felbamate vs lacosamide
Side-by-side comparison of felbamate and lacosamide Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Felbatol
Vimpat
Felbamate is a medicine used to treat seizures. It is usually only prescribed when other treatments haven't worked well enough due to the risk of serious side effects.
Lacosamide is a medicine that can help control seizures. It is used to treat partial-onset seizures and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in people 4 years and older.
Felbamate treats partial seizures in adults, both with and without generalization. It is also used as an add-on treatment for seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children. Because of the risk of very serious side effects, you should only use this medicine if other treatments have not worked well enough.
Lacosamide is used to treat partial-onset seizures in patients 4 years of age and older. It is also used with other medicines to treat primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients 4 years of age and older. Seizures are caused by unusual electrical activity in the brain.
Felbamate is an anticonvulsant, meaning it helps to control seizures. The exact way it works in the brain is not fully understood. It is thought to affect certain chemicals in the brain that are involved in seizures.
Lacosamide is an anticonvulsant. It is thought to work by slowing down the electrical signals in the brain that cause seizures. This helps to reduce how often seizures happen.
- • Loss of appetite
- • Vomiting
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Headache
- • Double vision
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Sleepiness
- Seizure 345
- Medicine not working 251
- Convulsion 124
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 115
- Sleepiness 108
- Seizure 6,507
- Medicine not working 3,936
- Using medicine for unapproved purpose 3,757
- Feeling dizzy 1,611
- Sleepiness 1,404
Felbamate can cause a severe type of anemia called aplastic anemia. This condition is very serious and can be deadly. Because of this risk, felbamate should only be used if your epilepsy is very severe and other treatments have not worked. Felbamate can also cause liver failure. Talk to your doctor about these risks before starting felbamate.
Lacosamide and other anti-seizure medicines may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions. Tell your doctor right away if you have any new or worsening symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. Lacosamide can also cause heart rhythm problems. Get an ECG before starting and during treatment.
It is not known if felbamate can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if felbamate passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Lacosamide may harm an unborn baby. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking lacosamide. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take anti-epileptic drugs like lacosamide.
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How to Read This felbamate vs lacosamide Comparison
felbamate is classified in the Anticonvulsant drug class, while lacosamide sits within the Anticonvulsant class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, felbamate has 943 submissions while lacosamide has 17,215. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between felbamate and lacosamide — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.