The popular anticonvulsant Dilantin has been associated with a number of Dilantin neurological side effects, including cerebral atrophy.

The symptoms of cerebral atrophy can have a dramatic and long-lasting effect on a person’s life.

Background of Dilantin

Dilantin is an anticonvulsant, commonly used to treat epilepsy. It treats epilepsy by stopping seizures in their early stages. Dilantin works to prevent neurons from firing as rapidly as they do during a seizure.

Dilantin (also known by its generic name phenytoin) is one of the most popular anticonvulsant drugs currently available on the market.

But despite Dilantin’s inarguable popularity, it has been linked in recent reports with serious neurological side effects, some of which may be long-lasting or even permanent.

Indeed, one of the more serious of potential Dilantin side effects is cerebral atrophy, a condition that causes brain tissue to degenerate over time.

What is Cerebral Atrophy?

Cerebral atrophy affects a patient’s brain tissue. In Dilantin patients, this condition may affect tissue in the cerebellum (located at the back of the skull). It causes progressive degeneration and loss of cerebellar tissue over time.

The ability of the cerebellum to function properly is essential, as the cerebellum is responsible for coordination of many of the body’s most basic movements like speech, posture, and balance.

When the cerebellum’s tissue degenerates through cerebellar atrophy, a patient’s movements can be seriously affected. This can manifest as unstable eye movements, uncontrollable bodily movements, body tremors, and balance problems, all of which can have devastating effects on a person’s daily life.

Cerebral atrophy symptoms can not only be disconcerting; they can also make daily physical tasks difficult or, in extreme cases, impossible.

Dilantin Neurological Side Effects

The journal Seizure – European Journal of Epilepsy published a study on Dilantin neurological side effects and its severity given factors such as time and dosage. The study found that the length of time a patient uses Dilantin significantly affects how likely they are to subsequently develop neurological side effects like cerebral atrophy.

For instance, a long-term Dilantin patient is more likely to develop cerebral atrophy than a patient who has only used Dilantin for a short time.

Similarly, if a patient takes a higher dosage of Dilantin, they are more likely to develop serious Dilantin neurological side effects.

Therefore, long-term Dilantin users who take a higher dosage of the drug are at an even more increased risk of developing serious side effects like cerebellar atrophy.

It should be noted that the condition has also been reported from short-term users at a lower dosage as well.

Cerebral Atrophy Treatment

In some cases, the treatment of cerebellar atrophy symptoms can be very simple. For some patients, all they need to do to alleviate these symptoms is stop taking Dilantin.

Unfortunately, some patients who have been diagnosed with cerebral atrophy may be stuck with these symptoms as a permanent part of their lives.

Dilantin Cerebral Atrophy Lawsuits

If you or someone you love has suffered from cerebral atrophy symptoms or Dilantin neurological side effects after using Dilantin, you may be able to file a Dilantin lawsuit.

A Dilantin lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by cerebral atrophy and its symptoms, but filing a lawsuit can help to compensate for injuries and financial problems caused by medical expenses and lost wages.