Phenytoin nystagmus
Common Questions and Answers about Phenytoin nystagmus
dilantin
In a small study, phenytoin-induced seizures occurred most often in patients with serum phenytoin concentrations of 50 mcg/ml or higher.[393] Peripheral neuropathy, usually occurring weeks to months after drug initiation, has also been reported in patients receiving phenytoin. A single case report describes the onset of neuropathy within a few hours of drug administration.[9780]
Adverse GI effects of phenytoin therapy include nausea/vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, and anorexia.
Hi,
What tests were done previously? Eptoin contains phenytoin which is used to control seizures. SIde effects are usually dose-related and include nystagmus, decreased coordination, and mental confusion, dizziness, insomnia, and headaches. You can read more about this through this link:
http://www.rxlist.com/dilantin-drug.htm
Take care and keep us posted.
Rostral midbrain lesions
Parasellar lesions (eg, pituitary tumors)
Visual loss secondary to retinitis pigmentosa
Downbeat nystagmus:
Lesions of the vestibulocerebellum and underlying medulla, including the following:
Arnold Chiari malformation
Demyelination (eg: multiple sclerosis, vitamin B12 deficiency)
Microvascular disease with vertebrobasilar insufficiency
Brain stem encephalitis
Tumours at the foramen magnum (eg: meningioma, cerebellar hemangioma)
Trauma
Drugs (eg: alcohol, lithium, a
Folic acid supplementation in folate-deficient patients with epilepsy changes the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin, usually leading to lower serum phenytoin concentrations and possible seizure breakthrough..."
It however says that initiation of Folic acid and phenytoin together is beneficial.
Since you can't go back and start all over again, you can take a small dose. It has been observed that as los as 1mg dose can perturb phenytoin’s levels, You may take doses lower than 1mg/day.
Hi everyone,
I'm new to this community.
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.
Moban® brand of molindone hydrochloride contains calcium ions which interfere with the absorption of phenytoin. Ingestion times of phenytoin and antacid preparations containing calcium should be staggered in patients with low serum phenytoin levels to prevent absorption problems”. Taken from http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/phenyt_od.htm
Our population is divided into 4 type of metabolizers ranging from rapid to slow metabolizers depending upon the speed of elimination of drug from body.
Thank you for your question, you are relatively fine with Phenytoin and the seizure episodes in a form of lack of speech are the residue of a generalized type seizure. I don’t have a full description of your consciousness during the lack of speech episodes to decide whether this start is a partial epilepsy which can continue in a generalized or it is a generalized one from the first moment..
Hello AB, welcome to the medhelp forum. Phenytoin can cause certain side effects like dizziness and mental confusion. Some people may also manifest incoordinate movements. Weight gain is not a documented side effect. It could be related to your alcohol consumption or wrong dietary habits and lack of exercise. An occasional one or two drink may be fine but moderate or large amount can cause significant increases in blood levels of phenytoin due to induction of hepatic enzymes.
Prism can help double vision, but the rapid lateral eye movement in nystagmus will not be helped. In nystagmus, it depends in the cause.
During those times I had not yet been diagnosed and was able to go back to life like normal, however after the diagnosis and being on phenytoin and switching to oxcarbazepine i am feeling awful. Dizzy, nauseated, moody, extremely tired, severe headaches that come and go. All i get from my Neurologist is these are side effects that will eventually go away. Because i never know when these symptoms will come on too strong I have missed a lot of days at work during my probation period.
I was told that i had downbeat nystagmus because I have been having problems with daily activities. I use to be really into sports and able to participate in physical activities. But since I have had serious problems with balance I haven't been able to do any of that. Also problems such as balance, eyes bouncing back and forth, sometimes headaches, and trouble having a good sleep. I just want to know has anybody else had these problems, that has had the Chiari Decompression Surgery?
at the age of 15 he started losing his vision and by the time he was 18 his vision was gone, now his eyes want stop moving.
Nystagmus is caused by neurological damage - usually a lesion in an area of the brain called the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF). What strength was your MRI? Sometimes if the Tesla is lower than 1.0, it won't pick up small lesions.
MS isn't necessarily the cause of your lesion, but it's a strong possibility.
I was diagnosed with congenital idiopathic nystagmus due to my prominent vestibulo-cochlear reflex as a kid. A few years ago I was having pain in my legs and trouble sleeping and thought that my nystagmus was due to an underlying condition like fibromyalgia and told my doctor about my concern and a muscle biopsy revealed that I did have fibromyalgia. The pain is not that bad and my insomia is gone.
AMO is right. The VNG is the test for you. I don't remember any water, just warm air, and it wasn't bad. I had a very bad case of vertigo years ago, and have Benign Positional Vertigo now, my neuro says.
There are times, when I am tired, that I get the 'binocular' nystagmus when I look down to read. And he said I had a bit of nystagmus the last time I was in his office.
The nystagmus needs to be looked at by a pediatric ophthalmologist. It is a very complex disorder to properly diagnose since there are several different types. After the type is determined, then the cause needs to be determined. Some types of nystagmus, are congenital (born with it) and not very treatable, while other types can be due to an illness or toxicity of some kind. THe key is to determine if it just congenital nystagmus or if it is secondary to some other problem.
What type of nystagmus is when the eyes ONLY shake when focusing on something close? My daughters eyes shake horizontally with the right eye being extremely noticeable and the left eye is barely noticeable at all.
-) Nystagmus is caused by problems with the muscles that control your eye movement, rather than problems with your eyes themselves. The nerve pathways that transmit info from your brain to these muscles are interrupted by lesions. The messages they transmit get corrupted and your eyes move erratically.
It is pretty common among PWMS. Nystagmus is a daily part of my morning. For the first few minutes every time I wake, either first thing or from a nap, I see double.
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