felbamate vs lamotrigine
Side-by-side comparison of felbamate and lamotrigine Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Felbatol
Lamictal
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.
Lamotrigine is a medicine that can treat seizures and bipolar disorder. It works by reducing irregular electrical activity in the brain.
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.
Lamotrigine can treat epilepsy in adults and children 2 years and older. It can help with partial-onset seizures, primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. It can also be used to delay mood episodes in adults with bipolar I disorder.
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.
Lamotrigine affects how nerves in the brain send signals to each other. It is thought to work by decreasing the release of certain chemicals. This helps to stabilize electrical activity and prevent seizures or mood swings.
- • Loss of appetite
- • Vomiting
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Headache
- • Double vision
- • Uncoordinated movements
- • Nausea
- Seizure 345
- Medicine not working 251
- Convulsion 124
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 115
- Sleepiness 108
- The medicine is not working 9,923
- Skin rash 8,408
- Seizure 6,527
- Feeling sick to your stomach 6,151
- Tiredness 5,914
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.
Lamotrigine can cause a serious skin rash that may require you to go to the hospital. This rash can be life-threatening. The risk is higher in children. Stop taking lamotrigine and see a doctor right away if you get a rash, fever, or swollen lymph nodes.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Lamotrigine may cause harm to an unborn baby. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take lamotrigine during pregnancy. You can enroll by calling 1-888-233-2334.
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How to Read This felbamate vs lamotrigine Comparison
felbamate is classified in the Anticonvulsant drug class, while lamotrigine 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 lamotrigine has 36,923. 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 lamotrigine — 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.