Before taking ezogabine,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to ezogabine, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in ezogabine tablets. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone); certain antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., Erythrocin), or moxifloxacin (Avelox); chloroquine (Aralen); antihistamines; carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol, Teril), chlorpromazine; citalopram (Celexa); digoxin (Cardoxin, Digitek, Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin); disopyramide (Norpace); dofetilide (Tikosyn); droperidol (Inapsine); flecainide (Tambocor); haloperidol (Haldol); ipratropium (Atrovent); medications for irritable bowel disease, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, ulcers, or urinary problems; mesoridazine (Serentil); methadone (Dolophine); pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam); phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); pimozide (Orap); procainamide (Pronestyl); quinidine (in Nuedexta); sotalol (Betapace); thioridazine; and vandetanib (Caprelsa). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol and if you have or have ever had benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH; enlarged prostate) or any other condition that causes difficulty urinating, heart failure or other heart problems, a long QT interval (a heart problem that may cause irregular heartbeat, fainting, or sudden death), low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood, or kidney or liver disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking ezogabine, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking ezogabine.
you should know that ezogabine may make you dizzy, drowsy, confused, or unable to concentrate. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking ezogabine. Alcohol can make the dizziness and drowsiness caused by ezogabine worse.
you should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways and you may become suicidal (thinking about harming or killing yourself or planning or trying to do so) while you are taking ezogabine for the treatment of epilepsy or other conditions. A small number of adults and children 5 years of age and older (about 1 in 500 people) who took anticonvulsants such as ezogabine to treat various conditions during clinical studies became suicidal during their treatment. Some of these people developed suicidal thoughts and behavior as early as one week after they started taking the medication. There is a risk that you may experience changes in your mental health if you take an anticonvulsant medication such as ezogabine, but there may also be a risk that you will experience changes in your mental health if your condition is not treated. You and your doctor will decide whether the risks of taking an anticonvulsant medication are greater than the risks of not taking the medication. You, your family, or your caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: panic attacks; agitation or restlessness; new or worsening irritability, anxiety, or depression; acting on dangerous impulses; difficulty falling or staying asleep; aggressive, angry, or violent behavior; mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood); talking or thinking about wanting to hurt yourself or end your life; withdrawing from friends and family; preoccupation with death and dying; giving away prized possessions; or any other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor if you are unable to seek treatment on your own.