Trimethadione

Trimethadione is an anti-epileptic medication, also called an anticonvulsant.

Trimethadione is used to treat absence seizures (also called "petit mal" seizures) in adults and children.

Trimethadione is usually given after other seizure medicines have been tried without success.

Trimethadione may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not stop using trimethadione suddenly. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.

You should not use trimethadione if you are allergic to it.

To make sure trimethadione is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver disease;
• kidney disease;
• depression, a mood disorder, or history of suicidal thoughts or actions;
• eye problems;
• a blood cell disorder such as anemia or low white blood cells;
• lupus; or
• myasthenia gravis (a nerve-muscle disorder).

You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several months of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.

This medicine can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects. Do not use trimethadione if you are pregnant. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine.

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

Do not start or stop taking trimethadione during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Trimethadione may cause harm to an unborn baby, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. You may need to use a different seizure medicine.

If you have taken this medicine during pregnancy, be sure to tell the doctor who delivers your baby about your trimethadione use. Both you and the baby may need to receive medications to prevent excessive bleeding during delivery and just after birth.

It is not known whether trimethadione passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

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

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• vision problems, droopy eyelids;
• the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;
• unusual muscle weakness, trouble speaking or swallowing;
• swelling in your feet or ankles;
• low blood cell counts--fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, swollen gums, mouth sores, skin sores, rapid heart rate, pale skin, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, feeling light-headed;
• lupus-like syndrome--joint pain or swelling with fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, chest pain, butterfly-shaped skin rash on your cheeks;
• kidney problems--little or no urinating, painful or difficult urination, rapid weight gain;
• liver problems--nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• severe skin reaction--fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Common side effects may include:

• nausea;
• drowsiness;
• changes in mood or behavior; or
• increased seizures.

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.

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

Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine.

Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before taking trimethadione with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or depression.

Other drugs may interact with trimethadione, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Trimethadione is a prescription medication used to treat absence (petit mal) seizures that are not controlled with other drugs. Trimethadione belongs to a group of drugs called antiepileptics, which work by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

This medication comes in a chewable tablet form and is taken 3 or 4 times a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of trimethadione include nausea, changes in behavior, and drowsiness. Trimethadione can also cause blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how trimethadione affects you.

Serious side effects have been reported with trimethadione. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of trimethadione include the following:

• nausea
• sleepiness
• tiredness
• increase in seizures
• feelings of anger and frustration
• changes in behavior

This is not a complete list of trimethadione side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Take trimethadione exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The trimethadione dose your doctor recommends will be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• how you respond to this medication

The recommended dose range for trimethadione in adults is 300 to 600 mg, three or four times a day.

The recommended dose range for trimethadione in children is 100 to 300 mg, three or four times a day.

• Store trimethadione in the refrigerator at 36˚ to 46˚F (2˚ to 8˚C).
• Keep trimethadione in a tightly closed container.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Applies to trimethadione: oral tablet chewable

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

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

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• vision problems, droopy eyelids;

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

• unusual muscle weakness, trouble speaking or swallowing;

• swelling in your feet or ankles;

• low blood cell counts--fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, swollen gums, mouth sores, skin sores, rapid heart rate, pale skin, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, feeling light-headed;

• lupus-like syndrome--joint pain or swelling with fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, chest pain, butterfly-shaped skin rash on your cheeks;

• kidney problems--little or no urinating, painful or difficult urination, rapid weight gain;

• liver problems--nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

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

Common side effects may include:

• nausea;

• drowsiness;

• changes in mood or behavior; or

• increased seizures.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Mild to moderate liver dysfunction: Frequent monitoring recommended.
Severe liver dysfunction: Use is not recommended.

Data not available