Dilantin side effects

I was diagnosed with epilepsy thirteen years ago. I never had seizures where I would pass out; in the beginning I only had vibrations and this lasted a few days. After several occurrences and ignoring the doctor, I finally went on Neurontin and that worked fairly well for ten years. Over the last three years, however, I've been having periods where I become confused for twenty seconds or so and then come back to reality. I know it's happening and when I try to communicate it's mostly incoherent nonsense.

Since these seizures have picked up, I've tried every medicine in the book! Dopomax, Tegretol, Kepra; you name it, I've tried it. Finally I asked my doctor about Dilantin; I remember my cousin taking it when we were young. I remember him having to get his gums cut and stuff like that but I was out of options.

With the medicine, I seem to be doing okay. I still have periods of confusement, usually at night but when you teach 7th graders that's bound to happen! My question pertains to possible hemorrhoids or skin tags. Has Dilantin been evaluated in terms of causing such discomfort? I had the actual surgery years ago, so my rhoids have been under control for the most part, however, since I started Dilantin, it seems like my butt is always sore.

I had a daughter on Dilantin for at least nine years, she had swollen gums, bleeding of the gums, she was still having seizures, stayed congested most of the time. Dr. said the swelling and bleeding was one of the side affects. Was told that the dilantin was having affect on her liver and they was weening her off the dilantin. she would also go through insomnia, temper tantrums. she also had a rash like measle in her face and had genital problems.

By ld Mom)

To the person above me who claims Dilantin is being used as a "crutch" for people, congratulations on graduating with honors and being a nurse, but please do not assume your non-reaction to this medication is how we all react. I was diagnosed with seizures at age 20 and have been on dilantin for 2 years. At 22 years old, I have no recollection of my junior or senior proms, my high school graduation, many huge events in my life. I can't recall even ATTENDING these functions. Dilantin has erased my life from my memory. I had a 3.8 GPA in high school, did not do drugs or drink. No actions that would have caused my memory loss. Now, I stutter, I am constantly tired, forgetting things very often, studying is nearly impossible and I have no sex drive at age TWENTY TWO. My doctor refuses to change my medication insisting side effects of other medications would be even worse. I've considered weaning myself off Dilantin to end these effects but am afraid to do so. I wish we could all be as symptom free as you have been, but please do not look down upon those who have legitimate side effects.

I have just been reading the list of, what I am considering to be "possible", side effects from Dilantin . Doesn't everyone, whether on Dilantin or no drugs at all experience headaches, nausea, stomach pains or depression from time to time?
After being on this medication for over 30 years there are some things which I've experienced. Just about everyone complains of hyperplasia but it has been my experience that if I maintain a clean healthy mouth, there is no hyperplasia. If, for one day, I do not brush my teeth, hyperplasia sets in immediately & it then takes a week or so to get it under control. So, brush, brush & brush your teeth.
As far as memory loss or difficulty learning, I suppose it happens to everyone at one time or another. However I have graduared from high school with honours & became a registered nurse (top 5 in my class of 56) all while I was on Dilantin.
The only true adverse side effect from taking Dilantin for over 30 years which I experience is that whenever I am tired, my speech can easily slur. I am very aware of this & it's become habit to pay close attention to my pronounciation & correct it so I may articulate normally. Not a big deal & a very small price to pay.
I'm not one for pity trips or blaming my seizures or medications for my downfalls in life. I am so grateful to have my seizures under control & hate to think where I would be today if not for Dilatin. Remember, if you look for it , you will likely find it. So try not to look for all these adverse side effects (crutches)& see the benifits. We have enough to handle keeping this under control & educating the sometimes ignorant world.
I took control of the epilepsy that attacked my system. I would never allow it to control me. Good luck to all of you. Sincerely :)

My mom had a major brain surgery last year and she just recently had a seizure. She says now that she is taking dilantin her tips of her fingernails feel like they are going to fall off. She is always tired and hungry. Are these side effects normal??

hi, I started taking this med in nov.2004.I just had a baby and had my tubes tied and never had them befor until then.Since i been on the meds i notice some of the same feeling haven energy,sex drives like crazy.Feeling like i'm drunk and stoned all the time. My doctor said that was fine until my body gets use to me using it.Well how long does it take to get use to something like that.I take 300 mg myself and also notice it helps me out in alot of way then my seizure.

Would this cause your blood pressure to drop.

I take 400mg of dilantin daily for the control of nocturnal seizures. I'm experiencing some memory loss. I have been on this medication for 3 years.

