Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your progress closely while you or your child are using this medicine to see if it is working properly and to allow for a change in the dose. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

Do not stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Stopping the medicine suddenly may cause your seizures to return or to occur more often. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping completely.

This medicine may increase the chance of experiencing grand mal seizures in certain patients. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.

Ethosuximide may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. If you, your child, or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor or your child's doctor right away.

This medicine may increase your risk of having systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Tell your doctor right away if you or your child has chest pain, fever and chills, general feeling of discomfort or illness, hair loss, headache, muscle or joint pain, skin rash, sore throat, swollen glands, or trouble breathing.

This medicine will lower the number of some types of blood cells in your body. Because of this, you may bleed or get infections more easily. To help with these problems, avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Wash your hands often. Stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.

Tell your doctor right away if you or your child feels unusually weak, starts bruising easily, has bleeding gums or nosebleeds, seems to be sick more often, has a fever, swollen glands, or a sore throat that will not go away.

Call your doctor right away if you or your child start to have persistent cough, weight loss, night sweats, fever, chills, or flu-like symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose, headache, blurred vision, or feeling generally ill.

Serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and drug reactions with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) can occur with this medicine, which can be life-threatening. Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chest pain, chills, cough, diarrhea, itching, joint or muscle pain, painful or difficult urination, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, swollen glands, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness while you or your child are using this medicine.

Ethosuximide may cause dizziness, drowsiness, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.