Dilantin levels

Common Questions and Answers about Dilantin levels

dilantin

Avatar n tn 3 and they gave him a loading dose of 500mg. PO of dilantin, and 500mg. IV Dilantin. He is very regimented taking his Dilantin and does not miss doses. And told him to take 400mgs. today. I have a call in to our family Dr. and waiting for a return. We were being seen by a Neurologist, but she abruptly cancelled my husbands January appt. and said she was leaving town for a month, and did not refer us to any other Dr. so we saw the family Dr. who is prescribing.
Avatar f tn Does anyone know what can cause Dilantin levels to be too low after taking correct dosage? My levels have been around 3.2 and I take the correct dosage my doctor prescribed of 400 MG a day. 200 in the morning and 200 at night. My doctor thinks I am not taking my Dilantin and I cannot convince him otherwise!!! I don't know what to do or where to find any information about it. Would appreciate any information, please.
Avatar f tn Local doctors or hospital did not check dilantin levels- thought I had mental problems. Took them 20months after many more drugs to discontinue the dilantin. Then so many symptoms began for 3 years now- lupus, sjogrens etc so on Plaquenil for this year , and seeing connective tissue, dermatologist, renal specialists, nerve conduction, and vascular physician next month- none of these in our city, have to fly away.
Avatar f tn ve recently had another set of blood tests (after being taken to hospital after a another seizure )which are, ALP 384 (258) , GGT 615 (292), ALT 155 (82) and ASP 66 (56), up from the month prior (see the figures in brackets). I have been on Dilantin now for three weeks. Would this new medication be the result of the elevation in one month. Additionally I have noticed swelling of my feet and hands, bloating and very pale coloured faeces.
Avatar n tn My husband was recently diagosed with glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer. The neurosurgeon put him on Dilantin "for life." He isn't even going to check blood levels. My husband has not had any seizures. Does this seem appropriate?
1165078 tn?1338655745 s cuz Dilantin made them have to increase the synthroid, as well as Dilantin helps keep ya skinny I guess.. funny though.. I was on Dilantin long b4 the hypo thyroid med, and it wasn't untill I got put on Synthroid that I lost the xtra weight.. tired all the time, and hungry..
508033 tn?1211889477 (thats called cerebllar atrophy) So he took me off of dilantin and put me of KEPPRA, he had to experment with the levels but the level I'm on now is 500mg twice a day. And I'm also on diamox and tegertol..........Good Luck just don't go back on dilantin.
Avatar f tn Does prednisone effect dilantin and lamictal levels? I've been on dilantin and lamictal for over 5 years for seizures. I'm being tested for autoimmune hepatitis, I just had a liver biopsy. I don't want to take a chance on having a seizure.
Avatar f tn My question regards folic acid. I have done some research and found that dilantin can lower folic acid levels, but I have also read that folic acid can interfere with dilantin, lowering the blood level, and setting one up for a possible breakthrough seizure. I recently purchased folic acid supplements because I thought it would be a good idea to take them, but now I am not so sure. The supplements I have are 800 mcg. Thank you for any help with this.
Avatar f tn if the levels are high, in the toxic range, and then your dose is cut down and your episodes stop, then it could be the dilantin. But non-toxic (normal) dilantin levels to my knowledge do not cause sleep attacks. If you are suffering from sleep attacks, one possibility is a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea, which is due to increased resistance in your airway during sleep, can lead to poor ventilation.
1252074 tn?1271541709 t remember if I had a CT scan, MRI or what tests had been done except that Dilantin levels had been drawn. As well as the ones I had done here that pertain to my seizures. He did say he's going to schedule another MRI next month as the radiologist recommended and see if there are any changes.
Avatar f tn My new neurologist is switching me to keppra, which I am excited about but very concerned because I have been on Dilantin so long I am worried what if it does not work. She took me down to 300 mg of Dilantin and next month will take me down to 200 mg and so on until I am no longer taking it. I am on 1000 mg of keppra with the dilanitn right now and am super tired but almost feel better. I did not expect to feel better already so not sure what is going on.
Avatar f tn Try something else. Elevated Dilantin levels can cause inability to walk, liver and kidney damage. 40 years seems like a long time on the same med.
Avatar n tn I'm a 48 yr old black female who began having seizures 7-8 yrs ago. they have increased to about 1 time a week. I'm taking 750 mg of Keppra and Dilantin 100mg 2 x a day.
327385 tn?1378360731 I hope you are getting your levels checked often, especially if you take an extra pill here and there, dilantin levels to high, can be just as destructive as levels to low.. I found this out, hard way..
