A popular anticonvulsant drug used to treat more than just epileptic seizures may be inducing irreversible brain changes, including degeneration of key brain structures.

Dilantin (phenytoin) is a medication commonly used to treat epileptic seizures (abnormal brain activity) in children and adults. For some individuals, Dilantin has been the only medication that has successfully treated seizures, but Dilantin long term side effects may cause more problems than the drug is intended to treat.

Dilantin has a number of off-label clinical uses for a variety of conditions. It has been used to successfully treat symptoms of bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, eating disorders and more. For some, it is seen as the medication that is nothing short of a miracle drug.

However, what many taking the drug are not aware of is that Dilantin long-term side effects can include permanent changes in the brain leading to a degenerative condition known as cerebellar atrophy.

What Is Cerebellar Atrophy?

Cerebellar atrophy refers to the degeneration or atrophy of the part of the brain called the cerebellum. When the brain experiences degenerative changes, brain cells known as neurons die, and connections between parts of the brain are lost. This can cause the brain to experience shrinkage in size.

The cerebellum is the part of the brain located near the spinal cord that is responsible for the coordination of movement and balance as well as speech. When this part of the brain is affected by degenerative changes, patients may experience difficulty walking, impaired fine motor and gross motor coordination, uncontrolled body movements, tremors, shaking, abnormal and movements, slurred speech and headache.

Symptoms associated with Dilantin long term side effects mimic those of severe alcohol intoxication. In fact, when alcohol is consumed, the part of the brain that is affected the most is the cerebellum, so many of the symptoms will overlap.

In research studies conducted over the last few decades, a link has been shown between Dilantin long-term side effects and cerebellar atrophy when looking at imaging of the brain. Initially, scientists thought that perhaps the condition of epilepsy itself induced changes in the cerebellum, but the outcome of their research showed that Dilantin use was the main linked factor.

The longer a patient had used Dilantin, the more severe changes were noted in patients’ brains. For some, stopping the use of Dilantin can help reverse some of the brain changes, but for others, the changes may be permanent in nature despite having stopped use of the drug.

Have You Been Affected by Dilantin Long Term Side Effects?

If you have been affected by Dilantin long term side effects and developed cerebellar atrophy, you may be entitled to seek legal compensation from the manufacturer by filing a product liability lawsuit. Plaintiffs who go on to file product liability lawsuits against drug manufacturers allege that the manufacturer failed to properly warn of all relevant side effects associated with the drug. These lawsuits may also allege that drugs were defectively manufactured or designed.

An attorney familiar with Dilantin long-term side effects can provide you with a free case review and consultation to help you better understand your legal options.