perampanel
What is the most important information I should know about perampanel?
Some people taking perampanel have had serious psychotic effects, especially when starting this medicine or changing doses. Stay alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
Call your doctor right away if you have any changes in mood or behavior changes, personality changes, thoughts about suicide, or thoughts about hurting others. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
What is perampanel?
Perampanel is an anticonvulsant that is used to treat partial onset seizures that may or may not develop into general seizures in people with epilepsy who are at least 4 years old.
Perampanel is also used to treat tonic-clonic seizures in people with epilepsy who are at least 12 years old.
Perampanel may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking perampanel?
You should not use perampanel if you are allergic to it.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- depression, a mood disorder, or other mental health problems;
- thoughts of hurting yourself or others;
- liver or kidney disease;
- drug addiction; or
- if you drink alcohol.
Some people taking perampanel have had serious psychotic effects such as anger, aggression, feeling hostile or irritable, and thoughts about hurting others. These effects may be more likely to occur when you first start taking perampanel, or whenever your dose is changed. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
Do not start or stop taking seizure medication during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
Perampanel can make some birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormonal birth control (condom, diaphragm with spermicide) to prevent pregnancy.
If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of perampanel on the baby.
It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.
How should I take perampanel?
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Perampanel is usually taken at bedtime. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Perampanel may be habit-forming. Misuse can cause addiction, overdose, or death. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
Shake the oral suspension (liquid) before you measure a dose. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device (not a kitchen spoon).
Do not stop using perampanel suddenly, even if you feel fine. Stopping suddenly may cause increased seizures. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not freeze.
Throw away any leftover liquid medicine 90 days after you first opened the bottle.
Keep track of your medicine. You should be aware if anyone is using it improperly or without a prescription.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Do not use two doses at one time.
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss your perampanel dose for more than one day.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking perampanel?
Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries.
Drinking alcohol with this medicine can cause side effects.
What are the possible side effects of perampanel?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Seek medical treatment if you have a serious drug reaction that can affect many parts of your body. Symptoms may include: skin rash, fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, severe weakness, unusual bruising, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.
Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, fear, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself or someone else.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- severe dizziness, spinning sensation, feeling like you might pass out;
- trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination;
- feeling very weak or tired;
- an accidental fall; or
- memory problems, confusion, hallucinations.
Accidental falls may occur more often in elderly patients who take perampanel. Use caution to avoid falling or accidental injury while taking this medicine.
Common side effects may include:
- headache, dizziness, drowsiness;
- feeling anxious, tired, or irritable;
- nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
- bruising;
- weight gain; or
- loss of coordination.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect perampanel?
Using perampanel with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.
Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.
Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:
- birth control pills;
- rifampin;
- St. John's wort;
- other seizure medicine --carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect perampanel, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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