Sabril

Sabril^®

Generic Name:  Vigabatrin (vi-GAB-a-trin)

Sabril (SAB-reel) is the brand name used in the United States and some other countries for the seizure medicine vigabatrin (vi-GAB-a-trin). In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vigabatrin in 2009 to be used as a seizure medicine in adults with uncontrolled complex partial seizures and children with infantile spasms. Sabril has been available in many countries for decades. The medicine carries warnings about serious visual loss, so it is not a drug of first choice for complex partial seizures.

Forms
Sabril is marketed in the United States by Lundbeck Inc., Four Parkway North, Deerfield, IL 60015. Because of the possibility of sometimes permanent vision loss, the drug can only be prescribed by physicians who have pre-enrolled in a program to use Sabril. The drug can only be obtained through a central pharmacy, which can be contacted at the SHARE Call Center at 1-888-45-SHARE (1-888-457-4273). If you take a Sabril prescription into a regular pharmacy, it will NOT be filled.

Tablets

Oral Solution

For use in babies or children, Sabril comes as 500 mg powder packets to be mixed in 10 ml of water. This makes a solution of 50 mg per ml, which can be given to a child with a syringe without a needle. Pediatric dosage should be initiated at 50 mg/kg/day divided into two daily doses, increasing total daily dose per instructions (for example, by 25-50 mg/kg/day each week) to a maximum of 150 mg/kg/day.

Injectable

There is no injectable form.

How to take and store Sabril
Follow your doctor's directions. Call if you have any questions. Usually, your doctor will tell you to start by taking 500 mg twice daily (1000 mg/day). The dose may be increased at weekly intervals by 500 mg per day to a final daily dose of 1500 mg twice a day (3000 mg daily), based on how well it works and how well you tolerate it. Your doctor may choose to start the medication at a different rate or aim for a different daily dose depending upon your individual circumstances. Sabril is well-absorbed whether you take it with food or without food, but it's a good idea to be consistent about how you take it.

Be sure to use only the amount that the doctor prescribes. If you think you've used one or two extra tablets, call your doctor for advice. If an overdose of the medicine has been taken, call your local poison control center or emergency room right away, unless you have special instructions from the doctor.

Don't stop taking Sabril or change the amount you use without talking to the doctor first. Stopping any seizure medicine all at once can cause a serious problem called status epilepticus.

If you have kidney (renal) disease, the dose of Sabril should be adjusted: with mild renal impairment the dose should be decreased by 25%; with moderate renal impairment, the dose should be decreased by 50%; and with severe renal impairment, the dose should be decreased by 75%.

All forms of Sabril should be stored at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Keep all medicines out of the reach of children. The manufacturer recommends storing Sabril at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F), so if you live in a hot climate try to keep it in a cool place. You may take it with you on excursions of temperatures between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). The drug may be stable at greater extremes of temperature, but information is lacking.

What if I forget?
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, delay that dose for a few hours instead of taking two doses very close together. Then go back to the regular schedule. Do your best to follow the doctor's directions. If you forget doses often, it may be a good idea to get a special pillbox or watch with an alarm to remind you. Make sure to write down any missed doses and share this with your doctor.

Taking the right amount of seizure medicine on time every single day is the most important step in preventing seizures!