information for parents and carers

Vigabatrin for preventing seizures

This leaflet is for parents and carers about how to use this You may have been told to dissolve the powder in a small
medicine in children. Our information sometimes differs from amount of water (5 or 10 mL, which is one or two medicine
that provided by the manufacturers, because their information spoons) to give rectally (into the back passage) using a
is usually aimed at adults. Please read this leaflet carefully. special syringe. Your doctor or epilepsy nurse will show you
Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it again. how to do this.

Do not stop giving vigabatrin suddenly, as your child When should the medicine start working?
may have more seizures. West (or West’s) syndrome: Your child should start to have
fewer spasms within a few days of taking vigabatrin regularly.
Name of drug Focal or partial seizures: It may be a few weeks before
vigabatrin works properly, so your child may still have
Vigabatrin
seizures for a while. This is because the amount of medicine
Brand name: Sabril has to be increased slowly. Continue to give the medicine as
you have been told to by your doctor.
Why is it important for my child to take this medicine?
It is important that your child takes vigabatrin regularly so that What if my child is sick (vomits)?
they have fewer seizures. •• If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a
dose of vigabatrin, give them the same dose again.
What is vigabatrin available as?
•• Tablets: 500 mg
•• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having
a dose of vigabatrin, you do not need to give them
•• Powder: 500 mg (sachets) another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
When should I give vigabatrin? What if I forget to give it?
You will usually start by giving vigabatrin once a day, while •• If you remember up to 4 hours after you should have
your child gets used to the medicine. This is usually in the given a dose, give your child the missed dose. For
evening. example, if you usually give a dose at 7 am, you can
When your child is used to vigabatrin, you will usually give give the missed dose at any time up to 11 am.
it twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening. •• If you remember after that time, do not give the missed
Ideally, these times are 10–12 hours apart, for example dose. Wait until it is time to give the next normal dose.
sometime between 7 and 8 am and between 7 and 8 pm.
Never give a double dose of vigabatrin.
Give the medicine at about the same time(s) each day so that
this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help What if I give too much?
you to remember.
If you think you may have given your child too much
How much should I give? vigabatrin, contact your doctor or local NHS services
(details at end of leaflet) or take your child to hospital.
Your doctor will work out the amount of vigabatrin (the dose)
that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on the Take the medicine container or packaging with you, even if it
medicine label. is empty. This will be useful to the doctor. Have the packaging
When you first start giving vigabatrin to your child, you will with you if you telephone for advice.
give them a small amount and then increase the dose bit
by bit over a few days or weeks. This helps your child to get Are there any possible side-effects?
used to the medicine. Your doctor will explain what to do. We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes
It is important that you follow your doctor’s they cause effects that we don’t want (side-effects).
instructions about how much to give. Side-effects you must do something about
How should I give it? •• Your child may be drowsy (sleepy), lethargic (tired,
lacking in energy) or confused. This should improve on
Tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass its own. If it doesn’t, contact your doctor.
of water, milk or juice. Your child should not
chew the tablets. You can crush the tablet and
•• Your child may be irritable, agitated or depressed. If this
happens, contact your doctor.
mix it with a small amount of soft food such
as yogurt, honey or jam. Make sure your child
•• Some people (mostly adults) find that vigabatrin affects
their peripheral vision (they can see less at the edges
swallows it straight away, without chewing. of their vision). This is more likely to happen after taking
Powder: you can dissolve the powder in water, vigabatrin for at least six to twelve months. You or your
milk or juice. Your doctor or pharmacist will child may not notice this effect. However, it can be a
have told you how much liquid to use, and how significant problem and does not always get better when
much to give your child. Give the right amount the medicine is stopped. If your child is aged 8 years
of mixture to your child straight away, using a or older, your doctor will arrange for a special eye test
medicine spoon or oral syringe.
 to measure their visual field (the amount they can see) If your child seems to have more seizures than usual,
before starting vigabatrin, and then every 6 months contact your doctor.
while they continue to take it. It is not usually possible to •• If your doctor decides to stop a particular medicine, they
test the visual field accurately in children younger than 8 will discuss this with you. You will usually reduce the
years of age. dose bit by bit.
Other side effects you need to know about Do not change the dose of any drug without talking to
•• Your child may be more hungry than usual (increased your doctor first.
appetite). Encourage them to eat fruit and vegetables •• It is best that your child always has the same brand of
and low-calorie foods, rather than foods that contain a each medicine, as there may be differences between
lot of calories (avoid crisps, cakes, biscuits and sweets), brands. Keep a record of which medicines your child
and to have plenty of exercise. has. If you have any concerns or questions, speak with
•• Your child may have difficulty concentrating, or may find your child’s doctor or pharmacist.
that they can’t remember things. This usually gets better. •• Try to give medicines at about the same times every day,
There may, sometimes, be other side-effects that are not listed to help you remember.
above. If you notice anything unusual and are concerned, •• Only give the medicine(s) to your child. Never give them
contact your doctor. You can report any suspected side-effects to anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the
to a UK safety scheme at http://www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. same, as it could do harm.
If you think someone else may have taken the medicine
Can other common medicines be given at the same by accident, contact your doctor straight away.
time as vigabatrin? •• Make sure that you always have enough medicine.
•• You can give your child medicines that contain Order a new prescription at least 2 weeks before you
paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told will run out.
you not to. •• Make sure that the medicines you have at home have
•• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the
other medicines to your child. This includes herbal or packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to
complementary medicines. dispose of.

Is there anything else I need to know about Where I should keep this medicine?
vigabatrin? •• Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and
•• If your child is going to have treatment in hospital, it direct sunlight.
is important to tell the doctor that your child is taking •• Make sure that children cannot see or reach the
vigabatrin. medicine.
Epilepsy and pregnancy •• Keep the medicine in the container it came in

•• Pregnancy presents a risk to both the mother with Who to contact for more information
epilepsy and her unborn baby. If your daughter has sex, Your child’s hospital doctor, epilepsy nurse or pharmacist will
it is essential that she uses adequate contraception to be able to give you more information about vigabatrin and
prevent an unplanned pregnancy. other medicines used to treat epilepsy.
•• If your daughter is worried that she may be pregnant, it You can also get useful information from:
is important that she sees your family doctor as early
as possible. Your daughter should keep taking her England: NHS 111 - Tel 111 - Young Epilepsy Helpline:
medication until she sees her doctor. www.nhs.uk 01342 831 342
Scotland: NHS 24 - Tel 111 - www.youngepilepsy.org.uk
Vigabatrin and pregnancy
www.nhs24.scot Epilepsy Society Helpline:
•• Doctors don’t know yet whether vigabatrin can harm an Wales: NHS Direct - Tel 111 - 01494 601 400
unborn baby. www.111.wales.nhs.uk www.epilepsysociety.org.uk
•• The oral contraceptive pill can be used safely by women Northern Ireland: NI Direct -
or girls who are taking vigabatrin. Epilepsy Action Helpline:
www.nidirect.gov.uk
0808 800 5050
General advice about medicines for seizures www.epilepsy.org.uk
Do not suddenly stop giving any of these medicines
to your child, as they may have a seizure. If you are
worried, talk to your doctor but carry on giving the
medicine to your child as usual.

www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk

Version 2, January 2014. © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Reviewed by: January 2017.
The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through
our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is
important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply
to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and
editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.