Vigabatrin for preventing seizures

Name of medicine

Vigabatrin

Brand name: Sabril

Why is it important for my child to take Vigabatrin?

It is important that your child takes Vigabatrin regularly so that they have fewer seizures.

What is Vigabatrin available as?

• Tablets: 500 mg
• Powder: 500 mg (sachets)

When should I give Vigabatrin

You will usually start by giving Vigabatrin once a day, while your child gets used to the medicine. This is usually in the evening.

When your child is used to Vigabatrin, you will usually give it twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening. Ideally, these times are 10–12 hours apart, for example sometime between 7 and 8 am and between 7 and 8 pm.

Give the medicine at about the same time(s) each day so that this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help you to remember.

How much should I give?

Your doctor will work out the amount of Vigabatrin (the dose) that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on the medicine label.

When you first start giving Vigabatrin to your child, you will probably give them a low dose, which may be increased bit by bit over a few days or weeks. This helps your child to get used to the medicine. Your doctor will explain what to do.

How should I give Vigabatrin?

Tablets

• Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of water, squash or juice. Your child should not chew the tablets.
• You can crush the tablet and mix it with a small amount of soft food such as yogurt, honey, or mashed potato. Make sure your child swallows it straight away, without chewing.

• You can dissolve the powder in water, milk or juice. Your doctor or pharmacist will have told you how much liquid to use, and how much to give your child. Give the right amount of mixture to your child straight away, using a medicine spoon or oral syringe.
• You may have been told to dissolve the powder in a small amount of water (5 or 10 mL, which is one or two medicine spoons) to give rectally (into the back passage) using a special syringe. Your doctor or epilepsy nurse will show you how to do this.

When should the medicine start working?

West (or West’s) syndrome: Your child should start to have fewer spasms within a few days of taking vigabatrin regularly.

Focal or partial seizures: It may be a few weeks before vigabatrin works properly, so your child may still have seizures for a while. This is because the amount of medicine has to be increased slowly. Continue to give the medicine as you have been told to by your doctor.

What if my child is sick (vomits)?

• If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a dose of Vigabatrin, give them the same dose again.
• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having a dose of Vigabatrin, do not give them another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.

If your child is sick again, seek advice from your family doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or hospital. They will decide what to do based on your child’s condition and the specific medicine involved.

What if I forget to give it?

If you usually give it twice a day: If you remember up to 4 hours after you should have given a dose, give your child the missed dose. For example, if you usually give a dose at about 7am, you can give the missed dose at any time up to 11am. If you remember after that time, do not give the missed dose. Give the next dose as usual.

What if I give too much?

If you think you may have given your child too much Vigabatrin, contact your doctor or local NHS services (details at end of leaflet) or take your child to hospital. Have the medicine container or packaging with you, even if it is empty. This will be useful to the doctor.

Are there any possible side effects?

We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes they have other effects that we don’t want (side effects).

Side effects you must do something about

Other side-effects you need to know about

• Your child may have difficulty concentrating, or may find that they can’t remember things. This usually gets better.

• They may be hungrier than usual (increased appetite). Encourage them to eat fruit and vegetables and low-calorie foods, rather than foods that contain a lot of calories (avoid crisps, cakes, biscuits and sweets), and to have plenty of exercise. Otherwise they may put on weight.

   

There may sometimes be other side effects that are not listed above. If you notice anything unusual and are concerned, contact your doctor. You can report any suspected side effects to a UK safety scheme at mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard

Can other medicines be given at the same time as Vigabatrin?

• You can give your child medicines that contain paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told you not to.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any other medicines to your child. This includes herbal and complementary medicines.

Epilepsy and pregnancy

• Pregnancy presents a risk to both the mother with epilepsy and her unborn baby. If your daughter has sex, it is essential that she uses adequate contraception to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.
• If your daughter is worried that she may be pregnant, it is important that she sees your family doctor as early as possible. Your daughter should keep taking her medication until she sees her doctor.

Vigabatrin and pregnancy

• Doctors don’t know yet whether vigabatrin can harm an unborn baby.
• The oral contraceptive pill can be used safely by women or girls who are taking vigabatrin.

Is there anything else I need to know about this medicine?

• If your child is going to have treatment in hospital, it is important that you tell the doctor that your child is taking Vigabatrin

General advice about medicines

Advice about medicines for seizures

• If your doctor decides to stop a particular medicine, they will discuss this with you. They will usually reduce the dose bit by bit.
• It is best that your child always has the same brand of each medicine, as there may be differences between brands. Keep a record of which medicines your child has.

• Try to give medicines at about the same times each day, to help you remember.

• Only give this medicine to your child. Never give it to anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the same, as this could do harm.

• Make sure that you always have enough medicine. Order a new prescription at least 2 weeks before you will run out.

• Make sure that the medicines you have at home have not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to dispose of.

Where should I keep this medicine?

• Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and direct sunlight.

• Make sure that children cannot see or reach the medicine.

• Keep the medicine in the container it came in.

Who to contact for more information?

Your child’s doctor, pharmacist or nurse will be able to give you more information about Vigabatrin and about other medicines used to treat epilepsy.

Copyright disclaimer

Version [2]. © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild, all rights reserved. Review by January 2017.

The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk.

We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.