Adults with specific types of partial onset seizures (seizures that only affect one portion of the brain) can be treated with cenobamate alone or in combination with other drugs. The drug cenobamate belongs to the anticonvulsant drug class. It functions by reducing the brain’s aberrant electrical activity.

A tablet to be swallowed contains cenobamate. The normal dosage is one dose per day, with or without food. Cenobamate should be taken every day at around the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Cenobamate should be taken as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Do not chew, break, or crush the pills; instead, swallow them whole with some fluids.

Cenobamate is likely to be prescribed to you at a modest starting dose by your doctor, who will then likely gradually increase it up to once every two weeks.

It’s possible that cenobamate forms habits. Don’t take the medication in excess of what your doctor has suggested in terms of dosage, frequency, or duration.

Your problem cannot be cured with cenobamate, however it may help you manage it. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking cenobamate. Your seizures can get worse if you abruptly stop using cenobamate. Your dose will likely be gradually reduced by your doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking cenobamate,

• If you have an allergy to cenobamate, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in cenobamate tablets, let your doctor and pharmacist know right away. For a list of the ingredients, consult the Medication Guide or speak with your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: Medication for seizures, such as carbamazepine (Equetro, Tegretol, Teril), clobazam (Sympazan), lamotrigine (Lamictal), phenobarbital, and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); drugs for allergies, anxiety, cough and cold, mental illness, and pain; sedatives; sleeping pills; and tranquilizers. Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects. Tell your doctor about all of the medications you are taking, even any not on this list, as many other drugs may interact with cenobamate.
• Cenobamate may reduce the efficacy of hormonal contraceptives, therefore you should be aware of it. See your doctor about birth control options that are effective for you while you use cenobamate.
• If you have familial short QT syndrome, let your doctor know. Most likely, your doctor will advise against taking cenobamate.
• If you have or have previously had liver or kidney disease, let your doctor know.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking cenobamate.
• You should let your doctor or dentist know that you are taking cenobamate if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• You should be aware that cenobamate may result in drowsiness, coordination issues, and dizziness. Until you are certain of how this drug affects you, avoid operating machinery, driving a car, or engaging in other tasks that call for attentiveness or coordination.
• Inquire with your doctor if drinking alcohol is okay for you to do while taking cenobamate. The negative effects of cenobamate can be exacerbated by alcohol.
• You should be aware that while using cenobamate, your mental health may alter in unexpected ways and you could develop suicidal thoughts or behavior (planning to injure or kill yourself or making attempts to do so). Approximately 1 in 500 adults and children aged 5 and older who were treated with anticonvulsants like cenobamate in clinical studies for a variety of illnesses developed suicidal thoughts while on the medication. One week after they began taking the medicine, several of these folks started exhibiting suicidal thoughts and actions. If you take an anticonvulsant drug like cenobamate, there is a chance that your mental state will change, but there is also a chance that if your condition is untreated, your mental state won’t change. Whether the hazards of using an anticonvulsant drug outweigh the dangers of not using it will be decided by you and your doctor. Any of the following symptoms should prompt you, your family, or your caregiver to call your doctor immediately away: panic attacks, agitation or restlessness, fresh occurrences of, or worsening of, irritability, anxiety, or depression, acting on risky impulses, sleep difficulties, aggressive, angry, or violent behavior, mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood), talking or thinking about wanting to harm yourself or end your life, or any other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Make sure your family or caregiver is aware of any symptoms that could be significant so they can contact the doctor on your behalf if you are unable to call for help.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

There may be adverse effects from cenobamate. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Headache
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Mouth ache
• Heartburn
• Abdominal pain
• Reduced appetite
• Slim down
• Back ache
• Changing tastes
• Having trouble getting ready, writing, or speaking
• Confusion

Some adverse effects may be severe. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you see any of these signs or any of those detailed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section:

• Either double or hazy vision
• Hives, a rash, swelling in your face or legs, difficulty breathing or swallowing, and a rash
• Swelling of the glands, a fever, or a sore throat
• Mouth sores or eyelid sores
• Significant bruising or bleeding
• Muscle aches, skin or eye yellowing, weakness, or dark urine
• Breathing difficulty
• Unsteady heartbeat or dizziness

Further negative effects of cenobamate could exist. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone if you have a serious side event.

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilizing a medicine take-back program is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programs in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back program, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. The drug cenobamate is under control. Only a limited amount of refills are permitted for prescriptions; if you have any doubts, speak with your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.