Precautions
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress while you are using this medicine to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Using this medicine during the later pregnancy may cause problems in your newborn baby (eg, sedation or withdrawal symptoms). Tell your doctor right away if your baby has an abnormal sleep pattern, diarrhea, feeding problems, a high-pitched cry, irritability, low muscle tone, restlessness, shakiness or tremors, sluggishness, trouble breathing, weight loss, vomiting, or fails to gain weight. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.
This medicine may be habit-forming. If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor for instructions.
Do not change your dose or suddenly stop using this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely. This may help prevent a possible worsening of your seizures and reduce the possibility of withdrawal symptoms including changes in behavior, discouragement, feeling sad or empty, irritability, lack of appetite, loss of interest or pleasure, trouble concentrating, seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear, thoughts of killing oneself, trouble sleeping, unusual movements, responses, or expressions.
Symptoms of an overdose include: changes in patterns and rhythms of speech, confusion, drowsiness, hallucinations, lack of coordination, loss of consciousness, loss of strength or energy, muscle pain or weakness, nightmares, relaxed and calm feeling, sleepiness or unusual drowsiness, shakiness and unsteady walk, slurred speech, trouble in speaking, trouble sleeping, unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination, unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness or feeling of sluggishness, unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability, or unusual weak feeling. Call your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms.
This medicine may cause respiratory depression (serious breathing problem that can be life-threatening), especially when used with narcotic pain medicines. Tell your doctor if you are using any narcotic medicine, such as codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine, or oxymorphone.
This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants. CNS depressants are medicines that slow down the nervous system, which may cause drowsiness or make you less alert. Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for hay fever, allergies, or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, other prescription pain medicine or narcotics, barbiturates or seizure medicine, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics (numbing medicines), including some dental anesthetics. This effect may last for a few days after you stop using this medicine. Check with your doctor before taking any of the other medicines listed above while you are using this medicine.
This medicine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Also tell your doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.
This medicine may cause drowsiness, trouble with thinking, trouble with controlling movements, or trouble with seeing clearly. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Get up slowly or lie down for a while to relieve dizziness or lightheadedness.
Check with your doctor right away if blurred vision, difficulty with reading, or any other change in vision occurs during or after treatment. Your doctor may want your eyes be checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).
Call your doctor right away:
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If your seizures still continue after using this medicine.
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If your seizures are different from your previous episodes.
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If you are alarmed by the number or severity of your seizure episodes.
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If you are alarmed by the color or breathing of the patient.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Portions of this document last updated: Aug. 01, 2024
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