... for 4 days and sent back to nursing home but her level is still high. How can you get the level down to where it should be? The doctor discontinued her dosage of dilantin until it goes down but it's only moved down a couple of points.
My sister was sent to emergency because her dilantin levels were 37. She has been in the hospital?
- Asked
- 29 Jun 2010 by marshab
- Updated
- 22 Aug 2011
- Topics
- dilantin, seizures
Responses (1)
I don't think there is any antidote for phenytoin, so nothing that can bring the level down soon. It'll just have to be eliminated from the system gadually. However, if dosing has been temporarily stopped the level should come down to within therapeutic levels soon.
Do you know if your sister took any other medicines, etc., which could have caused this rise this phenytoin levels?

Further Information
- Dilantin Information for Consumers
- Dilantin Information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side Effects of Dilantin (detailed)
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Please see the link below ... there has been one case where a patient taking both gabapentin and phenytoin had their phenytoin levels elevated.
https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1147-0,1863-1205,1979-1274
I'm not certain about the other drugs your sister was taking. There may have been interactions with those as well.
Thank you Marvell... you may have something here because she does cough and after she came back from hospital she was pocketing her food. She is going through speech therapy now so she will eat her food. Never had that problem before, always ate everything.
Hi I was in hospital for week because my levels were about 45. I was also very sick, not eating and very weak. My doctors wanted the phentioin in a safe range before they would I could go home.
I was put a drip and a blood test ever day. When I got back home I had another blood test and saw my GP and now I take 2 capsules instead of 3 a day. It is based on your age, weight and what you are taking it for. The GP told me for my weight I was at the high end by taking 3 capsules.
Dilantin carries many side effects. The important thing is your sister blood levels are checked and she sees a doctor. All the best.