ETHOSUXIMIDE

(ETH oh SUX i mide) Brand: Zarontin

What is the most significant information I must know about ethosuximide?

• Ethosuximide can reason a decrease in much types of blood cells (white cells, red cells, platelets). Call your doctor at once if you have any unusual bleeding, weakness, or any signs of infection, even if these symptoms first occur after you have been using the medicine for different months.

• Ethosuximide may also reason liver hurt. Call your doctor if you have symptoms such as loss of appetite, stomach pain, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

• You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

• Do not stop using ethosuximide without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel beautiful. You may have heighten seizures if you stop using ethosuximide suddenly. You will need to use smaller and smaller till you stop the medicine completely.

• Contact your doctor if your seizures get worse or you have them more often while taking ethosuximide.

• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take ethosuximide. Any medical care provider who treats you must know that you take seizure medication.

What is ethosuximide?

• Ethosuximide is an anti-epileptic medicine, also called an anticonvulsant.

• Ethosuximide is used alone or in combination with another medications to treat absence seizures (also called "petit mal" seizures) in adults and children.

• Ethosuximide may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking ethosuximide?

• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to ethosuximide or to another seizure medications.

• To create certain you can safely take ethosuximide, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· lupus;

· liver malady;

· kidney malady; or

· a history of depression, mood problems, or suicidal thoughts or actions.

• You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Speak your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first different months of treatment, or whenever your doze is changed.

• Your family or another caregivers must also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• It is not known whether ethosuximide is deleterious to an unborn child, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both mother and child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine. Follow your doctor's instructions about taking ethosuximide while you are pregnant.

• If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to estimate any effects of ethosuximide on the baby.

• Ethosuximide passes into breast milk and could harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

• Ethosuximide must not be given to a baby younger than 3 years old.

How must I take ethosuximide?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results.

• Ethosuximide can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can create it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being near others who are ill. Your blood may need to be tested often. Your kidney and liver function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

• Call your doctor at once if you have any unusual bleeding, weakness, or any signs of infection, including flu-like symptoms. These symptoms may first develop even after you have been using the medicine for different months.

• Do not stop using ethosuximide without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel beautiful. You may have heighten seizures if you stop using ethosuximide suddenly. You may need to use smaller and smaller till you stop the medicine completely.

• Contact your doctor if your seizures get worse or you have them more often while taking ethosuximide.

• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take ethosuximide. Any medical care provider who treats you must know that you take seizure medication.

• Use ethosuximide regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, extreme drowsiness, and weak or shallow breathing.

What must I avoid while taking ethosuximide?

• Do not drink alcohol. It can magnify determined side effects of ethosuximide.

• This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

• Avoid being around people who are sick or have infections. Speak your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection.

What are the possible side effects of ethosuximide?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Message any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· fever, chills, swollen glands, flu symptoms, sore throat, swollen glands, feeling very weak;

· new or worsening cough with fever, trouble breathing;

· light bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;

· joint pain or swelling with mild fever, muscle aches;

· chest pain, irregular heart rhythm, feeling short of breath;

· patchy skin color, red spots, or a butterfly shaped skin rash over your cheeks and nose (worsens in sunlight);

· skin rash, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

· upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

· confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior, extreme fear;

· swelling, rapid weight gain, urinating smaller than normal or not at all;

· the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;

· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling; or

· worsening of seizures.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· upset stomach, mild nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, weight loss;

· swelling in your tongue or gums;

· headache, dizziness, drowsiness, feeling tired;

· lack of balance or coordination; or

· unusual vaginal bleeding.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect ethosuximide?

• Cool or allergy medication, sedatives, narcotic pain medication, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medication for depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by ethosuximide. Speak your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines, or any another seizure medication.

• Till taking ethosuximide, speak your doctor about all another seizure medications you use, especially:

· phenobarbital (Solfoton);

· phenytoin (Dilantin); or

· valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor).

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with ethosuximide. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about ethosuximide.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.