Dilantin is prescribed to people who suffer from seizures and epilepsy. Dilantin is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. Because Dilantin is broken down in the liver, people with liver disease should talk to their doctors about taking Dilantin. Dilantin also lowers blood sugar, so the drug can be harmful to people with diabetics. Dilantin can also cause harm to an unborn baby and to infants who are breastfeeding. Women who are pregnant and take Dilantin risk the possibility of birth defects. Dilantin can also cause anemia, increase the risk of bleeding or infection, cause sexual disfunction and weaken bones.
Dilantin also causes short-term side effects like:
- difficulty concentration
- loss of coordination
- nausea
- drowsiness
- vision problems
- increased gum growth
- excessive hairiness
- thickening of facial features
- rash
- skin discoloration
Many of the side effects, like gum growth, skin discoloration and hair growth are irreversible.
Seizures are caused by chemicals in the body. They happen when there is sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures usually last between 30 seconds and two minutes. They can be caused by medicines, head trauma, high fevers and diseases.
People who have seizures caused by brain disorders have epilepsy. Sometimes, doctors don’t know what the exact cause is, and people can suffer hundreds of seizures per day. More than 3 million people suffer from epilepsy in the U.S.
Dilantin works in patients who experience partial and generalized tonic clonic seizures, but does not work for patients who have myoclonic, atonic and absence seizures. Partial and general tonic clonic seizures are the most common type of seizures, and cause the person to lose consciousness, experience body stiffness and fall to the ground. Jerking movements last for seconds or as much as a few minutes. In the tonic phase, breathing becomes irregular and the lungs begin to lack oxygen. In the clonic phase, jerking causes violent muscle reactions and possible biting of the tongue or cheeks.
Tags: brain disorder, brain injury, dilantin, epilepsy, seizures