The best amount is the amount that completely controls seizures without causing troublesome side effects. It depends on many factors, which are different for every individual, so no single dose works best for everyone. Follow the doctor's directions. Call if you have any questions.

No one should stop taking Tegretol or change the amount they take without talking to the doctor first. Stopping any seizure medicine all at once can cause a serious and possibly life-threatening problem called status epilepticus.

Don't use more than the doctor prescribes. If a little extra (such as one or two extra tablets) is taken by accident, call the doctor for advice. For a larger overdose, call a poison control center or emergency room right away unless you have special instructions from the doctor.

To avoid unwanted side effects, the doctor will start by prescribing a low dose, such as 100-200 milligrams (mg) per day for people over 12 years of age. The amount will be increased by another 100-200 mg every week or two until the seizures are controlled, unless side effects become too troublesome first. For most adults, seizures are controlled by about 600 to 1200 mg of Tegretol daily.

The amount of medicine given to children is based on how much they weigh. The doctor will figure it out on the basis of a certain number of milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg, about 2.2 pounds) of the child's weight. Small children usually start taking Tegretol at 10 to 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. (For a 25-pound child, 10 mg/kg is a little over 100 mg, for example.) Increases usually go no higher than 35 milligrams per kilogram (400 mg per day for the same 25-pound child). Children 6 to 12 years old usually end up taking a total of 400 to 800 mg per day.

Many people (especially children) need to take Tegretol three or four times a day. The extended-release forms, Tegretol-XR and Carbatrol, were developed to be taken only a twice a day. This routine is more convenient and easier for people to carry out successfully.