Felbatol Medication - Uses & Side Effects

FELBAMATE (Felbatol™) can help with seizure (convulsion) control in certain types of epilepsy. Felbamate helps to control partial seizures in adults that have been unresponsive to other agents. Felbamate helps to maintain seizure control in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, who have not responded to other therapy. Generic felbamate tablets are not yet available.
Felbatol, a relatively new epilepsy medication, is used alone or with other drugs to treat partial seizures with or without generalization (seizures in which consciousness may be retained or lost). It is also used with other medications to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a childhood condition characterized by brief loss of awareness and muscle tone). Felbatol is prescribed only when other medications have failed to control severe cases of epilepsy.

Felbatol Dosage

• Whether Felbatol is taken alone or with other antiepileptic drugs, the usual starting dose is 1,200 milligrams per day divided into smaller doses and taken 3 or 4 times daily. Your doctor may gradually increase your daily dose to as much as 3,600 milligrams.
• In children, the starting dose is 15 mg/day in 3 to 4 divided doses.

Uses of Felbatol

• Felbamate is used to control seizures. The exact way that it works is unknown. However, it is believed that felbamate alters the chemical impulses in the brain that cause seizures.
• Felbamate is usually used only after other antiepileptic medicines have failed to control seizures.
• Felbamate may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Side Effects of Felbatol

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, notify your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Felbatol. Side effects in adults taking Felbatol alone may include:

• Acne, anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, double vision, ear infection, facial swelling, fatigue, headache, inability to fall or stay asleep, indigestion, loss of appetite, menstrual irregularities, nausea, nasal inflammation, rash, upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, vomiting, weight decrease.

Warnings and precautions before taking Felbatol:

• Because severe (sometimes fatal) blood disorders (aplastic anemia, pancytopenia) and liver problems have occurred with usage of felbamate, it should be used only in people with severe epilepsy and only after careful consideration.
• This drug is not recommended for use in those who have liver problems.
• Stop using this drug and immediately notify your doctor if you have symptoms of infection such as fever, chills, or persistent sore throat or if you have unusual bleeding or bruising, weakness, fatigue, dark urine, yellowing of the eyes or skin, or persistent stomach/abdominal pain.

Drug Interaction :- If you are taking Felbatol with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Felbatol with other epilepsy drugs, such as Dilantin, Depakene, Depakote, Tegretol, and phenobarbital. Felbatol® may cause an increase in levels of Phenytoin, valproate, Phenobarbital; causes a decrease in levels of carbamazepine. It does not seem to have much effect on oral contraceptives.

Overdose

Any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences. If you suspect an overdose, seek medical treatment immediately. Symptoms of Felbatol overdose may include:

• Mild stomach upset, unusually fast heartbeat, heart rate, nausea.