Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For tiagabine, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to tiagabine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Tiagabine has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in pregnant animals have shown that tiagabine may cause harmful effects in the fetus when given to the mother in doses greater than the usual human dose. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether tiagabine passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children—Although there is no specific information comparing use of tiagabine in children younger than 12 years of age with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of tiagabine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking tiagabine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Phenobarbital or
• Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
• Primidone (e.g., Mysoline)—Lower blood levels of tiagabine may occur, so tiagabine may not work properly; your doctor may need to adjust your dosage

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of tiagabine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Liver problems—Higher blood levels of tiagabine may result, leading to an increase in the chance of side effects
• Status epilepticus—Tiagabine may cause the condition to recur