Anticonvulsants, Dione (Systemic)
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will
do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For dione anticonvulsants,
the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to anticonvulsant medicines. Also tell your health care
professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy - There have been reports of increased birth defects
when dione anticonvulsants were used during pregnancy. The use of an effective
method of birth control is recommended during treatment with dione anticonvulsants.
Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine.
Dione anticonvulsants may also cause a bleeding problem in the mother during
delivery and in the newborn. Doctors can help prevent this by giving vitamin
K to the mother before and during delivery, and to the baby immediately after
birth.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether this medicine passes into
breast milk. However, dione anticonvulsants may have serious unwanted effects,
and breast-feeding is not recommended.
Children - Although there is no specific information comparing
use of dione anticonvulsants in children with use in other age groups, these
medicines are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in
children than they do in adults.
Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a very small number
of older people. Dione anticonvulsants are removed from the body more slowly
in older people than in younger people. Higher blood levels of the medicine
may occur, which may increase the chance of unwanted effects. Your doctor
may give you a different dose than a younger person would receive.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases 2 different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
dione anticonvulsants, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness)
or
-
Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) - Using these
medicines together may increase the CNS depressant effects
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of the dione anticonvulsants. Make sure you tell
your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Blood disease or
-
Diseases of the eye or optic nerve or
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease - Dione anticonvulsants may make the condition
worse. Liver disease may cause higher blood levels of this medicine, which
may increase the chance of side effects
-
Porphyria - Trimethadione may make the condition worse
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