Mephenytoin

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used to prevent or reduce the number of seizures a person has.
• It is also used to control seizures in patients who have not had success with other medicines.

How does it work?

• Mephenytoin stabilizes excitable areas in the brain where seizures may start.

How is it best taken?

• Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an upset stomach.
• If taken once daily, take at a similar time every day.
• Do not suddenly stop using this medicine if you have been taking it for a long time. Medicine should be slowly decreased. May cause seizures.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.
• Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
• Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with healthcare provider.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• Wear disease medical alert identification for seizure disorder.
• If you are 65 or older, you may have more side effects. You could feel confusion, tired, sleepy, or staggering.
• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor). It changes how the body handles the medicine making it either more or less effective depending on how you drink alcohol.
• Avoid other depressant medicines (sedatives, tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, pain medicine) that slow your actions and reactions. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Make sure that you follow your state's laws about driving as a seizure patient.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Do not use in pregnancy and do not get pregnant. Use birth control that you can trust while taking this medicine.
• Birth control pills may not work. Use another form of birth control while taking this medicine.
• Do not use if you are breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• Feeling sleepy, tired, dizzy, or unable to think clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Confusion, mood changes, or slurred speech can occur too.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.
• Changes in balance, feeling shaky or unsteady.

What should I monitor?

• Blood tests may be needed. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Follow up with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Changes in balance, feeling shaky or unsteady.
• Changes in thinking clearly and logically.
• Too tired or sleepy.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant)
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).

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