A person living with an intellectual disability.
Edwin is a forty-year-old man with moderate learning disabilities and epilepsy who lives in supported housing. He is prescribed is a 400mg Carbamazepine Prolonged Release Tablet twice a day, at breakfast and in the evening. Due to being a busy service the nurse puts Edwin’s carbamazepine into a medication pot and hands it to an unqualified support worker to give this to him. Recently, Edwin’s seizures, that are usually well controlled have begun to increase. The cleaner has also reported several white pellets have been found in Edwin’s bedroom.
On investigation it appears that Edwin is sucking the sweetened enteric coating from the tablet and when he gets to the bitter tasting medication some minutes later, he spits the tablet out.
What are the indications for, usual doses, side effects and cautions/contra-indications of Carbamazepine?
How does it work?
What could have been done to prevent this happening if this continues
What options are there regarding prescribing
