Medication

Dilantin

Generic name:

Pharmacist-reviewed drug information from the RxWiki encyclopedia.

Overview

Dilantin is a prescription medication used to treat tonic-clonic (grand mal) and complex partial (psychomotor or temporal lobe) seizures, and also to prevent and treat seizures that occur during and/or after brain surgery.

Dilantin belongs to a group of drugs called anticonvulsants. These drugs work to prevent and treat seizures by reducing the spread of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that causes seizures.

This medication comes in an immediate-release and extended-release capsule, chewable tablet, and oral liquid forms. The chewable tablet and liquid forms are usually taken 2 to 5 times a day. Dilantin capsules are usually taken 1 to 4 times a day. Dilantin can be taken with or without food.

Common side effects include spontaneous jerky eye movements, confusion, and slurred speech.

Dilantin can also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and/or blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Dilantin affects you.

What is it used for?

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How to take it

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

the condition being treated
other medical conditions you have
other medications you are taking
how you respond to this medication
your weight
your age

The recommended dose range of Dilantin for the treatment of tonic-clonic (grand mal) and complex partial (psychomotor or temporal lobe) seizures and prevention and treatment of seizures that occur during and/or after brain surgery is as follows:

immediate-release capsules: 100 mg to 200 mg orally three to four times per day, with a maximum of two 100 mg capsules three times per day OR three 100 mg capsules once per day

extended-release capsules: 100 mg to 200 mg orally three to four times per day OR three 100 mg capusles once per day

chewable tablets: two to four 50 mg tablets three to four times per day, with a maximum of twelve 50 mg tablets per day

oral liquid: 5ml by mouth three to five times per day

Warnings

Serious side effects have been reported with Dilantin including the following:

Seizures upon abrupt discontinuation of Dilantin use. Stopping Dilantin suddenly can cause seizures that are very difficult to treat. Do not stop taking Dilantin without first talking to a healthcare provider.

Softening of your bones (osteomalacia). This can cause broken bones. Be sure to follow your physician's instructions exactly regarding use of supplemental vitamin D and/or calcium products while you are taking Dilantin.

Liver damage. Cases of acute liver toxicity and failure have been reported in patients using Dilantin. Consult with your physician about your risk for liver damage during treatment with Dilantin.

Low blood counts. Complications involving low blood counts have been reported in patients using Dilantin. These have included thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, agranulocytosis, and pancytopenia with and without bone marrow suppression. Before beginning treatment with Dilantin, consult with your physician about your individual level of risk for developing these conditions.

Overgrowth of gums. Dilantin can cause overgrowth of your gums. Brushing, flossing your teeth, and seeing a dentist regularly while taking Dilantin can help prevent this.

Serious and sometimes fatal skin reactions. Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported in patients using Dilantin. Discontinue use at the first sign of a rash and consult with your physician immediately.

Suicidal behavior and impulses. Like other antiepileptic drugs, Dilantin may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you in any way:

new or worse irritability
acting aggressive, being angry, or violent
acting on dangerous impulses
an extreme increase activity and talking (mania)
attempts to commit suicide
new or worse depression
new or worse anxiety
feeling agitated or restless
panic attacks
trouble sleeping (insomnia)
other unusual changes in behavior or mood
thoughts about suicide or dying

Watch for early symptoms of suicidal thoughts and actions. Pay attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled.

Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you are worried about symptoms. Suicidal thoughts or actions can be caused by things other than medicines. If you have suicidal thoughts or actions, your healthcare provider may check for other causes.

Hypersensitivity reactions. Serious and sometimes life-threatening allergic reactions are possible with use of Dilantin. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions. Symptoms may include:

swelling of your face, eyes, lips, or tongue
trouble swallowing or breathing
a skin rash
hives
fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that do not go away or come and go
painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes
yellowing of your skin or eyes
unusual bruising or bleeding
severe fatigue or weakness
severe muscle pain
frequent infections or an infection that does not go away

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

Do not take Dilantin if you:

are allergic to Dilantin or any of the ingredients in phenytoin
have had an allergic reaction to Cerebyx (fosphenytoin), Peganone (ethotoin), or Mesantoin (mephenytoin)
currently take delaviridine

Do not drink alcohol while you take Dilantin without first talking to your healthcare provider. Drinking alcohol while taking Dilantin may change your blood levels of Dilantin which can cause serious problems.

Dilantin can also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and/or blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Dilantin affects you.

