Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

If you or your child develop any unusual or strange thoughts and behavior while taking lacosamide, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people taking this medicine are like those seen in people who drink too much alcohol. Other changes might be confusion, worsening of depression, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), suicidal thoughts, and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.

This medicine may cause blurred vision, double vision, clumsiness, unsteadiness, dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or trouble with thinking. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. If these side effects are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.

This medicine can cause changes in heart rhythms, including a condition called PR prolongation. It may change the way your heart beats and cause lightheadedness, fainting, or serious side effects in some patients. Contact your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of heart rhythm problems, including a fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat.

Do not stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Stopping the medicine suddenly may cause your seizures to return or to occur more often. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely.

Lacosamide may cause a condition called drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), which is a serious allergic reaction affecting multiple body organs (eg, liver or kidney). Check with your doctor right away if you have fever, dark urine, headache, rash, stomach pain, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, unusual tiredness, or yellow eyes or skin.

Breastfeeding during treatment with this medicine may cause your baby to be more sleepy. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns.

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.