I have been on dilantin for 11 days, due to a grand mall seizuire at the grocery store. I also have MS and sleep apnea, I don't know if it is my fear of sleeping, or that I have insomnia. I can't go to sleep until 3:00 a.m. but I find myself very tired during the day. I have found that food turns me off, and I have to eat something I'm really hungry for or not eat at all. I had to go back to the ER because I was dehydrated and acute bronchitis and possible petite mall seizure. My dilantin level was 3 and was told it should be at least 10. I was on 200mg, now on 300mg. Anyone know what proper amount should be (is it according to weight and height) Does anyone else have MS with their seizures
Paula

I've been on Dilantin for approx. 5 years now because I began having seizures after being involved in an airplane crash when I was 14. I suffered a ABI (Aquired Brain Injury) which has had a considerable effect on me. A considerable problem with this is trying to separate what symptoms are a result of what condition.
Since I've been taking Dilantin - I've noticed first of all my gums tend to be a little more sensitive than normal, bleeding at times when I brush.
My ability to learn new activities & study is also diminished, I find I have to study twice as hard & have to do things twice as much as the average person before it finally "sinks in". To the un-trained eye, this can be easily mistaken for laziness or lack of motivation. I had always attributed these learning difficulties to my brain injury, but after looking into Dilantin side-effects, I've discovered that diminished learning has also been associated with taking this drug.
Another side-effect I've noticed is a diminished sex-drive. Only recently have I started looking into this, but I've dealt with this for the past couple of years, and it has really started to have an effect on my relationship with my wife.

I was wondering if anyone has heard about Dilantin having sexual side effects. Because of the Dilantin I started taking Depo-Provera for my birth control, and I don't know which one could be affecting my sex drive. I have since stopped the Depo but am still waiting for my sex drive to return.

I have been taking dilantin as a stabilizer for bipolar disorder. I was told that it would cause me to feel sleepy, which is fine with me because that really helpful with the whole insomnia thing. I just take it before bed. I noticed that at first I felt like I was walking through a perpetual fog. But that seems to have stopped now. It seems to be working ok. My problem is it seems to have increased my appetite and caused me to gain weight.
I was wondering if anyone else had noticed substantial weight gain (3-10 lbs in 2 weeks!! :( ) . I've read that a lot of people experience weight loss with dilantin, i was wondering if the opposite could be true as well.

hi. i have been taking dilantin for approx. 9 years. since i been on this medication i have problems with constanly feeling tired, loss of motorvation due to lack of energy, staying focused on task at hand, and i have problems with hemroids from the dilantin. i been told there nothing that can be done for that cause the dilantin is needed to be taken. theres nothing that really can be done for feeling tired cause thats whats supposed to be what happens to prevent seizures from occuring. i get wore out quickly when working and when trying to be active in sports.

One of my friend use to take phenytoin (dilantin) for past 6 years. At present he is suffering from gum hyperplasia. i want to enquire about how newer antiepileptic drugs are better in term of safety and efficacy than to phenytoin. if it is better than phenytoin , it is better for him switch to new antiepileptic drugs. Moreover i want to know what is the proportion of dilantin or phenytoin intake throughout the world?. if you have the data please send to me.

with regards

R.Kesavan
Ph.D scholar
department of pharmacology , JIPMER, PONDICHERRY, INDIA

I have been on Dilantin for for 45 yr.'s. Without it I would'nt be able to drive, to of raised my kids, nor had any type of life. I have tried other drugs, but none worked as well. I have peti-mal sez. It has ruined my teeth, I have had no sexual side effects either. I have NO trouble eating, only loseing weight, as I can't take diet pills. I've not had the nausea, vomiting, shakes on occasson, whensomething else was wrong, nervousness with the meds & the current problem seemed to bring it on. I wish you all well. Shelby F. T.

very severe shaking, dizziness and nausea to the point of barely being able to remain conscious. Doctor still wanted me on it. What's this about? Sounds like a racket between Drs. and pharmacies.

I just sarted taking Dilantin two moths ago. When i first went on it they put me on 300mg of it. I felt like I was " Drunk and stoned" 24/7. ( that seems to be the only exsplanation i can come up with for how it made me feel.) I have been having alot of energy since I was on the meds and i have been loosing wight alot ( i havent been able to loose wight befor) I have lost 36 pounds in two months. I was cut down to 200mg of it and all i want to do is sleep about 30 mins after i take it. I hear that it makes people want to sleep so i decided to take it at night. Plus i have been having my period alot since i have been on it. I have never had a peoblem with my period befor. I get it twice or three times a month now. Good luck to anyone that has to take this. It has seemed to help me alot. i had a 45 minuet sizure and that is when they decided to put me on it. I had 6, 1 to 3 minuet sizures befor they put me on anything. I'm 18 and this all started right as i was entering the military.

I have been taking Dilantin for the past year and I have noticed that I have lost weight. Also, once I take the pills within an hour and a half I have already fallen asleep.

Hi!. I have been taking Dilantin ever sense I was 4 years old,now at 45, my doctor said I have reached a toxcity level with Dilantin, what I want to know is, what does all this mean, and what can it do to me?

while having no siezures i am starving, i have been taking dialntin for 6 months and i find food to be revolting. i have had severe stomach problems and no sex drive since i started taking it.

Guest, Hi!I have nephew who is now 3 rs. old, who has been on Dilantin for 8 months or more. At the time that he is given a dose , it is no more than 30 minutes that the medication causes him to throw a terrible Temper Tantrum that lasts the entire day. These Temper Tantrums are worse than any normal child could ever have. Throughout the day he is having a Tantrum in spurts. some of the things he does are the following : biting, hitting, punching, screaming, throwing himself on the floor ect:. His seizures are not chronic and he was put on the medication for at least a year to take a precaution in the case that he should have them more often. This letter is more for some more information to the readers so that the can get some help if their loved one is having these problems.

I have been trying to lose weight and can't. Would my taking 600 mg of dilantin daily be part of my problem?