Sabril Information:

SABRIL is an epilepsy medication. Sabril is a brand name used by Aventis for its seizure medicine.

The generic name is vigabatrin (vi-GAY-buh-trin). This medication has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, but it has been available in other countries for many years. Sabril was developed by a research laboratory in France in 1977. Unlike many other seizure medicines, which are discovered by accident, it was purposely developed with a specific plan in mind—preventing the breakdown of GABA, a neurotransmitter that inhibits brain activity. Sabril was first marketed in Europe in the late 1980s and was approved in Australia in 1993 and in Canada in 1994. In April, 2004, Ovation Pharmaceuticals announced that it had arranged to buy the North American rights to Sabril and planned to try to get FDA approval for sale in the United States. This process is likely to take 2 to 3 years, however. Unfortunately, as many as 25% of patients who take it for a long time suffer damage to the retina of the eye, which limits their field of vision. Because of this safety issue, the FDA has refused to approve Sabril, and its use has been restricted in some other countries.

The name or appearance may differ from place to place.

The dose (measured in milligrams, abbreviated "mg") will usually be the same. This description applies to the Canadian version: Tablets 500-mg off-white oval tablet Follow your doctor's directions. Call if you have any questions. Sabril is usually taken once or twice a day, in addition to any other seizure medicine you have been taking. You probably will be told to continue taking that medicine in the same way as usual. It's OK to take Sabril either with food or without food. Food does not affect how well it works. Store the tablets at room temperature and away from moisture (not in the bathroom, for instance). Be sure to take only the amount that your doctor tells you to take. If you think you've taken one or two extra pills, call your doctor. For a larger overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency room right away. Don't stop taking Sabril or change the number of tablets you take without talking to your doctor first. Stopping any seizure medicine all at once can cause serious problems.

What if I forget?

Ask the doctor what to do if you forget a dose. A forgotten dose should be taken right away, unless it is almost time for the next one. In that case, just use one dose, not a double dose, and call the doctor's office for more advice. 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. Taking the right amount of seizure medicine on time every single day is the most important step in preventing seizures .