• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is primidone?
Primidone is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. Primidone is used to control seizures. Primidone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Back to Top

What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

Back to Top

What are the possible side effects of primidone?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• slurred speech;

• loss of balance or coordination;

• easy bruising or bleeding; or

• unusual weakness.

Less serious side effects may include:

• dizziness, drowsiness, spinning sensation;

• nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite;

• feeling irritable;

• blurred vision;

• mild skin rash; or

• impotence, loss of interest in sex.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

Back to Top

How should I take primidone?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Primidone is usually taken 2 to 4 times daily. If you are switching to primidone from another seizure medication, you may need to start taking primidone only at bedtime. Follow your doctor's instructions. If you are taking primidone to treat seizures, keep taking the medication even if you feel fine. You may have an increase in seizures if you stop taking primidone. Follow your doctor's instructions.

Back to Top

What is the most important information I should know about primidone?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to primidone or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), or if you have porphyria. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments. Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Back to Top

What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Back to Top

What other drugs will affect primidone?
There may be other drugs that can interact with primidone. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Back to Top

Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Primidone has not been assigned to a pregnancy category by the FDA. Animal studies on primidone have shown palatal clefting to be the most common defect and to be dose related. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. An association has been suggested between the use of use of anticonvulsant drugs by women with epilepsy and an elevated incidence of birth defects in the children born to these women. Because of the strong possibility of precipitating status epilepticus with attendant hypoxia and threat to life, the manufacturer has stated that anticonvulsant drugs should not be discontinued in patients in whom the drug is administered to prevent major seizures. Alternatively, if the severity and frequency of the seizure disorders is felt to be such that removal of the drug is not believed to pose a serious threat to the patient, then discontinuation of the drug may be considered prior to and during pregnancy. The danger of the medication should be weighed against the possibility that even minor seizures may pose a hazard to the developing embryo or fetus.

Neonatal hemorrhage has been reported in newborns whose mothers were taking primidone and other and other anticonvulsants. Therefore, prophylactic administration of vitamin K1 therapy for one month prior to and during delivery is recommended for pregnant women on anticonvulsant therapy. Physicians are encouraged to register patients before fetal outcome is known (e.g., ultrasound, results of amniocentesis, etc) into the Antiepileptic Drug (AED) Pregnancy Registry at 1-888-233-2334 or 1-888-AED-AED4. This is an ongoing study at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. This study is designed to monitor the outcomes of pregnant women exposed to antiepileptic drugs in order to determine which therapies are associated with increased risk.

Primidone is excreted into human milk in substantial amounts. The manufacturer states that the presence of undue somnolence and drowsiness in nursing newborns of primidone treated mothers is as an indication that nursing should be discontinued.

Back to Top

Who should NOT use this medication?

• Porphyria.
• Known hypersensitivity to phenobarbital.

Back to Top

What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a primidone overdose are not known.

Back to Top

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking primidone?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to primidone or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), or if you have porphyria. You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several months of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

Back to Top

Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

Back to Top

I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

Back to Top

Where can I get more information?
More Information

Back to Top