Are you a healthcare professional? Join GoodRx for HCPs

Compare Lamictal vs. Banzel

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Lamotrigine (Lamictal) and Rufinamide (Banzel) are both antiepileptic medications, but they have some key differences. Lamotrigine is used to treat various types of seizures and bipolar disorder, while Rufinamide is specifically for seizures linked to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and must be taken with other seizure medications. Lamotrigine is available in both immediate-release and extended-release forms, whereas Rufinamide comes in tablets and a liquid form. Lamotrigine can cause serious skin reactions and interacts with many medications, while Rufinamide can cause heart rhythm problems and must be taken with food for full absorption. Additionally, Lamotrigine is available as a lower-cost generic, but Rufinamide can be expensive if not covered by insurance, even though it is available as a generic. Both medications can cause dizziness and drowsiness, but they have different side effect profiles and specific warnings.

Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Rufinamide (Banzel)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Rufinamide (Banzel)
Summary of Lamictal vs. Banzel
Summary for Antiepileptic
Prescription only
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) can be used alone or together with other medications to treat seizures. It's available in immediate-release and extended-release formulations. The immediate-release formulation can also be used for bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine (Lamictal) can cause serious skin reactions like rash.
Summary for Antiepileptic
Prescription only
Rufinamide (Banzel) is an antiepileptic medication that helps control seizures due to a type of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). It's approved as add-on treatment to other anti-seizure medications for adults and children 1 year of age and older. Rufinamide (Banzel) is typically taken by mouth twice a day. It comes in tablet and oral suspension form. Rufinamide (Banzel) isn't a controlled substance, but it commonly causes drowsiness and vomiting as side effects.
Indications of Lamictal vs. Banzel
Indications for

•Seizures (partial seizures, tonic-clonic seizures)

•Seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome - immediate-release only

•Bipolar disorder - immediate-release only

Indications for

•Seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) - add-on treatment
Pros and Cons of Lamictal vs. Banzel
Pros and Const for Antiepileptic
Pros

•Starter kits are available to help with dosing when you first start the medication.

•Dose can be adjusted based on your response

•Available in various forms: chewable tablets, quick-dissolving tablets, and extended-release tablets

•Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

•Can cause dizziness

•Dose has to be slowly raised due to risk of serious rash

•Interacts with many medications such as birth control pills, divalproex (Depakote), and dofetilide (Tikosyn)

•Unknown if safe or works well in children under 2 years old (immediate release) or children under 13 years old (extended release)

Pros and Const for Antiepileptic
Pros

•Works well to lessen the number of seizures in a month if you have Lennox–Gastaut syndrome

•Can give to children 1 year of age and older

•Comes as an orange-flavored suspension if you have trouble swallowing pills

•Not a controlled substance, so it doesn't have strict regulations from the government

Cons

•Must take with other anti-seizure medications (not by itself)

•Only used for seizures from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; not for other seizure conditions

•Must take with food to help the body fully absorb the medication

•Can cause drowsiness
Common Side Effects of Lamictal vs. Banzel
Common Side Effects for
Below are common side effects reported by adults who took this medication along with other treatments. Percentages can differ depending on your condition (e.g., bipolar) and your age.

Immediate release

•Dizziness (38%)

•Headache (29%)

•Double vision (28%)

•Loss of coordination (22%)

•Nausea (19%)

•Blurry vision (16%)

•Sleepiness (14%)

•Stuffy nose (14%)

•Sore throat (10%)

•Rash (10%)

Extended release

•Dizziness (14%)

•Nausea (7%)

•Vomiting (6%)

•Tremor (6%)

•Feeling tired (6%)

•Double vision (5%)

•Diarrhea (5%)

Common Side Effects for
Children (age 1 to younger than 4 years old)

•Vomiting (24%)

•Drowsiness (16%)

•Bronchitis (12%)

•Constipation (12%)

•Cough (12%)

•Low appetite (12%)

•Rash (12%)

Children (age 3 to younger than 17 years old)

•Drowsiness (17%)

•Vomiting (17%)

•Headache (16%)

•Tiredness (9%)

•Dizziness (8%)

•Nausea (7%)

Adults

•Headache (27%)

•Dizziness (19%)

•Tiredness (16%)

•Nausea (12%)

•Drowsiness (11%)
Warnings of Lamictal vs. Banzel
Common Side Effects for

•Severe skin reactions and allergic reactions

•Overactive immune system

•Irregular heartbeat

•Suicidal behavior and thoughts

•Meningitis (brain inflammation)

•Withdrawal seizures

•Possible eye problems

•Interaction with other medications

Common Side Effects for

•Suicidal thoughts or behavior

•Drowsiness, tiredness, and difficulty controlling movements

•Heart rhythm problems

•Severe allergic reaction

•Seizures after stopping the medication too quickly

•Life-threatening seizure complication (status epilepticus)

•Low white blood cell counts
Prices with our coupons for Lamictal vs. Banzel
Learn more about Lamotrigine
Learn more about Rufinamide

Browse medications

View All

Research prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.

Compare Lamictal vs. Banzel

Key takeaways

Summary of Lamictal vs. Banzel

Indications of Lamictal vs. Banzel

Pros and Cons of Lamictal vs. Banzel

Common Side Effects of Lamictal vs. Banzel

Warnings of Lamictal vs. Banzel

Prices with our coupons for Lamictal vs. Banzel

Compare other Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome drugs

Browse medications

Good news for your inbox