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What is Phenytoin?

Category: Prescription Drugs

Most popular types: Dilantin Dilantin Kapseals Phenytoin EX Show all

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Phenytoin is an antiarrhythmic and anticonvulsant agent that is used for the management of generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal), complex partial seizures; and for the prevention of seizures following head trauma/neurosurgery. It is also used for neuropathic pain.

See patients taking Phenytoin

Reported purpose & perceived effectiveness
Purpose Patients Evaluations Perceived Effectiveness
Epilepsy 2215 278
Seizures (grand mal or tonic-clonic) 75 48
Seizures 53 58
Seizures (complex partial) 7 21
Myotonia congenita 5 0

Show all 40 reasons taken

  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
See all 2717 patients that have taken Phenytoin

Side effects

Side effects as an overall problem

Side effects as an overall problem
Severity Evaluations Percentage
Severe 93
Moderate 85
Mild 69
None 79

Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Phenytoin

Side effect Patients Percentage
Bleeding gums 14
Drowsiness 12
Dizziness 10
Depressed mood 9
Fatigue 8
Memory problems 7

Show all 149 reported side effects

Why patients stopped taking Phenytoin

Multiple reasons could be selected

Reason Patients Percentage
Doctor's advice 159
Side effects too severe 144
Did not seem to work 125
Other 67
Course of treatment ended 25
Personal research 16
Change in health plan coverage 5
Expense 5
See all 357 patients who've stopped taking Phenytoin

Duration

Stopped taking Phenytoin

Duration Patients Percentage
Less than 1 month 67
1 - 6 months 52
6 months - 1 year 28
1 - 2 years 34
2 - 5 years 51
5 - 10 years 35
10 years or more 78
Adherence
Adherence Evaluations Percentage
Always 271
Usually 37
Sometimes 5
Never taken as prescribed 13
Burden
Burden Evaluations Percentage
Very hard to take 29
Somewhat hard to take 33
A little hard to take 48
Not at all hard to take 216
Cost per month
Cost per month Evaluations Percentage
$200+ 2
$100-199 1
$50-99 17
$25-49 51
< $25 141
Not specified 114

What people switch to and from

Patients started taking Phenytoin after stopping:

Treatment Patients Percentage
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) 6
Phenobarbital (Phenobarbitalum) 4
Carbamazepine (Tegretol) 3
Levetiracetam (Keppra) 3
Quinidine 2

Show all 12 treatments patients report switching from

Patients stopped taking Phenytoin and switched to:

Treatment Patients Percentage
Levetiracetam (Keppra) 21
Carbamazepine (Tegretol) 14
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) 10
Divalproex sodium (Depakote) 4
Topiramate (Topamax) 4

Show all 15 treatments patients report switching to

Last updated:

28 patient evaluations for Phenytoin

Sort by: Most recent

Jul 1, 2015 (Started Jul 01, 2015)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (depressed mood)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 100 mg Twice daily
  • 0 helpful marks

Nov 14, 2014 (Started Oct 20, 2014)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (fuzzy thinking, cognitive confusion)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 50 mg Twice daily

Nov 13, 2014 (Started Oct 20, 2014)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Severe (fuzzy thinking, cognitive confusion)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 50 mg Twice daily
Advice & Tips: Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Phasellus faucibus turpis sed mi maximus mattis.
  • 0 helpful marks

Jul 21, 2013 (Started Jul 21, 2013)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures)
  • Side effects
    Severe (anaphylaxis)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 50 mg One time
Advice & Tips: Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Phasellus faucibus turpis sed mi maximus mattis.
  • 0 helpful marks
Last updated:
Showing 3 of 28 patient evaluations for Phenytoin