LEARN MORE ABOUT TAKING APTIOM
Whether you’re considering treatment for the first time or continuing to experience focal seizures on your current antiseizure medication, ask your doctor about APTIOM. Only your doctor can determine if APTIOM is right for you.
Your doctor will let you know which APTIOM tablet strength to take daily and whether you should take APTIOM alone or in combination with other antiseizure medications. Your doctor may make small increases to your dosing based on your response to it. These increases may continue until you reach your maintenance dose—the regular amount you will take daily. For pediatric patients, the doctor may continue to adjust your child's dosage as he or she grows.
Always be sure to follow your doctor's instructions and keep him or her informed about how you or your loved one is doing.
APTIOM may interact with other medications you may be taking. Be sure to see the APTIOM Medication Guide, as these highlights do not include all the information needed to use APTIOM safely and effectively.
APTIOM drug interactions
- Do not stop taking APTIOM without first talking to your doctor. Stopping APTIOM suddenly can cause serious problems including seizures that will not stop.
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APTIOM may lower the frequency of focal seizures when taken alone or when taken with other medicines. Adding APTIOM requires no adjustment with some anti-epileptic
drugs (AEDs) you may be taking, including*:
- levetiracetam
- lamotrigine
- valproic acid
- topiramate
- gabapentin
- Although APTIOM can be taken with any of these medications, you should always talk to your doctor before doing so
- Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Do not start or stop other medications without talking to your health care provider
- APTIOM may interact with carbamazepine and phenytoin and affect how they work. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose if these medications are given together with APTIOM. You may experience additional side effects when APTIOM is taken with carbamazepine
- APTIOM may interact with simvastatin, also known as Zocor®, and affect how it works. APTIOM may also interact with and affect how rosuvastatin (also known as Crestor®) works. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose of Zocor or Crestor if these medications are given together with APTIOM
- APTIOM may decrease the effectiveness of birth control medicine. Talk to your doctor about the best birth control method to use
- See the Medication Guide for more information
*Individual results may vary.
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Learn more about the possible side effects of APTIOM
It’s always important to ask your doctor about any side effects before starting a new medication. It’s also good to be aware of any changes in your physical, mental, and emotional states and share your experiences with your doctor. Refer to APTIOM Important Safety Information to learn more.
The most common side effects in patients taking APTIOM include:
- dizziness
- sleepiness
- nausea
- headache
- double vision
- vomiting
- feeling tired
- problems with coordination
- blurred vision
- shakiness
To learn more about APTIOM, download our brochure.
DOWNLOAD BROCHUREAngela's Story
Living Beyond Epilepsy
Angela experienced her first seizure as an adult. As a wife and mother of two, with no family history of seizures, the experience scared her. See how she went from fearing her epilepsy to being determined not to let it hold her back.*
*Individual results may vary.
How does APTIOM work?
Seizures happen when brain cells, called neurons, begin to fire uncontrollably. This excessive firing can cause patients to experience involuntary responses, like convulsions, muscle spasms, and sometimes loss of consciousness.
Seizures can occur in both sides of the brain. When seizures start on one side of the brain, they’re called focal seizures. That’s where APTIOM might be an option.
While the precise way that APTIOM works is not known, it is believed to help reduce excessive firing by helping to control the neurons that are causing the focal seizures. For more information about APTIOM, browse through the answers to frequently asked questions that patients have had about it, or get specifics about epilepsy and seizures here.
Kim's Story
One woman's journey
Kim had her first seizure in the 5th grade. Embarrassed by her experience and worried that people wouldn't understand her condition, she began isolating herself. See how she has come to terms with her epilepsy and no longer allows it to define her.*
*Individual results may vary.
Sign up for Savings
Get APTIOM for $10 a month.*
*Restrictions apply. See eligibility requirements for more information.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND INDICATION FOR APTIOM (eslicarbazepine acetate):
It is not known if APTIOM is safe and effective in children under 4 years of age...[read more]
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND INDICATION FOR APTIOM (eslicarbazepine acetate):
It is not known if APTIOM is safe and effective in children under 4 years of age.
Do not take APTIOM if you are allergic to eslicarbazepine acetate, any of the other ingredients in APTIOM, or oxcarbazepine.
Suicidal behavior and ideation: Antiepileptic drugs, including APTIOM, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempting to commit suicide; new or worse depression, anxiety, or irritability; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping (insomnia); acting aggressive; being angry or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania); or other unusual changes in behavior or mood.
Allergic reactions: APTIOM may cause serious skin rash or other serious allergic reactions that may affect organs or other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: swelling of the face, eyes, lips, or tongue; trouble swallowing or breathing; hives; fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that do not go away or come and go; painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes; yellowing of the skin or eyes; unusual bruising or bleeding; severe fatigue or weakness; severe muscle pain; or frequent infections or infections that do not go away.
Low salt (sodium) levels in the blood: APTIOM may cause the level of sodium in your blood to be low. Symptoms may include nausea, tiredness, lack of energy, irritability, confusion, muscle weakness or muscle spasms, or more frequent or more severe seizures. Some medicines can also cause low sodium in your blood. Be sure to tell your health care provider about all the other medicines that you are taking.
Nervous system problems: APTIOM may cause problems that can affect your nervous system, including dizziness, sleepiness, vision problems, trouble concentrating, and difficulties with coordination and balance. APTIOM may slow your thinking or motor skills. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how APTIOM affects you.
Liver problems: APTIOM may cause problems that can affect your liver. Symptoms of liver problems include yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, or dark urine.
Most common adverse reactions: The most common side effects in patients taking APTIOM include dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, headache, double vision, vomiting, feeling tired, problems with coordination, blurred vision, and shakiness.
Drug interactions: Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking APTIOM with certain other medicines may cause side effects or affect how well they work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your health care provider. Especially tell your health care provider if you take oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, clobazam, omeprazole, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, or birth control medicine.
Discontinuation: Do not stop taking APTIOM without first talking to your health care provider. Stopping APTIOM suddenly can cause serious problems.
Pregnancy and lactation: APTIOM may cause your birth control medicine to be less effective. Talk to your health care provider about the best birth control method to use. APTIOM may harm your unborn baby. APTIOM passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You and your health care provider will decide if you should take APTIOM. If you become pregnant while taking APTIOM, talk to your health care provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1.888.233.2334.
Get medical help right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above.
INDICATION:
Aptiom® (eslicarbazepine acetate) is a prescription medicine to treat partial-onset seizures in patients 4 years of age and older.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1.800.FDA.1088.
For more information, please see the APTIOM Medication Guide and Full Prescribing Information.