects worry you.
If your next dose is not due for more than 2-3 hours, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If your next dose is due within 2-3 hours, skip the missed dose. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Avloire makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight, which may cause skin rash, itching, redness or severe sunburn. Always wear protective clothing and sunscreen (at least SPF 15+) when outdoors.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.