Dilantin

Dilantin is typically used to treat grand mal seizures. Dilantin contains the drug Phenytoin, and is very similar to other drugs like Diphenylan Sodium, Pheytek, and Tremytoine. Grand mal seizures may begin when a little part of your brain is blanketed by random, excessive electrical discharges. You may have difficulty communicating with and understanding others, and your limbs may move without reason. This electrical storm in your brain soon spreads to larger areas of your brain. Depending on how far it spreads and which parts of the brain are affected, you may experience loss of consciousness, powerful muscle spasms, clenched teeth, and a loss of bladder control. You may find that your head jerks to one side and remain fixed there. In a couple of minutes, it all passes, leaving you confused and tired, with a headache and no memory of what has just happened. Dilantin is one of the drugs used to treat these grand mal seizures.

Dilantin Side Effects

As with many other drugs, the exact mechanisms it uses to quell such seizures can’t be pinpointed yet. Dilantin does change the way electrolytes are handled in the nervous system, as well as the relative amounts of several amino acids. Dilantin has some effects on the fats that reside in cell walls, which may help to calm the cells. Dilantin also changes the way serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are released and accepted within the brain. Dilantin is the oldest antiseizure drug in existence that does not have a sedative effect.

Dilantin Toxicity

Dilantin is an effective medicine for treating grand mal seizures and is also used to treat partial seizures and to prevent seizures in people who have had brain surgery or a head injury. The side effects of Dilantin include low blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, slurred speech, and blurred vision. Taking Dilantin can deplete your body’s supply of biotin, folic acid, thiamin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin k, calcium, phosphorus, and carnitine. Dilantin can cause nausea and vomiting, which can upset your eating habits and possibly interfere with good nutrition. Your doctor may be able to recommend taking tablets that can boost your levels of these minerals and vitamins. You can also eat foods to compensate for the lack of these minerals and vitamins like beef liver, soybeans, rice bran, peanut butter, barley, braised liver, turkey heart, roasted chicken, gefilte fish, sardines, beef liver, trout, sockeye salmon, beef, haddock, mackerel, eel, fortified milk, kale, broccoli, parsley spinach, dried figs, yogurt, tofu, nonfat yogurt, lentils, salmon, halibut, ground beef, pork, Canadian bacon, and cod.