Side effects

Serious side effects have been reported with Dilantin. See the “Dilantin Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Dilantin include the following:

headache
nausea
vomiting
constipation
dizziness
trouble sleeping
slurred speech
confusion
nervousness
tremor
rash
problems with walking and coordination

These are not all the possible side effects of Dilantin. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Drug interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

Abiraterone
Afatinib
Amifampridine
Apazone
Apixaban
Apremilast
Aprepitant
Aripiprazole
Artemether
Atazanavir
Axitinib
Beclamide
Bedaquiline
Blinatumomab
Boceprevir
Bortezomib
Bosutinib
Brexpiprazole
Bupropion
Cabozantinib
Calcium Carbonate
Canagliflozin
Carbamazepine
Cariprazine
Ceritinib
Clarithromycin
Clozapine
Cobicistat
Cobimetinib
Crizotinib
Cyclophosphamide
Dabrafenib
Daclatasvir
Dasabuvir
Dasatinib
Deferasirox
Delamanid
Delavirdine
Diazepam
Diazoxide
Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
Dihydroxyaluminum Sodium Carbonate
Dolutegravir
Donepezil
Doxorubicin
Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
Dronedarone
Elvitegravir
Edoxaban
Eliglustat
Enzalutamide
Erlotinib
Eslicarbazepine Acetate
Ethosuximide
Etravirine
Everolimus
Exemestane
Ezogabine
Fentanyl
Fluvastatin
Gefitinib
Golimumab
Halothane
Hydrocodone
Ibrutinib
Idelalisib
Ifosfamide
Imatinib
Infliximab
Irinotecan
Irinotecan Liposome
Itraconazole
Isavuconazonium Sulfate
Ivabradine
Ivacaftor
Ixabepilone
Ixazomib
Ketoconazole
Lapatinib
Ledipasvir
Lidocaine
Linagliptin
Lopinavir
Lurasidone
Macitentan
Magaldrate
Magnesium Carbonate
Magnesium Hydroxide
Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium Trisilicate
Maraviroc
Methotrexate
Miconazole
Mifepristone
Naloxegol
Netupitant
Nifedipine
Nilotinib
Nimodipine
Nintedanib
Olaparib
Ombitasvir
Oritavancin
Orlistat
Osimertinib
Palbociclib
Panobinostat
Paritaprevir
Pazopanib
Perampanel
Piperaquine
Pixantrone
Ponatinib
Posaconazole
Praziquantel
Ranolazine
Regorafenib
Reserpine
Rifampin
Rilpivirine
Ritonavir
Rivaroxaban
Rocuronium
Roflumilast
Rolapitant
Romidepsin
Secukinumab
Sertraline
Siltuximab
Simeprevir
Sofosbuvir
Sonidegib
Sorafenib
St John's Wort
Sunitinib
Tacrolimus
Tamoxifen
Tasimelteon
Telaprevir
Temsirolimus
Theophylline
Thiotepa
Ticagrelor
Tofacitinib
Tolvaptan
Trabectedin
Ulipristal
Vandetanib
Vemurafenib
Vilazodone
Vincristine
Vincristine Sulfate Liposome
Vinflunine
Vorapaxar
Voriconazole
Vortioxetine

Combining the following drugs with Dilantin may increase the risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If you must take any of the following medications, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Acetaminophen
Acetazolamide
Acyclovir
Amiodarone
Amitriptyline
Amprenavir
Atorvastatin
Betamethasone
Bexarotene
Bleomycin
Busulfan
Capecitabine
Carboplatin
Caspofungin
Chloramphenicol
Cimetidine
Ciprofloxacin
Cisplatin
Clobazam
Clofazimine
Clopidogrel
Colesevelam
Cortisone
Cyclosporine
Desogestrel
Dexamethasone
Dicumarol
Dienogest
Digitoxin
Diltiazem
Disopyramide
Disulfiram
Doxepin
Doxifluridine
Drospirenone
Estradiol Cypionate
Estradiol Valerate
Ethinyl Estradiol
Ethynodiol Diacetate
Etonogestrel
Felbamate
Fluconazole
Fludrocortisone
Fluorouracil
Fluoxetine
Fluvoxamine
Folic Acid
Fosamprenavir
Ginkgo
Imipramine
Isoniazid
Levodopa
Levomethadyl
Levonorgestrel
Levothyroxine
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate
Meperidine
Mestranol
Methoxsalen
Methsuximide
Midazolam
Nafimidone
Nelfinavir
Nilutamide
Nisoldipine
Norelgestromin
Norethindrone
Norgestimate
Norgestrel
Ospemifene
Oxcarbazepine
Paclitaxel
Pancuronium
Paroxetine
Phenprocoumon
Piperine
Prednisolone
Prednisone
Progabide
Quetiapine
Quinidine
Quinine
Remacemide
Rifapentine
Risperidone
Rufinamide
Sabeluzole
Shankhapulshpi
Simvastatin
Sirolimus
Sulfamethizole
Sulfamethoxazole
Sulfaphenazole
Sulthiame
Tegafur
Telithromycin
Tenidap
Tiagabine
Ticlopidine
Ticrynafen
Tirilazad
Tizanidine
Tolbutamide
Topiramate
Trazodone
Triamcinolone
Trimethoprim
Tubocurarine
Valacyclovir
Valproic Acid
Vecuronium
Verapamil
Vigabatrin
Viloxazine

This is not a complete list of Dilantin drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Dilantin falls into category D. It has been shown that use of Dilantin in pregnant women caused some babies to be born with problems. However, in some serious situations, the benefit of using this medication may be greater than the risk of harm to the baby.

Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Dilantin has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Dilantin, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

All information on this site is provided “as-is” for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. You should consult with a medical professional if you have any questions about your health.