Antiseizure medications focus on preventing seizures that most often are associated with epilepsy. The medicine tiagabine, which is the generic name of a medication marketed in the United States under the brand name Gabitril, is such an antiseizure drug. The Mayo Clinic warns, though, that there still is no cure for epilepsy. Gabitril may be administered as a pill or capsule.
Nervousness and Dizziness
When you first start ingesting Gabitril to help control your seizures, you may experience some common side effects of the medication. These begin typically because your body is becoming accustomed to the medicine. For example, you may feel jittery and nervous for no rational reason. This is a non-serious side effect, the Mayo Clinic states, that for most people will recede several days after beginning treatment with Gabitril. In most cases, medical attention will not be necessary, but you may want to ask your physician about the problem if it continues. Another temporary side effect of Gabitril that is common is a sense of motion that may be constant for a few days. This dizziness disrupts your sense of balance and may cause you to fall down or throw up.
Unusual Sensations
Gabitril can make you experience an odd side effect that is both common and non-serious. Drugs.com reports that a common temporary side effect of the drug is to experience sensations on your skin that are unusual. Things you normally touch may feel different than usual, or you may experience phantom sensations or feel as if something is touching you, but there is nothing there. While this may be uncomfortable, it will be short-lived in most people using the drug. Explain the problem to your physician if it does not vanish in several days.
Another common effect of Gabitril related to your skin is flushing, also known as hot flashes. This is a sudden warming of your skin, often accompanied by redness on your skin and sweating. The Mayo Clinic reports that one of two potential serious common side effects also may affect your skin. This is the appearance of colored spots on your skin, usually purple or blue. If you get these, contact your doctor as soon as you can.
Difficulty Concentrating
Taking Gabitril can interfere with how your brain works, other than preventing seizures. The medicine may, for example, make it difficult to focus your attention on even basic things such as television or reading. This is a serious common side effect that does require medical attention, the Mayo Clinic states.
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