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toxic dilantin level

Mon, 11/03/2008 - 18:57
Topic: Medication Issues

Hi to everyone,  I had a dilantin level surge up to 60.4, has anyone had a level that just surged this high before? I felt i was insane and no one could tell around me that i was out of this world, felt like i was living a bad dream.  I can not think straight and it's been over a month since this happened.  I take 400mg a night. 

david

Comments

Re: toxic dilantin level

Submitted by wonderwoman on Mon, 2009-04-13 - 16:04
No, no help, just derision. It was really one of the worst experiences of my life. Did you get any skin issues? I have some skin pigmentation on my face, and had a couple of small scabby or itchy spots develop, which disappeared as soon as my levels went down. The pigmentation is still there, but is fading, slowly. I have seen pix of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and I am very happy to say that I don't think it is anything like that, but it was weird. The whole time I kept going through it, I was thinking - Occam's Razor - the simplest explanation is often the best. I'm epileptic - look at the epilepsy. But they wouldn't. They looked at everything BUT. Then when the dilantin levels were checked (NOT by them) and came out at 113, they still wouldn't accept it because by that time, they knew they had made several HUGE mistakes and didn't want me to sue, I guess. Which I was not gonna do anyway. All I wanted was answers. My GP just looked at the numbers and said, OK, there's your problem. The neurologist refused to acknowledge it because it was their error. You are so right - listen to your body. WW

Re: toxic dilantin level

Submitted by srchtt3 on Mon, 2009-04-13 - 19:06
I don't remember any scabby issues but it was a couple years ago and even though I knew who I was when they sent me home I was still a wee bit off my rocker. I do have a huge area on my back that has changed in pigmentation and I've wondered what it is from. It's been there I guess since about that time, now that you mention it. It looks like veins running all over my back, connected and not, but in the middle of them is my regular color. Only on one side of my back. Very strange. Do watch your teeth. An overdose of dilantin can cause problems, even rotting, of your teeth. My dentist let me know that when I had to get some teeth pulled after that happened. Probably somewhere between four to six months after the overdose.

Re: toxic dilantin level

Submitted by wonderwoman on Wed, 2009-04-15 - 01:14
I have been worried about my teeth - my gums have been sore, in the week leading up to the toxic period, and since then. I am trying to make sure I floss, mouthwash etc. My neuro didn't tell me I had to take extra care of my teeth and my calcium consumption - yet another in the long list of things I have not been told about this medication. The pigmentation sounds like maybe it is connected, if mine is. My friend has been researching this for me, and she is a neuroscientist. She has been worried about the skin changes more than anything else, although I am not sure why exactly. Crazy! Whodathunk one medication could do so much damage, and with so little regulation! Can't wait for May - new neurologist, hopefully new answers and a new AED. WW

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