Felbamate for epilepsy

Examples

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Brand Name	Chemical Name
Felbatol	felbamate

Felbamate requires several daily doses. It comes in liquid and tablet forms.

How It Works

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It is not known exactly how felbamate prevents seizures.

Why It Is Used

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Felbamate may be used to prevent partial seizures in adults and children, although it has some very serious side effects. It is used with caution in younger children since they may not be able to communicate symptoms of potentially serious side effects, such as chills or stomach pain.

How Well It Works

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Felbamate controls partial seizures in adults very well. In children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, felbamate may reduce seizure frequency, but not make the child seizure-free.¹ However, it has made some children more alert and improved their quality of life.

Side Effects

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Common side effects of felbamate include:

• Nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.
• Headache.
• Weight loss.
• Insomnia (sleep problems).

Most of these problems tend to go away once the body adjusts to the drug. Weight loss and insomnia are common long-term problems, however.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

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Serious health risks

Felbamate should be used with extreme caution because it carries a significant risk of liver and bone marrow failure, which can be fatal. You or your child may need to be monitored frequently for signs of liver disease while taking the drug. A serious blood problem called aplastic anemia can also result from the use of felbamate. Watch for early signs of liver, bone marrow, or blood problems, such as easy bruising, a change in skin color, prolonged bleeding, fatigue, fever, change in stool color, or a change in the color of the whites of the eyes.

Despite these risks, felbamate may be used in some people because the drug has been successful in treating seizures that do not respond to other drugs (refractory seizures). This is especially true of children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which does not usually respond well to other drugs. However, because of its potentially life-threatening side effects, felbamate should be used only in those people for whom the risks of having seizures are greater than the risks caused by taking felbamate.

Other concerns

Use of felbamate may make birth control pills less effective. If you are taking felbamate and birth control pills, you may be more likely to become pregnant.

For some people, felbamate may produce side effects or carry risks, including an increased risk of birth defects, that are not fully known yet. Report any unexpected side effects or problems to your doctor.

It may take time and careful, controlled adjustments by you and your doctor to find the combination, schedule, and dosing of medication to best manage your epilepsy. The goal is to prevent seizures while causing as few unwanted side effects as possible. Once the most effective medication program is determined, it is important that you follow it exactly as prescribed.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

References

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Citations

1. Jarrar RG, Buchhalter JR (2003). Therapeutics in pediatric epilepsy, part 1: The new antiepileptic drugs and the ketogenic diet. Mayo Clinical Procedures, 78(3): 359–370.

Credits

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Author	Monica Rhodes
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology
Last Updated	November 11, 2005