Tegretol vs. Lamictal: How Do They Compare?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDifferences & SimilaritiesUnderstanding LamictalUnderstanding TegretolSafety Precautions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Differences & Similarities

Understanding Lamictal

Understanding Tegretol

Safety Precautions

Tegretol (carbamazepine) and Lamictal (lamotrigine) are prescription medications used to help control seizures in people with epilepsy. Although both medicines treat seizures, they are also used for other conditions.

Not all seizures are the same. They are classified into different types based on where they begin in the brain and the associated movements that may occur during a seizure.Focal seizures, also called partial-onset seizures, begin on one side of the brain. Generalized seizures start on both sides.

Seizures can be further classified based on the movements they produce. Examples include:

Tegretol vs. Lamictal: Main Differences and Similarities

Tegretol and Lamictalhave some similarities and differences. Many are related to the types of seizures each medication treats and other uses they have.

The table below highlights some key differences and similarities between Tegretoland Lamictal.

Anticonvulsants, including Lamictal, are used to treat seizures in people with epilepsy. Lamictal also has other uses.The medication comes in several forms, and its uses vary based on the form you take.

The different Lamictal forms include:

Lamictal Uses

These forms of Lamictal are also approved to treat partial-onset seizures in adults and children 16 years and older who have taken certain other anticonvulsants.

All forms of Lamictal, except extended-release tablets, are also approved to help regulate mood in adults with bipolar 1 disorder.

Lamictal extended-release tablets (Lamictal XR) are approved for use along with another anticonvulsant to treat the following types of seizures in adults and children 13 years and older:

Lamictal XR is also approved to be used alone to treat partial-onset seizures in adults and children 13 years or older who have been taking one other anticonvulsant.

Benefits

Choosing Lamictaloffers a few benefits. Some advantages are that Lamictal can:

Side Effects

Lamictal can cause side effects in some people.The more common ones include:

In rare cases, Lamictalmay cause more serious side effects, such as:

Tegretol is available in the following forms:

Tegretol Uses

Tegretol is approved for use in adults and children of any age to treat the following types of seizures:

In addition to treating seizures, Tegretol also treats the following in adults:

As with Lamictal, taking Tegretolcan offer some benefits. Some advantages include:

It’s possible to have side effects from Tegretol. Examples include:

Although rare, Tegretol may also cause more serious side effects, such as:

Tegretol or Lamictal may not be right for everyone. Before taking either medication, consider their safety precautions.

Potential for Interactions

Tegretol and Lamictal may interact negatively with certain medications. Some may increase your risk of side effects. In other cases, Tegretol, Lamictal, or other drugs may not work as well if taken together.

Tegretol drug interactions can include:

Examples of Lamictal drug interactionsinclude:

This is not a complete list of potential drug interactions for Tegretol or Lamictal. Before you start taking either medication, be sure your healthcare professional knows all the medicines you take. They can help you decide which option is best for you.

When to Avoid Tegretol or Lamictal

It’s not safe to take Tegretol or Lamictal in certain situations.

Before taking Tegretol, let your prescriber know if any of the following pertain to you:

If you’re considering taking Lamictal, let your healthcare professional know if any of the following pertain to you:

Taking Tegretol vs. Lamictal During Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy during your seizure treatment, you may want to know which medication is safe for you to take. This is something you will want to discuss with your healthcare professional.

Taking Tegretol during pregnancy may cause harm to an unborn infant. This can include congenital conditions, such asspina bifidaor heart issues.On the other hand, it’s not known whether Lamictalis safe to take during pregnancy.

The NAAED registry collects information to help healthcare professionals better understand the safety of taking anti-seizure medications during pregnancy.

Your prescriber can help you decide which option is best for you. If you need to stop taking Tegretol or Lamictal due to pregnancy, they’ll gradually decrease your dosage before you stop the medication completely. This is because stopping Tegretol or Lamictal suddenly may trigger seizures in people taking the medication to treat seizures.

Summary

Tegretol and Lamictal have similar side effects, including dizziness and nausea or vomiting. Both medications can interact with other drugs, including birth control pills. And they may not be safe to take if you have certain health conditions, including depression or glaucoma. In light of this, it’s important to talk with a healthcare professional about your health history, including all the medications you take, before starting treatment with Tegretol or Lamictal.

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Epilepsy and seizures.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Epilepsy: types of seizures.DailyMed.Label: Lamictal XR- lamotrigine tablet, film coated, extended release; Lamictal XR- lamotrigine kit.DailyMed.Label: Tegretol- carbamazepine suspension; Tegretol- carbamazepine tablet; Tegretol XR- carbamazepine tablet, extended release.DailyMed.Label: Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet; Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet, for suspension; Lamictal ODT- lamotrigine tablet, orally disintegrating; Lamictal- lamotrigine kit.MedlinePlus.Lamotrigine.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange Book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Epilepsy and seizures.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Epilepsy: types of seizures.DailyMed.Label: Lamictal XR- lamotrigine tablet, film coated, extended release; Lamictal XR- lamotrigine kit.DailyMed.Label: Tegretol- carbamazepine suspension; Tegretol- carbamazepine tablet; Tegretol XR- carbamazepine tablet, extended release.DailyMed.Label: Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet; Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet, for suspension; Lamictal ODT- lamotrigine tablet, orally disintegrating; Lamictal- lamotrigine kit.MedlinePlus.Lamotrigine.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange Book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Epilepsy and seizures.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Epilepsy: types of seizures.DailyMed.Label: Lamictal XR- lamotrigine tablet, film coated, extended release; Lamictal XR- lamotrigine kit.DailyMed.Label: Tegretol- carbamazepine suspension; Tegretol- carbamazepine tablet; Tegretol XR- carbamazepine tablet, extended release.DailyMed.Label: Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet; Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet, for suspension; Lamictal ODT- lamotrigine tablet, orally disintegrating; Lamictal- lamotrigine kit.MedlinePlus.Lamotrigine.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange Book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Epilepsy and seizures.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Epilepsy: types of seizures.

DailyMed.Label: Lamictal XR- lamotrigine tablet, film coated, extended release; Lamictal XR- lamotrigine kit.

DailyMed.Label: Tegretol- carbamazepine suspension; Tegretol- carbamazepine tablet; Tegretol XR- carbamazepine tablet, extended release.

DailyMed.Label: Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet; Lamictal- lamotrigine tablet, for suspension; Lamictal ODT- lamotrigine tablet, orally disintegrating; Lamictal- lamotrigine kit.

MedlinePlus.Lamotrigine.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange Book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.

MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.

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