As a woman with epilepsy, and a key decision maker about your and your family's health, you face a unique set of challenges. Fortunately, there are a number of resources available for women with epilepsy at every stage of life. Please see below for useful links for women living with epilepsy.
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. Before you take Vimpat, it is important to tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Vimpat can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking Vimpat. You and your healthcare provider will decide if you should take Vimpat while you are pregnant.
Also, if you become pregnant while taking Vimpat, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry and/or enrolling in the UCB Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of an antiepileptic drug registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medication during pregnancy. More information regarding these two registries can be found below.
Also, tell your doctor before you take Vimpat if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Vimpat passes into your breast milk or if it can harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take Vimpat.
Resources for women with epilepsy
Connecting with a pregnancy registry
Resources for women with epilepsy
These websites contain information on epilepsy and women's issues.
Contains information on health issues faced by women with epilepsy at every age. Also provides information on the Epilepsy Foundation's Women and Epilepsy Initiative.
Includes information on several key concerns for women with epilepsy, such as pregnancy, breast-feeding, birth control, and impact on hormones.
Addresses concerns around pregnancy and motherhood for women with epilepsy.
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Connecting with a pregnancy registry
The purpose of an antiepileptic drug pregnancy registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medication during pregnancy.
UCB AED Pregnancy Registry
For more information about the UCB AED Pregnancy Registry, call 1-888-537-7734.
North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry
You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334.
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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.
