tiagabine
Brand names: Gabitril
Tiagabine is a medicine used with other medicines to treat partial seizures. It helps to control seizures by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$5.41/unit
Generic Available
Yes (2 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Tiagabine is used to treat partial seizures in adults and children 12 years and older.
Common side effects
Dizziness, Lack of energy, Sleepiness
Key warnings
This medicine may cause serious side effects.
How It Works
Tiagabine works by increasing the amount of a chemical called GABA in the brain. GABA helps to calm the brain and reduce seizures. Tiagabine blocks the reuptake of GABA, which means more GABA is available in the brain.
How to Take It
Take tiagabine with food. Do not take a large first dose. If you are already taking other seizure medicines, you may not need to change their dose. Your doctor will increase your dose of tiagabine slowly over time.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if tiagabine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking tiagabine during pregnancy.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, do not double the next dose. If you miss several doses, talk to your doctor.
Storage
Store tiagabine at room temperature (68° to 77°F) away from light and moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 81 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 81 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
81
Death-Related Reports
7
Hospitalization Reports
32
Top Indication
Multiple Sclerosis
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ENCEPHALOPATHY | 16 |
| 2 | MYOCLONUS | 14 |
| 3 | OFF LABEL USE | 13 |
| 4 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 10 |
| 5 | DIZZINESS | 6 |
| 6 | FEELING ABNORMAL | 5 |
| 7 | SEIZURE | 5 |
| 8 | PRODUCT USE IN UNAPPROVED INDICATION | 4 |
| 9 | SEROTONIN SYNDROME | 4 |
| 10 | TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 4 |
| 11 | TREMOR | 4 |
| 12 | ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR | 3 |
| 13 | COMPLETED SUICIDE | 3 |
| 14 | DRUG INTERACTION | 3 |
| 15 | DYSKINESIA | 3 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
This medicine may cause serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any changes in mood or behavior, or any suicidal thoughts.
Known Drug Interactions
Carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone, and phenobarbital are generally classified as enzyme inducers; valproate and gabapentin are not.
Mechanism: Gabapentin does not speed up or slow down the liver enzymes that process tiagabine. This means it is unlikely to change how much tiagabine stays in your body.
What to do: These drugs are generally safe to take together. Always follow the specific dosing instructions provided by your healthcare provider.
Warfarin: No significant differences were observed in the steady-state pharmacokinetics of R-warfarin or S-warfarin with the addition of tiagabine given as a single dose.
Mechanism: Studies show that tiagabine does not change the levels of warfarin in the blood. The two drugs do not seem to have a meaningful interaction.
What to do: No dose changes are typically needed for this combination. Continue to follow your regular schedule for blood monitoring.
Carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone, and phenobarbital are generally classified as enzyme inducers; valproate and gabapentin are not. Valproate: Tiagabine causes a slight decrease (about 10%) in steady-state valproate concentrations. Valproate: The addition of tiagabine to patients taking valproate chronically had no effect on tiagabine pharmacokinetics, but valproate significantly decreased tiagabine binding in vitro from 96.3 to 94.8%, which resulted in an increase of approximately 40% in the free tiagabine concentration.
Mechanism: Valproate pushes tiagabine off blood proteins, which increases the amount of active tiagabine in the body. Tiagabine also slightly lowers the levels of valproate.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your doses and monitor you for increased side effects.
Digoxin: Concomitant administration of tiagabine did not affect the steady-state pharmacokinetics of digoxin or the mean daily trough serum level of digoxin.
Mechanism: These two drugs do not interfere with each other's levels or how the body uses them.
What to do: No dosage changes are usually necessary when taking these medicines together.
Theophylline: A single 10 mg dose of tiagabine did not affect the pharmacokinetics of theophylline at steady state.
Mechanism: Tiagabine does not change how the body breaks down or handles theophylline.
What to do: You can likely take these two drugs together without any special adjustments.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking tiagabine suddenly?
Will tiagabine interact with my other medications?
Can I drink alcohol while taking tiagabine?
How often will my dose be adjusted?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Is it safe to drive while taking tiagabine?
Can children take tiagabine?
What do I do if I accidentally take too much tiagabine?
Does food affect how tiagabine works?
How will I know if the medicine is working?
What are the common side effects of tiagabine?
Does tiagabine interact with other medications?
What drug class is tiagabine?
Is tiagabine safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Anticonvulsant (GABA Reuptake Inhibitor)
Other drugs grouped near tiagabine — same-class peers and common alternatives.
brivaracetam
Briviact
Brivaracetam is a medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures.
Compare with tiagabine →
cannabidiol
Epidiolex
Epidiolex is a medicine that contains cannabidiol.
Compare with tiagabine →
carbamazepine
Tegretol
Carbamazepine is a medicine used to control seizures and treat nerve pain.
Compare with tiagabine →
cenobamate
Xcopri
Xcopri is a medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures in adults.
Compare with tiagabine →
clobazam
Onfi, Sympazan
Clobazam oral suspension is a medicine used with other medicines to treat seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Compare with tiagabine →
Medication Guides
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What the FDA Data Shows for tiagabine
The FDA label for tiagabine (sold under brand names such as Gabitril) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Anticonvulsant (GABA Reuptake Inhibitor) class. Tiagabine is used to treat partial seizures in adults and children 12 years and older. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Dizziness, Lack of energy, Sleepiness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 81 voluntary reports. The database also lists 11 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $5.41.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: March 1, 2021
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages