Sabril Tablets

When and how do I take it?

• It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions exactly.
• Never change the dose yourself.
• The doctor prescribes the dosage and adjusts it individually for patients.
• Always swallow the tablet with at least a half of a drinking glass of water.
• You can take Sabril before or after meals.

What’s the dose?

• The usual starting dose for adults is 2 tablets daily. However, your doctor may wish to increase or decrease the dose depending on your response; the usual adult daily dose is 2 to 3 g (4 to 6 tablets). The highest recommended dose is 3 g/day.
• Also, if you are elderly and/or have kidney problems, your doctor may wish to give you a smaller dose.
• For children, the dose is based on age and weight. The usual starting dose for children is 40 milligrams per kilogram bodyweight daily.

Could it interact with other tablets?

• Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including those obtained without a prescription.
• Sabril should not be used in combination with other medicines that may have side effects related to the eye.

What are the possible risks or side-effects?

Like all medicines, Sabril can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. As with other antiepileptic medicines, some patients may experience an increase in the number of seizures (fits) whilst taking Sabril. If this happens to you, or to your child, contact your doctor immediately.

Very common side effects

These side effects affect more than 1 patient in every 10 patients treated.

• About 1/3 or 33 out of 100 patients treated with Sabril may have changes in the visual field (narrow visual field). This “visual field defect” can range from mild to severe. It is usually detected after months or years of treatment with Sabril. The changes in the visual field may be irreversible, so it must be found early. If you or your child experience(s) visual disturbances, contact your doctor or hospital immediately.
• Children may become over excited or restless.
• Tiredness and pronounced sleepiness.

Common side effects

These side effects affect between 1 and 10 patients in every 100 patients treated.

• Headache
• Weight gain
• Tremour
• Oedema (swelling)
• Dizziness
• Sensation of numbness or tingling (pins and needles)
• Disturbance of concentration and memory
• Psychological disturbances including agitation, aggression, nervousness, irritability, depression, thought disturbance and paranoia. These side effects are usually reversible when Sabril doses are reduced or gradually discontinued. However, do not decrease your dose without first talking to your doctor. Contact your doctor if you experience these effects.
• Nausea and abdominal pain
• Blurred vision, double vision and rapid involuntary movement of the eye
• Speech disorder

Can I drink alcohol while taking it?

• There are no known interactions between alcohol and Sabril.
• Always check with your pharmacist or doctor first though as other medicines you may be taking may affect this.

What if I’m pregnant/breastfeeding?

• If you are planning to become pregnant, you should talk to your doctor before taking your medicine. Do not take Sabril during pregnancy unless your doctor tells you to. Sabril may cause problems to unborn children.
• Tell your doctor immediately if you are pregnant or if you become pregnant during your treatment. However, do not stop taking the medicine suddenly because this may risk the mother’s health as well as the baby’s health.
• Sabril can be found in breast milk. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended during treatment.

If you have any more questions please ask your Pharmacist.

Remember to keep all medicines out of reach of children
Please Note: We have made every effort to ensure that the content of this information sheet is correct at time of publish, but remember that information about drugs may change. This sheet does not list all the uses and side-effects associated with this drug. For full details please see the drug information leaflet which comes with your medicine. Your doctor will assess your medical circumstances and draw your attention to any information or side-effects which may be relevant in your particular case.

References:

http://www.rxlist.com/sabril-drug.htm

http://sabril.net/

http://www.drugs.com/sabril.html

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM180720.pdf

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug-vigabatrin/article_em.htm