The Epilepsy Foundation defines the goal of epilepsy treatment to be zero seizures with little to no side effects. It may be time to reset your expectations about what it means to achieve better seizure control.
If seizures are still interrupting your life, your current treatment plan may not be doing enough to manage them. That's why you should talk to your neurologist about Vimpat, a medication that is added on to your current medication(s) to help better control your partial-onset seizures.
Learn about your treatment options, and the benefits of adding on Vimpat. Then talk to your neurologist about getting an epilepsy treatment that can meet your expectations for seizure control.
Discover more about Vimpat with the questions and answers below
What is "seizure control"?
What is the best epilepsy treatment approach for me?
What is combination therapy?
How do epilepsy medicines work together?
What is Vimpat?
How can Vimpat help?
How does Vimpat work?
What are the benefits and side effects of Vimpat?
How do we know Vimpat works?
Can I afford Vimpat?
What is "seizure control"?
Seizure control is defined by the Epilepsy Foundation as having no seizures, with little to no treatment side effects. The good news is that, for about 80% of people with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with medicine and/or surgery. Even if you're having only a few seizures a year, talk to your neurologist about how you could reduce the number of seizures you're having. Understand the meaning of seizure control.
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What is the best epilepsy treatment approach for me?
Epilepsy treatment differs based on your seizure type, your epilepsy type, other health conditions you may have, and your lifestyle and preferences. If your current epilepsy treatment is not giving you the seizure control you need, your neurologist may choose to add on another medicine—such as Vimpat—as part of your treatment. Medicines like Vimpat are studied to work in combination with other epilepsy medicines. In fact, Vimpat can be used with any of the common epilepsy medicines. Get in-depth information about Vimpat.
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What is combination therapy?
Combination therapy is when two or more medicines are used together to treat a medical condition. When people with epilepsy don't get the seizure control they need from one medicine, research has shown that an additional medicine may help.
Vimpat plays an important part in combination therapy for many people with epilepsy. Vimpat works well with all of the most common epilepsy medicines and may help with even hard-to-treat partial-onset seizures. See how combination therapy works.
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How do epilepsy medicines work together?
The way medicines work is different for each person. Combinations of epilepsy medicines and dosages may be tried until you and your neurologist find the best results for you. This is an important process to work through if you are to achieve better seizure control. See how combination therapy might work for you.
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What is Vimpat?
Vimpat is a prescription medicine that is used with other medicines to treat partial-onset seizures in people 17 years of age and older with epilepsy. When added on to other medicines, Vimpat works to increase control of partial-onset seizures, helping you get more out of your treatment and reset your personal expectations about what it means to achieve greater seizure control. See how adding Vimpat can change your view of seizure control.
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How can Vimpat help?
Almost 60% of people who have seizures experience them as partial-onset seizures, and less than half of people with epilepsy respond to the first seizure medicine they try. Vimpat has been studied with every commonly used epilepsy medicine and—when taken with those medicines—was found to improve seizure control. Vimpat has been shown to help with even difficult-to-treat seizures. It offers hope for the more than 800,000 people who are not getting the control they deserve. Understand the benefits of adding Vimpat.
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How does Vimpat work?
Studies suggest that Vimpat works in a way that complements other epilepsy medicines. However, as with many other epilepsy medicines, exactly how Vimpat helps control seizures isn't fully understood. Vimpat works with brain cells to help them respond to a seizure. During a seizure, channels in the brain cells are opened for a longer time than usual, allowing too many electrical signals to pass through too fast. Vimpat helps to slow the flow of these electrical signals. Learn how Vimpat works on brain cells.
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What are the benefits and side effects of Vimpat?
Vimpat offers increased control over your seizures, reducing your partial-onset seizures by 50% or more. Vimpat can be taken with most other epilepsy medicines. Common side effects are usually mild to moderate and include dizziness, headache, double vision and nausea. Be knowledgeable about potential side effects.
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How do we know Vimpat works?
Vimpat has been studied for almost 10 years and has been effective in improving seizure control when combined with every common epilepsy medicine. And people who had taken several other epilepsy medicines in the past experienced improved seizure control after adding Vimpat. Read about others who have added Vimpat.
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Can I afford Vimpat?
UCB, the maker of Vimpat, has created the Vimpat Advantage Program. This program can give you a Vimpat Savings Card for up to $45 off your monthly prescriptions. Vimpat is covered by most insurance plans, so check with your plan to see if it's covered. In addition, patient assistance is available to help those who cannot pay for their medications. Find out about a free Trial Offer.
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Indication
Vimpat® (lacosamide) is a prescription medicine that is used with other medicines to treat partial-onset seizures in people 17 years of age and older with epilepsy.
Important Safety Information
Vimpat is generally well-tolerated, but may not be for everyone. Ask your healthcare provider if Vimpat is right for you.
Warnings and Precautions
Antiepileptic drugs, including Vimpat, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have new or worsening symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or suicidal thoughts, behavior, or thoughts about self harm that you have never had before or may be worse than before. Do not stop taking Vimpat without first talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping Vimpat suddenly can cause serious problems.
Vimpat may also cause you to feel dizzy, have double vision, feel sleepy, or have problems with coordination and walking. You should not drive, operate machinery or do other dangerous activities until you know how Vimpat affects you.
Vimpat may cause you to have an irregular heartbeat or may cause you to feel faint. Call your healthcare provider if you have a fast, slow, or pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, feel lightheaded, or if you fainted or feel like you are going to faint.
Vimpat is classified as a federally controlled substance (C-V) due to a low potential for abuse. Keep your Vimpat in a safe place and do not give it to anyone else.
In rare cases, Vimpat may cause a serious allergic reaction that may affect your skin or other parts of your body such as your liver or blood cells. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a skin rash or hives, fever or swollen glands that do not go away, shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, or dark urine.
Vimpat oral solution contains aspartame, a source of phenylalanine.
Common Adverse Reactions
The most common side effects with Vimpat are dizziness, headache, nausea, and double vision. To report Suspected Adverse Reactions, contact UCB, Inc. at 866-822-0068 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Please see additional patient information in the Patient Medication Guide. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your condition or your treatment.
