Side Effects:

Common Nystagmus (involuntary eye movement), Double vision, Sleepiness, Anemia, Peripheral neuropathy (tingling and numbness of feet and hand), Gingival hyperplasia, Increased hair growth, Osteoporosis.

Expert advice for Epicent Tablet
Epicent should be taken at the same time every day to maintain consistent levels in your body. Do not stop using Epicent without talking to your doctor, even if you feel better. It causes sleepiness or drowsiness. If this happens to you, do not drive or use machinery. Avoid consuming alcohol when taking the Epicent, as it may cause excessive sleepiness or drowsiness. It may increase blood sugar levels.Inform your doctor if you are taking any medicines to treat diabetes. Do not start any medicine including herbal or ayurvedic without telling your doctor. As it may significantly change the Epicent levels. Inform your doctor if you have ever been diagnosed with kidney or liver problems. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to conceive or breastfeeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How does Epicent work?
Epicent is used to control seizures (fits) in epilepsy patients and it works by suppressing the abnormal and excessive activity of the nerve cells in the brain.

Q. Does Epicent cause gingival hyperplasia?
Epicent is known to cause gingival hyperplasia (enlarged gums). To avoid this, you must maintain a good dental hygiene (taking proper care of your teeth and gums). Please consult your doctor if you have enlarged gums after taking Epicent.

Q. Does Epicent cause osteomalacia?
Osteomalacia (softening of the bones) has been associated with long-term (>10 years) use of Epicent by patients with chronic epilepsy. There have been reports of bone disorders including osteopenia (reduced protein and mineral content of bone tissue) and osteoporosis (thinning of the bone) and fractures with Epicent. Please consult your doctor for further information.

Q. Can I take Epicent with aspirin?
Epicent can decrease the levels of aspirin by increasing its metabolism (breakdown) and hence decrease its effect. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Epicent with ibuprofen?
Epicent can be taken with ibuprofen. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, interactions can occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Epicent with paracetamol?
Epicent decreases the level of paracetamol by increasing its metabolism (breakdown). Increased metabolism of paracetamol can increase the levels of substances that can cause liver damage. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Is Epicent a narcotic?
Epicent is not a narcotic substance. Epicent belongs to a group of medicines known as anti-epileptic medicines, these medicines are used to treat epilepsy.

Q. Is Epicent a controlled substance?
Epicent is not a controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act (CSA). A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession or use is regulated by a government.

Q. Is Epicent dialyzable?
Epicent is not dialyzable by a conventional hemodialysis machine but can be dialyzed by a high permeability type of hemodialysis. To know more about the different types of dialysis and dialysability of Epicent, please consult your doctor.

Q. Is Epicent teratogenic (cause birth defects)?
Epicent is teratogenic. Based on human experience, Epicent is suggested to cause congenital malformations (birth defects) when given during pregnancy. It can cause defects of the heart, brain, fingers and can decrease the growth of the unborn baby.

Q. Is Epicent a cytochrome P450 (CYP450) inducer?
Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) is an enzyme which causes metabolism (breakdown) of many drugs. Epicent is a CYP450 enzyme inducer (increases the working of CYP450) causing increased breakdown of some medicines given along with Epicent (known as drug-drug interactions). Please consult your doctor before taking any medicines along with Epicent as it may affect the metabolism of the medicines which are metabolized by CYP450 for example Vitamin D.

Q. Is Epicent basic or acidic?
Epicent is a weakly acidic drug.

Q. Is Epicent addictive?
Epicent has not been reported to have any addictive potential and it does not show any symptoms of dependence. However, it should be taken for the duration as advised by your doctor.

Q. Does Epicent get you high?
Epicent does not give you a high.

Q. Does Epicent cause hyponatremia?
Epicent does not cause hyponatremia (low sodium levels). However, Epicent is known to cause hypernatremia (high serum sodium level >145 mmol/L).

Q. Does Epicent cause QT prolongation?
Epicent is not known to cause QT prolongation (abnormal heart rhythm). However, it can rarely cause abnormal heart rhythms. Please talk to your doctor if you have any abnormal heart rhythm (beats) while taking Epicent.

Q. Does Epicent affect thyroid?
Thyroid function may get affected while you are taking Epicent, especially in children. Thyroid function should be monitored while taking Epicent. Please consult your doctor if you have hypothyroidism or a history of hypothyroidism.

Q. Does Epicent cause weight gain?
Epicent has not been reported to cause weight gain. However, weight loss can occur with longer term use of a higher dose of Epicent. Please consult your doctor if you experience weight gain after taking Epicent.

Q. Does Epicent make you sleepy (sedation)?
Epicent can make you feel sleepy (sedation, somnolence, and drowsiness). Please consult your doctor if you feel very sleepy after taking Epicent, especially during the first few weeks of treatment or following a dose increase. Talk to your doctor as you may be advised not to drive or use machines until it is established that your ability to perform such activities is not affected.

Q. Does Epicent affect birth control?
Epicent does affect birth control. Epicent can decrease the effect of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) which can make the contraceptive (birth control) effect unreliable. Please talk to your doctor if you are asked to take the two medicines together as you may need to use extra protection for birth control.