Epilepsy Patients Can’t Run from Dilantin Side Effects

Patients who switched drugs that had already been working and keeping them seizure-free were more than six times as likely to suffer from seizures again as those who stayed on the drug during the entire trial. That means that patients who appreciated the drugs’ efficacy but didn’t want to deal with Dilantin side effects could actually be worsening their prognosis for the future.

The doctors also noted that newer treatments do not seem to be effective for focal epilepsy, a subset of the disorder that is preceded by some sort of twitch or change in feelings before onset. The one piece of good news is that patients had equal odds of not having seizures if the older drugs were not working. One downside is that when switching to Dilantin, Stevens Johnson Syndrome side effects are a major threat within the first day or two. The disorder starts as a small rash on the extremities before attacking the skin and mucous membranes. It can result in blindness.

The overall takeaway of the doctors is that trying to switch medications can have serious detriments to patients. Dilantin neurological side effects may be problematic, but epileptics will now have to weigh them against having more seizures. Particularly troubling is that Dilantin and other older treatments do not seem to have been supplanted by more effective treatment, as the only difference seems to be that newer drugs cost more.

With that in mind, it is clear that new epilepsy drugs are needed that reduce seizures without the adverse effects. Currently, the most effective treatment is a surgery, but the procedure carries risks since it involves excising a part of the brain, Dilantin side effect attorneys note.

If problems like neurological issues affect patients taking epilepsy drugs, legal options are available. Learn more and get a free consultation at the Dilantin Stevens Johnson (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. While it costs nothing, a Dilantin side effects lawsuit attorney can provide valuable information about what legal options may be available. Epilepsy is a serious condition, and so are its treatments side effects, so get help with the legal side today.