Sabril ratings & reviews

Vigabatrin
Company: Lundbeck
Brand: Sabril
Drug class: Central and Peripheral Nervous System
+2 more
Central and Peripheral Nervous System, Anticonvulsants, Anticonvulsants, GABA-T Inhibitors
Overall rating
3.4
full star full star full star empty star empty star
Ranked #1
Physician ratings
  • Efficacy: effective for its intended use
  • Safety: safe to use in humans
  • Tolerability: low drug side effects
  • Accessibility: insurance/payer coverage, cost, affordability,formulary coverage, availability in your hospital or practice setting
  • Adherence: patient compliance with treatment
Efficacy
3.6/5
Safety
3.3/5
Tolerability
3.4/5
Accessibility
3.2/5
Adherence
3.5/5

Sermo AI Overview

  • Sabril is effective for treating infantile spasms, with many healthcare providers reporting favorable outcomes in their patients, contributing to its acceptance as a treatment option.
  • Concerns about the risk of permanent vision loss linked to Sabril have led to apprehension among patients and physicians, which may affect treatment adherence despite its effectiveness.
  • While Sabril is generally better tolerated than older treatments, safety ratings suggest that careful consideration and monitoring are essential before prescribing the drug.
  • Was this summary helpful?
Based on insights from Sermo’s triple verified physicians

Description

Sabril contains the active ingredient vigabatrin, available in a film-coated 500 mg tablet form. It is an oral antiepileptic drug. Key inactive ingredients include magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, and sodium starch glycolate. It is intended to help with epilepsy by managing seizures.

Source: This information is sourced from FDA and powered by AI

Dosage & Administration

How should I use this medication?

Take this medication by mouth. Take it as directed on the prescription label at the same time every day. You can take it with or without food. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food. Keep taking it unless your care team tells you to stop.

A special MedGuide will be given to you with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time.

Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. Special care may be needed.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.

NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

Where should I keep my medication?

Keep out of the reach of children and pets.

Store at room temperature between 20 and 25 degrees C (68 and 77 degrees F). Get rid of any unused medication after the expiration date.

To get rid of medications that are no longer needed or have expired:

  • Take the medication to a medication take-back program. Check with your pharmacy or law enforcement to find a location.
  • If you cannot return the medication, check the label or package insert to see if the medication should be thrown out in the garbage or flushed down the toilet. If you are not sure, ask your care team. If it is safe to put it in the trash, pour the medication out of the container. Mix the medication with cat litter, dirt, coffee grounds, or other unwanted substance. Seal the mixture in a bag or container. Put it in the trash.

NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.

Side Effects

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication?

Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:

  • Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
  • Change in vision such as blurry vision, seeing halos around lights, vision loss
  • Low red blood cell level—unusual weakness or fatigue, dizziness, headache, trouble breathing
  • Pain, tingling, or numbness in the hands or feet
  • Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood, feelings of depression

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):

  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of balance or coordination
  • Swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet
  • Tremors or shaking
  • Weight gain

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Warnings & Precautions

What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

  • History of substance use disorder
  • Kidney disease
  • Low red blood cell levels
  • Suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt by you or a family member
  • Vision problems
  • An unusual or allergic reaction to vigabatrin, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
  • Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
  • Breast-feeding

What may interact with this medication?

  • Clonazepam
  • Other medications that may cause serious eye problems, such as interferon-alpha, peg-interferon, prednisone, or methylprednisolone
  • Phenytoin

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What should I watch for while using this medication?

Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. Tell your care team if your symptoms do not start to get better or if they get worse.

This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit up or stand slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects.

Your vision may be tested before and during use of this medication. Tell your care team right away if you have any change in your eyesight.

Do not suddenly stop taking this medication. You may develop a severe reaction. Your care team will tell you how much medication to take. If your care team wants you to stop the medication, the dose may be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.

This medication may cause thoughts of suicide or depression. This includes sudden changes in mood, behaviors, or thoughts. These changes can happen at any time but are more common in the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose. Call your care team right away if you experience these thoughts or worsening depression.

Wear a medical ID bracelet or chain. Carry a card that describes your condition. List the medications and doses you take on the card.

What are the most serious risks of this medication?

This medicine should only be given by a healthcare provider who has special training and experience in using it.

This medicine can damage your vision. It causes loss of seeing to the side when you look straight ahead (peripheral vision). Any loss in vision will never get better. It may be severe, where you only see things straight in front of you (called tunnel vision). You may also have blurry vision. There is a risk of vision loss with any amount of this medicine. The risk may be higher with a higher dose and with longer treatment. Vision loss can happen at any time during or after treatment. Vision will be carefully monitored during and after treatment.

Source: This information is sourced from Elsevier Inc.

Disclaimer

The reviews, ratings, comments, and opinions expressed on this platform are solely those of the individual medical professionals who posted them and do not reflect the views or positions of Sermo, Inc. Sermo does not endorse, verify, or validate the content of individual reviews. The information provided is user-generated and reflects personal clinical experiences, which may not be complete, accurate, or applicable to your specific health needs. It is not intended as medical advice.

Prescription medications affect individuals differently, and what works for one person may not work for another. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed applies to your personal circumstances. Only a licensed healthcare provider can advise you on what is safe and effective for you.

Keep all medications out of the reach of children, never share your medicine with others, and use each medication only as prescribed. Your reliance on any information provided on this platform is at your own risk.

Terms of use

  1. Sermo Drug Ratings, and all information provided on this website, may not be used in combination with any artificial intelligence tool (including to train an algorithm, test, process, analyze, generate output and/or develop any form of artificial intelligence tool). 

  2. Visitors to the online patient-facing website at Sermo.com (“Sermo Drug Ratings”) are Authorized Users of the website, which contains data owned by a third-party provider, Elsevier, Inc.  Accordingly, by visiting Sermo Drug Ratings, Authorized User acknowledges that the website includes Elsevier owned data that Sermo licenses pursuant to a separate usage and Data agreement (the “Agreements”).  Authorized User further acknowledges that Sermo is a third-party beneficiary of the Agreements and Authorized User’s use of the website hereby binds them to the terms of the Agreements; provided, however, that Elsevier shall have no obligations or liability to an Authorized User whatsoever pursuant to the terms of the Agreements.

  3. Authorized User acknowledges and agrees that the Elsevier Products are designed for and are intended to be used by those residing in the United States, and that the information contained in the Elsevier Products does not comply with any laws or practices outside of the United States. You assume all responsibilities, duties, and obligations for any treatment, decision, or advice made or given to third parties as a result of the use or application of the Elsevier Products outside of the United States, and Sermo, Elsevier and its affiliates, subsidiaries, agents and suppliers will incur no liability for any use or application of the Products by Authorized Users outside of the United States.

Welcome to Sermo's Drug Ratings

Previously only for members, Sermo Drug Ratings are now openly available to all healthcare providers, patients, and industry professionals to support better healthcare decisions.

Clinical expertise
Insights based on real prescribing experience from triple-verified practicing physicians only
Detailed insights
Ratings on key attributes including efficacy, safety, tolerability, accessibility, and adherence
Unbiased reviews
Independent, physician-only reviews, free from pharmaceutical industry influence