1808278 tn?1338484942 I watched South Pacific last night and just could not stop crying. These years of taking Dilantin and Vimpat have seriously impacted my marriage, and i just cannot get hub to speak to me in the voice I am accustomed to hearing.He is sooooo impatient! So demanding! So judgmental! We married when I was already a head injured person: if I divorce, I will get half of what we/he has, but that is not the deal I signed on for. I love him and am also very dependent on him.
Avatar m tn They said she was having seizures based on her low Dilantin levels. The gave her two injections of Dilantin, she seemed fine and they sent her home. Now she seems fine again, although a little weak, dizzy, and tired, but pretty good for having three back to back episodes. We went to a follow up appointment with her general doctor on Monday. He again insisted it was related to her cholesterol.
Avatar m tn My neurologist just informed me that Osteoporosis and shrinkage of the Cerebellum are very serious side effects for long term users of Dilantin. Does anyone know more about this? I've been taking 500mg of Dilantin for over 30 years since I was a teenager, and now I'm terribly worried. Not one of the neurologists had mentioned anything about this over the years, and now at 46, I've learned that I may have severe osteoporosis.
Avatar m tn Dilantin can certainly cause dizziness, and the sensation that the eyes are moving (what is termed nystagmus) but the levels of dilantin typically go down after days of stopping the medication. It is possible that the symptoms are the side effects of other medications, such as other seizure medications if any are being taken. Chest pain would not be due to the bleed in the brain, and investigation for cardiac causes of the chest pain is indicated.
2015036 tn?1332997788 My doctor is looking at both of these drugs (one at a time) to help control my TN pain levels (as well as for other forms of nerve pain.) Gabapentin was making me feel too drugged, so I stopped taking it. Low and behold, I am in pain. No shock there. (Pun intended.) The drug side effect lists are scary for both of them. If any of you have experience with either of these drugs, I need help deciding what side effects I can handle. Increased facial hair was a big one for dilantin. Yikes!!
Avatar f tn Anyone have elevated ammonia levels? Are you having any symptoms and at what level did your symptoms start? I just had my first ammonia screening done and the level came back 119, with less than 47 being the reference range. I'm not having any symptoms. This seems to be the story of my life. All of my labs are going whacky and I'm still feeling fine. I'm afraid one of these days it's all going to hit and I'll be a mess.
Avatar n tn She is on Dilantin for seizures and is not doing well. Very tired all the time. Her dilantin level came back at 21 so the doctor just lowered her dose. I'm just wondering if she should be taking the Free T3 test instead. My parents doctor is an older gentlemen and he never checked their thyroid levels until I asked him too. Thank you for any response.
Avatar m tn I started having seizures when I was 12 yrs. and they put me on dilantin and other meds. they never got under control so good until I went to a new doctor (because I moved) and at that time I was about 38, and the doctor did a MRI and other test. He then said to me the first thing we have to do is get you off of dilantin. He showed me that that pill was eating up half of my brain (it is called cerebellar atrophy). He slowly put me on different levels of Keppra and I haven't been better.
Avatar m tn I have taken brand name dilantin most of my life. I was always afraid of switching to the generic but finally decided to try it a few months back. Sure enough, I had a full fledged grand mal for the first time in 18 years. My blood levels showed I was low (well below the desired 10 to 20). Can anyone tell me why the generic works different than the brand name? I've heard they use different bonding agents for the capsules as one possibility.
Avatar f tn Dilantin Withdrawal Symptoms The most significant Dilantin withdrawal symptom is a seizure. Suddenly stopping Dilantin can increase your risk of seizures These seizures can be especially severe and very difficult to control. Anxiety, sleeplessness, feeling cold, anger, seeing dead people in sleep, nausea, little appetite, shakineness are usually not due to the withdrawl of dilantin.Reduce your dose gradually to avoid seizures. Limiting Dilantin Withdrawal Refer http://epilepsy.emedtv.
Avatar f tn He went 4 months without a seizure, then switched to the generic Dilantin and 2 weeks later had a partial seizure, then a tonic clonic seizure within 2 days, both at night while he was sleeping and again has no recollection. His Dilantin levels were low, he went back on the regular Dilantin and increased his dosage to 300mg in the am and 300mg at night. It's been 3 days and no seizures. Does he have Epilepsy?
Avatar n tn my son has started jerking his complete body ( body jerk duration is 2-5 sec) and his complete body streches and comes backs to normal state after that , all medical reports CT ,EEG ,MRI are normal and we have been advised by the doctor to give him Dilantin ( 2 ml for 3 times in a day ), could you please advise