Phenytoin therapeutic level
Common Questions and Answers about Phenytoin therapeutic level
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 there. Since your frequency of seizures has increased you need to have a fresh evaluation of your neurological function clinically, with a recent MRI brain and an EEG. The antiepileptic drugs need to be checked for a dosage modulation, assessment of adverse effects due to chronic usage over years like megaloblastic anemia, gingival hypertrophu and osteomalacia with phenytoin.
Take care.
Hi, is he on some other drugs too because other drugs might decrease the level of phenytoin by enhancing its metabolism via induction of enzymes and can lead to drug drug interction. “Drugs which may decrease phenytoin levels include: carbamazepine, chronic alcohol abuse, reserpine, and sucralfate. Moban® brand of molindone hydrochloride contains calcium ions which interfere with the absorption of phenytoin.
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.
im having the same problem. i take 400mg daily and my level is to low. my doctor told me taking any otc meds could deplet the dilantin.do you take tylenol ? my doc told me tylenol is one otc meds that will lower your level. i can only take ibuprofen , but my level as of llast week was 10. i have took dilantin for many years and this problem has just started for me to. im trying to get my level to stay normal to. i will check out the site that becky found to.
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.
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.
told me to go back to the 200mg and she would have to talk to my Neurologist, I just had blood work done again and my phenytoin level come back at 2. How is that possible? I take my pills regular, I have had no seizures. I have such a hard time getting a hold of the Neurologist I thought maybe you could help me. Could my others pills be interfering. I have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism since the seizure and high colestoral. I take Levothyroxine, lipitor, vitamin D, and calcium.
my 16 yr old son who suffers from autism cerebral palsey ocd servere to profound hearing loss and epilepsy has suffered 3 seizures in 2 weeks, 1 tonic seizure may 2, 1 grand mal may 7 and 1 grand mal may 17. he is now taking 1000mg depakote. his depakote level is 105 (he weighs 98 lbs) since his last seizure on may 17 he now cries for hours before he falls asleep, and wakes during the night crying. i think his meds r affecting him. can u please give me an idea to help him?
The efficacy of oral hypoglycemic agents and insulin may be diminished by certain drugs, including thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, estrogens, progestins, thyroid hormones, human growth hormone, phenothiazines, atypical antipsychotics, sympathomimetic amines, protease inhibitors, phenytoin, clozapine, megestrol, danazol, isoniazid, asparaginase, pegaspargase, diazoxide, temsirolimus, as well as pharmacologic dosages of nicotinic acid and adrenocorticotropic agents.
The efficacy of oral hypoglycemic agents and insulin may be diminished by certain drugs, including thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, estrogens, progestins, thyroid hormones, human growth hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, phenothiazines, atypical antipsychotics, sympathomimetic amines, protease inhibitors, phenytoin, megestrol, danazol, isoniazid, asparaginase, pegaspargase, diazoxide, temsirolimus, sucralfate oral suspension, as well as pharmacologic dosages of nic
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..
It sounds like your body is producing more of the testosterone hormone than it should. There should be medications to level your hormones so they are balanced and where they should be.
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.
The normal level depends on the individual laboratory. Most laboratories consider a level of 1.1 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or lower to be normal.
What Happens When The Bilirubin Is Too High?
When the bilirubin level reaches about 3 mg/dl the white parts of the eyes become yellow ("icterus"), the urine becomes dark, and the skin becomes yellow ("jaundice"). Patients with high levels of bilirubin also experience itching.
I have Hep C and my bilirubin level has increased to 1.7 over the past year and a half when I was first diagnosed, up 0.9 at that time when first diagnosed. I do take 3 Lortab daily for ruptured & bulging discs but will get medicine changed to something with no aceteminophen.
What does the increased level in that amount of time mean?
So continuous blood and urine testing is essential to ensure a therapeutic level is maintained (at least every six months and more frequently if there are seizures or a changing pattern of behavior, causing dosages to be re-evaluated).
It is very important to reduce the phenobarbital level back to within a therapeutic range (under supervision of your vet).
I totally forgot to tell you that he is on Phenytoin 100mg once daily. Can this be continued and taken for a long period of time?
Thank you doctor once again for your immediate reply.
I was wondering what the therapeutic dose generally is to treat bipolar 2? I have been going to my family dr and am on 100 mg of lamictal and 300 mg well Orrin. However I am still very depressed and wondering if this is the right dose?
So you reach a therapeutic level your physician intended you to be at, but the drug continues to slowly build beyond that therapeutic level the physician intended you to be at. Digoxin is known for its narrow magrgin between therapeutic and toxic, so I would think your blood should be check frequently to ensure that you're at a safe level.
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