Dilantin

From Drug Rehab Wiki

Dilantin is the brand name for the generic medication phenytoin. This drug is an anti-epileptic drug or an anticonvulsant. Dilantin is used to control seizures, although it is not made to treat all types of seizures. Instead, it is meant for the control of generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal) and complex partial (psychomotor, temporal lobe) seizures.

Dilantin is also used to prevent and treat seizures that occur during or following neurosurgery. Despite the belief that Dilantin is not a drug at risk for abuse, it is in fact sold on the street under such names as “Dilantin Mistress” and “Dilantin Heroin”. It is also available under such brands as Dilantin Infatabs, Dilantin Kapseals, Dilantin-125, Phenytek, Phenytoin Sodium and Prompt.

Abuses of Dilantin

As of right now, Dilantin is not a controlled substance as it is believed the medication does not offer any draw to an individual seeking to achieve a high. It does not produce euphoria and it does not cause an individual to try to use other drugs as a result. Instead, it is considered a drug that delivers an unpleasant affect when it is taken by someone who does not medically need the drug.

For those who are medically taking Dilantin, however, it is easy to develop a dependence and even to abuse the drug by taking more than the prescribed amount. This is common if tolerance develops and the individual takes more of the medication than is prescribed in order to achieve the desired effect.

Effects of Dilantin

As an anticonvulsant Dilantin works by slowing down impulses in the brain that are known to cause seizures. The primary site of action is assumed to be the motor cortex where the spread of seizure activity is inhibited. Phenytoin – or Dilantin – tends to stabilize the threshold against hyperexcitability caused by excessive stimulation or environmental changes. It also reduces the maximal activity of brain stem centers responsible for the tonic phase of grand mal seizures.

Serious side effects of Dilantin use include swollen glands, easy bruising or bleeding, swollen or tender gums, fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash, the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild, confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior, slurred speech, loss of balance or coordination, tremor (uncontrolled shaking), restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck, extreme thirst or hunger, urinating more than usual, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), or changes in the shape of your face or lips.

Less serious side effects associated with Dilantin include mild skin rash or itching, dizziness, nervousness, sleep problems (insomnia), nausea, vomiting, constipation or headache, joint pain. Withdrawal of Dilantin

While a number of different mild symptoms can arise when a person stops taking Dilantin, the most significant withdrawal symptom is a seizure. The abrupt cessation of Dilantin can increase your risk of seizures. These seizures can be especially severe and very difficult to control.

Withdrawal symptoms associated with cessation of Dilantin can include, but are not limited to:

• Anxiety

• Muscle twitching

• Tremor of hands and fingers

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Insomnia

• Convulsions

• Delirium

Treatment of Dilantin Abuse

A Dilantin addiction can put a person’s life at risk and the danger of the withdrawal of the medication in terms of severe seizures is significant. As a result, the individual must immediately seek professional help. The first step is for a patient to be evaluated by a physician and a psychiatrist to determine the proper method for treatment. Detoxification is often necessary and required, and the doctor may recommend 24/7 treatment.

Entering a quality treatment center for the process of comfortable detox can ensure the person with a Dilantin addiction rids their body of the drug completely. If the addiction developed as a result of taking the medication for long periods of time, the individual will also need to be monitored for seizures and other medication may be needed to control this element.