PHENYTOIN (ORAL)

(FEN i toyn) Brand: Dilantin, Dilantin Infatabs, Dilantin-125, Phenytek

What is the most significant information I must know about phenytoin?

• You must not use phenytoin if you also take delavirdine (Rescriptor), or if you are allergic to phenytoin, ethotoin (Peganone), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), or mephenytoin (Mesantoin).

• If you are pregnant, DO NOT START TAKING phenytoin unless your doctor tells you to. Phenytoin may reason harm to an unborn child, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the child. If you become pregnant while taking phenytoin, DO NOT STOP TAKING the medication without your doctor's advice. Seizure control is very significant during pregnancy and the benefits of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by using phenytoin.

• You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• Message any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

What is phenytoin?

• Phenytoin is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. It works by slowing down impulses in the brain that reason seizures.

• Phenytoin is used to control seizures. Phenytoin does not treat all types of seizures, and your doctor will determine if it is the right medicine for you.

• Phenytoin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking phenytoin?

• You must not use phenytoin if you also take delavirdine (Rescriptor), or if you are allergic to phenytoin, ethotoin (Peganone), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), or mephenytoin (Mesantoin).

• To create certain you can safely take phenytoin, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· liver disease;

· lupus;

· diabetes;

· a vitamin D deficiency or any another condition that causes thinning of the bones;

· porphyria (a genetic enzyme mess that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system); or

· if you drink big amounts of alcohol.

• Your family or another caregivers must also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Speak your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first different months of treatment, or whenever your doze is changed.

• Patients of Asian ancestry may have a higher risk of developing a rare but serious skin reaction to phenytoin. Your doctor may recommend a blood test till you start the medicine to determine your risk of this skin reaction.

• FDA pregnancy category D. Phenytoin may reason harm to an unborn child, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the baby.

• If you are pregnant, DO NOT START TAKING phenytoin unless your doctor tells you to. If you become pregnant while taking phenytoin, DO NOT STOP TAKING the medication without your doctor's advice.

• Seizure control is very significant during pregnancy. The benefit of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by taking phenytoin. Follow your doctor's instructions about taking phenytoin while you are pregnant.

• Phenytoin can create birth control pills smaller effective. To prevent pregnancy while you are taking phenytoin, use a non-hormonal form of birth control (such as a condom or diaphragm with spermicide).

• Phenytoin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while you are using phenytoin.

How must I take phenytoin?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Do not crush, chew, interrupt, or open an extended-release capsule. Swallow it intact. Breaking or opening the pill may reason too many of the drug to be released at one time. Do not use any phenytoin capsule that has changed colors. Call your doctor for a new prescription.

• Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just till you measure a doze. Measure the liquid with a particular dose-measuring spoon or medication cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• To be certain this medicine is helping your condition, your blood may need to be tested often. You may also need a blood test when switching from one form of phenytoin to other. Visit your doctor regularly.

• If you are taking phenytoin to treat seizures, hold taking the medicine even if you feel beautiful. You may have an magnify in seizures if you stop taking phenytoin. Do not change your doze of phenytoin without your doctor's advice. Tell your doctor if the medicine does not seem to work as well in treating your condition.

• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take phenytoin. Any medical care provider who treats you must know that you are taking a seizure medication.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, easy, and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of phenytoin can be fatal. Overdose symptoms may include twitching eye movements, slurred speech, loss of balance, tremor, muscle stiffness or weakness, nausea, vomiting, feeling light-headed, fainting, and slow or shallow breathing.

What must I avoid while taking phenytoin?

• Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking phenytoin. Alcohol use can magnify your blood levels of phenytoin and may magnify side effects. Daily alcohol use can decrease your blood levels of phenytoin, which can magnify your risk of seizures.

• Avoid taking antacids at the same time you take phenytoin. Antacids can create it harder for your body to absorb the medication.

• Phenytoin may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

What are the possible side effects of phenytoin?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat. You may be more likely to have an allergic reaction if you are African-American.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· fever, swollen glands, body aches, flu symptoms;

· skin rash, light bruising or bleeding, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

· upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

· chest pain, irregular heart rhythm, feeling short of breath;

· confusion, nausea and vomiting, swelling, rapid weight gain, urinating smaller than normal or not at all;

· new or worsening cough with fever, trouble breathing;

· tremor (uncontrolled shaking), restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;

· patchy skin color, red spots, or a butterfly shaped skin rash over your cheeks and nose (worsens in sunlight); or

· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· slurred speech, loss of balance or coordination;

· swollen or tender gums; or

· headache, dizziness, nervousness, or sleep problems (insomnia).

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect phenytoin?

• Many drugs can interact with phenytoin. Adown is just a partial list. Speak your doctor if you are using:

· antibiotics such as cycloserine (Seromycin), doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin, Adoxa), isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis), linezolid (Zyvox), rifampin (Rimactane, Rifadin, Rifamate), or sulfa drugs (Bactrim, Septra, Sulfatrim, SMX-TMP, and others);

· an antidepressant (such as Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol, Sinequan, Silenor, Pamelor, Paxil, Zoloft, Desyrel, and others);

· aspirin or another salicylates;

· birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy;

· a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

· determined sedatives (Librium, Librax, Limbitrol, Valium) or antidepressants (Desyrel, Luvox, Zoloft, Prozac, Rapiflux, Sarafem, Selfemra, Symbyax);

· heart medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin), furosemide (Lasix), or quinidine (Quin-G);

· prochlorperazine (Compazine, Compro), promethazine (Pentazine, Phenergan, Anergan, Antinaus), and another phenothiazines;

· steroid medicines (prednisone and others);

· seizure medication (such as Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Solfoton, Depakene, or Depakote);

· stomach acid reducers (such Tagamet, Prilosec, Zegerid, Zantac, Pepcid, or Axid); or

· theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-Dur, Theo-Bid, Theolair, Uniphyl).

• This list is not complete and there are much another medicines that can interact with phenytoin. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor. Hold a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about phenytoin.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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