COMMON USES:
It is used to treat seizures. It is used to prevent migraine headaches. It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor. For full prescribing information, view the drug label information.
HOW TO USE THIS MEDICINE (HOW IS THIS DRUG BEST TAKEN?)
Use this drug as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely. Take with or without food. To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses. Keep taking this drug as you have been told by your doctor or other health care provider, even if you feel well. Do not stop taking this drug all of a sudden without calling your doctor. You may have a greater risk of seizures. If you need to stop this drug, you will want to slowly stop it as ordered by your doctor. Drink lots of noncaffeine liquids unless told to drink less liquid by your doctor. Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists. Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor. Talk with your doctor before you use other drugs and natural products that slow your actions. This drug may affect how much of some other drugs are in your body. If you are taking other drugs, talk with your doctor. You may need to have your blood work checked more closely while taking this drug with your other drugs. Swallow whole. Do not chew, break, or crush. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this drug.
HOW DO I STORE AND/OR THROW OUT THIS DRUG?
Store at room temperature. Keep lid tightly closed. Protect from light. Store in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom. Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets. Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so.
Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.
WHAT DO I DO IF I MISS A DOSE?
Take a missed dose as soon as you think about it. If it is less than 6 hours until the next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to the normal time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses. If you miss 2 doses, call your doctor.
CAUTIONS:
Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you. Sweating less and high body temperatures have happened with this drug. Sometimes, this has led to the need for treatment in a hospital. Be careful in hot weather and while being active.
Call your doctor right away if you have a fever or you do not sweat during activities or in warm temperatures. Patients who take this drug may be at a greater risk of having thoughts or actions of suicide. The risk may be greater in people who have had these thoughts or actions in the past. Call the doctor right away if signs like low mood (depression), nervousness, restlessness, grouchiness, panic attacks, or changes in mood or actions are new or worse. Call the doctor right away if any thoughts or actions of suicide occur. Very bad and sometimes deadly liver problems have happened with this drug. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of liver problems like dark urine, feeling tired, not hungry, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, throwing up, or yellow skin or eyes. This drug may cause an acid blood problem (metabolic acidosis). The chance may be higher in children and in people with kidney problems, breathing problems, or loose stools (diarrhea). The chance may also be higher if you take certain other drugs, if you have surgery, or if you are on a ketogenic diet. Over time, metabolic acidosis can cause kidney stones, bone problems, or growth problems in children. Talk with your doctor. This drug may raise the chance of bleeding. Sometimes, bleeding can be life-threatening. Talk with the doctor. This drug may cause very bad eye problems. If left untreated, this can lead to lasting eyesight loss.
Call your doctor right away if you have new eye signs like blurred eyesight or other changes in eyesight, eye pain, or eye redness. Taking this drug with valproic acid can cause low body temperature. This can also cause tiredness, confusion, or coma. Talk with the doctor. Use with care in children. Talk with the doctor. This drug may affect growth in children and teens in some cases. They may need regular growth checks. Talk with the doctor. Birth control pills and other hormone-based birth control may not work as well to prevent pregnancy. Use some other kind of birth control also like a condom when taking this drug. If you are taking hormone-based birth control and you have any change in your bleeding pattern, talk with your doctor. Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this drug.
This drug may cause harm to the unborn baby if you take it while you are pregnant. If you are pregnant or you get pregnant while taking this drug, call your doctor right away. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: WHAT ARE SOME SIDE EFFECTS THAT I NEED TO CALL MY DOCTOR ABOUT RIGHT AWAY? WARNING/CAUTION:
Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug.
Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat. Signs of too much acid in the blood (acidosis) like confusion; fast breathing; fast heartbeat; a heartbeat that does not feel normal; very bad stomach pain, upset stomach, or throwing up; feeling very sleepy; shortness of breath; or feeling very tired or weak. Signs of infection like fever, chills, very bad sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum, pain with passing urine, mouth sores, or wound that will not heal. Signs of high ammonia levels like a heartbeat that does not feel normal, breathing that is not normal, feeling confused, pale skin, slow heartbeat, seizures, sweating, throwing up, or twitching. Any unexplained bruising or bleeding. Black, tarry, or bloody stools. Throwing up blood or throw up that looks like coffee grounds. Feeling confused. Not able to focus. Not able to sleep. Change in balance. Very bad dizziness or passing out. Not able to eat. Back pain, belly pain, or blood in the urine. May be signs of a kidney stone. Trouble passing urine. A burning, numbness, or tingling feeling that is not normal. A big weight loss. If seizures are worse or not the same after starting this drug. Bone pain. Chest pain or pressure. Memory problems or loss. Muscle pain or weakness. Trouble speaking. Shakiness. Trouble walking. Not able to control eye movements.
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS DRUG?
All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects.
Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:
These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
OVERDOSE:
If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor. Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs. Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor. Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins. This drug comes with an extra patient fact sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it with care. Read it again each time this drug is refilled. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with the doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
Copyright 2018 CDI, LLC. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Issue Date: November 14, 2018 This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for you. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You must talk with your healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine.