Dilantin 50mg Infatabs 200

$42.39
$42.39 about 6 years ago

  Information General Information Consumer Medicine InformationWhat is in this leafletThis leaflet answers some common questions about Dilantin.It does not contain all the available information.It does not take the place of talkingto your doctor or pharmacist.All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Dilantin against the benefits they expect it will have for you.If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.What Dilantin is used forDilantin is used to control epilepsy. Epilepsy is a condition where you have repeated seizures (fits). There are many different types of seizures, ranging from mild to severe.Dilantin belongs to a group of medicines called anticonvulsants. These drugs are thought to work by controlling brain chemicals which send signals to nerves so thatseizures do not happen.Dilantin is also used to help prevent seizures occurring during or after brain surgery.Dilantin may also be used to treat a rapid or irregular heart beat.Dilantin may be used alone, or in combination with other medicines, to treat your condition.Your doctor may have prescribed Dilantin for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have anyquestions about why Dilantin has been prescribed for you.There is no evidence that Dilantin is addictive.This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.Before you take DilantinWhen you must not take itDo not take Dilantin if you have an allergy to: phenytoin sodium or phenytoin, the active ingredients in Dilantin or other hydantoin medicines or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet methylphenobarbitone or any other barbiturate medicines other medicines used to treat fits and convulsionsSymptoms of an allergic reaction to Dilantin may include: shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body rash, itching or hives on the skinDo not take Dilantin after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.Do not take Dilantin if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.If you are not sure whether you should start taking Dilantin, talkto your doctor or pharmacist.Before you start to take itTell your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergies to: any other medicines, especially barbiturates or any other anticonvulsant medicines any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyesTell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following: liver problems diabetes high blood sugar levels lymphadenopathy, a condition of the lymph glands Systemic Lupus Erythematosus porphyria, a rare blood pigment disorder hypoalbuminaemia, a decrease in serum albumin in the blood, causing water retentionTell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Dilantin may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy. However, it is very important to control your fits while you are pregnant. If it is necessary for you to take Dilantin, your doctor can help you decide whether or not to take it during pregnancy.It is recommended that you do not breastfeed while taking Dilantin, as it may pass into breast milk and therefore there is a possibility thatthe breast-fed baby may be affected.If you do breastfeed, watch your baby carefully.If your baby develops a skin rash, becomes sleepy or has unusual symptoms, don't breastfeed again until you speak to your doctor.If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you start taking Dilantin.Taking other medicinesTell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Some medicines and Dilantin may interfere with each other. These include: disulfuram, a medicine used to treat alcoholism other medicines used to treat fits and convulsions, such as vigabatrin, sodium valproate, valproic acid, carbamazepine, ethosuximide, phenobarbital and lamotrigine anticoagulants, medicines used to prevent blood clots some pain relievers, such as salicylates and tramadol benzodiazepines, medicines such as sleeping tablets, sedatives, tranquillisers or medicines totreat anxiety and panic attacks medicines used to treat mood or mental disorders such as clozapine, phenothiazines antidepressants such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine corticosteroids such as cortisone and prednisolone cyclosporin, a medicine used to prevent organ transplant rejection and to treat severe rheumatoidarthritis and some severe skin conditions some medicines used to treat cancer medicines used to treat heart problems, such as quinidine, amiodarone, nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem. some antibiotics and antifungal medicines used to treatinfections, such as erythromycin, tetracyclines, ciprofloxacin, sulfonamides, fluconazole, ketoconazole and miconazole isoniazid, a medicine used to prevent and treat tuberculosis (TB) frusemide, a diuretic (fluid tablet), which is used to reduce water retention and high blood pressure some medicines used to treat stomach or duodenal ulcers, such as omeprazole, sucralfate and cimetidine general anaesthetics and muscle relaxants, medicines used during an operation methadone, a medicine used to control severe pain and to treat heroin addiction methylphenidate, a medicine used to treat Attention DeficitDisorder St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), an ingredient usedin herbal medicines to treat anxiety and depression tolbutamide, glibenclamide, chlorpropamide and diazoxide, medicines used to treat diabetes some vitamins such as folic acid and Vitamin D theophylline, a medicine used to treat asthma oral contraceptives (birth control pills) oestrogens, hormones used inoral contraceptives and in hormone replacement therapyThese medicines may be affected by Dilantin, or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine, or youmay need to take different medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you.Your doctor may advise you to use an additional method of contraception while taking Dilantin.Your doctor and pharmacist may have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Dilantin.How to take DilantinHow much to takeYour doctor will tell you how much syrup/how many tablets/capsules you will need to take each day. This may depend on your age, your condition and whether or not you are taking any other medicines.Your doctor may recommend that you start with a low dose of Dilantin and slowly increase the dose to the lowest amount needed to control your epilepsy/convulsions.Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.If you do not understand the instructions on the bottle, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.How to take itSwallow Dilantin capsules whole with at least half a glass of water.Chew Dilantin tablets before swallowing.Shake the bottle well and accurately pour the dose with a medicine measure before taking it. Shaking the bottle and using a medicine measure will make sure that you get the correct dose. You can get a medicine measure from your pharmacist.When to take itTake Dilantin at about the same time each day. Taking Dilantin at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take the tablets/capsules/syrup.Take Dilantin during or immediately after a meal, at about the same time each day. If you take Dilantin on an empty stomach, it may cause stomach upset.If you forget to take itIf it is almost time for your next dose (within 4 hours), skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed. This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.How long to take itContinue taking Dilantin for as long as your doctor tells you to.Dilantin helps control yourcondition, but does not cure it. Therefore you must take your medicine every day, even if you feel well.Do not stop taking Dilantin, or lower the dosage, without checking with your doctor. Do not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays. Stopping Dilantin suddenly may cause unwanted effects or make your condition worse. Your doctor will slowly reduce your dose before you can stop taking it completely.If you take too much (overdose) Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone in Australia - 13 11 26; telephone in New Zealand - 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Dilantin. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.While you are using DilantinThings you must doTell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following: increase in seizures (fits) yellowing of the skin and/or eyes swelling of the face strong stomach pains generally feeling unwell with tiredness, weakness and vomitingThese symptoms may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your liver. You may need urgent medical attention.Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Dilantin.If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor, dentist or pharmacist that you are taking Dilantin.Before you have any surgery or emergency treatment, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Dilantin.Tell your doctor if you feelDilantin is not helping your condition. Your doctor may need to change your medicine.Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken Dilantinexactly as prescribed. Otherwise, your doctor may change your treatment unnecessarily.If you become pregnant while taking Dilantin, tell your doctor.Tell your doctor if you want to take oral contraceptives while taking Dilantin. You may need a higher dose of oral contraceptives than usual to prevent pregnancy, or you may need to consider other forms of contraception.If you need to have any medical tests while you are taking Dilantin, tell your doctor. Dilantin may affect the results of some tests.Be sure to keep all of your doctor's appointments so that yourprogress can be checked. Your doctor will check your progress and may want to take some tests from time to time. This helps to prevent unwanted side effects.Things you must not doDo not give Dilantin to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours or they have the same condition as you.Do not take Dilantin to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.Do not stop using it unless your doctor tells you to.Things to be careful ofBe careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Dilantin affects you.As with other anticonvulsant medicines, Dilantin may cause dizziness, light-headedness, weakness, tiredness, decreased coordination in some people. Make sure you know how you react to Dilantin before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anythingelse that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or light-headed. If this occurs do not drive. If you drink alcohol, dizziness orlight-headedness may be worse.Children should not ride a bike, climb trees or do anything else that could be dangerous if they are feeling drowsy or sleepy. Dilantin may cause drowsiness, dizziness or sleepiness in some people and affect alertness.Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking Dilantin. Combining Dilantin and alcohol can make you more sleepy, dizzy or lightheaded. Your doctor may suggest you avoid alcohol while you are being treated with Dilantin.Side effectsTell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Dilantin. Dilantin helps most people with epilepsy, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects. If you are over 65 years of age you may have an increased chance of getting side effects.Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.If you get any side effects, do not stop taking Dilantin without first talking to your doctor or pharmacist.Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you: dizziness or light-headedness headache weakness, unsteadiness when walking, reduced co-ordinationor slowed reactions mood changes such as nervousness forgetfulness, loss of concentration or confusion difficulty speaking or slurred speech sleeplessness sleepiness nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting constipation bleeding, tender or enlargedgums enlargement of facial features including thickening of lips aching joints uncontrollable jerky eye movements raised red skin rash or itchy skin rash excessive hairiness, especially in women sexual disturbances, such as painful erection tingling or numbness of thehands or feet changes in tasteThese are the more common side effects of Dilantin. Mostly these are mild and short-lived.Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following: more frequent or more severe seizures (fits) sudden onset of uncontrollable muscle spasms affecting the eyes, head, neck and body fever, sore throat, swollen glands, mouth ulcers, unusual bleedingor bruising under the skin tiredness, headache, shortness of breath when exercising, dizziness or pale skin persistent nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, generally feeling unwell, fever, itching, yellowing of the skin and/or eyes, dark coloured urine, light coloured bowel motions, pain in the abdomen sudden signs of allergy such as rash, itching or hives, swelling ofthe face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing (anaphylacticreactions) severe skin rash, itching, hives, blisters or peeling skin, which may be accompanied by fever, chills, headache, swollen glands, stomach pain or aching joints and musclesThese are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.All of these side effects are very rare.Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may happen in some people. Some of these side effects (for example, changes in thyroid function, structure of bones, high cholesterol or blood pressure) can only be found when your doctor does blood tests from time to time to check your progress.Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.After using DilantinStorageKeep your tablets and capsules in the bottle until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets or capsules out of the bottle they will not keep well.Keep your tablets/capsules/syrup in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25 °C.Do not store Dilantin or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car on hot days. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.Keep it where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at leastone-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.DisposalIf your doctor or pharmacist tells you to stop taking Dilantin or the capsules/tablets/syrup have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that are left over.Product descriptionWhat it looks likeDilantin capsules 100 mg - white and orange capsules that are marked Parke Davis on one side and P-D 100 on the other side. They are available in bottles of 200 capsules.Dilantin Capsules 30 mg - white capsules marked Parke Davis on one side and P-D 30 on the other side. They are available in bottles of 200 capsules.Dilantin Infatabs 50 mg - yellow, chewable, triangular tablets. Theyare marked P-D 007 on one side anda break bar on the other side. Theyare available in bottles of 200 tablets.Dilantin Paediatric Suspension - a reddish-pink suspension which is available in a 500 mL bottle.IngredientsEach white and orange Dilantin Capsule contains 100 mg of the active ingredient phenytoin sodium.Inactive ingredients are sucrose, lactose, starch-maize, purified talc, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide, sunset yellow FCF CI15985, erythrosine CI45430, carbon black CI77266 and gelatin Each white Dilantin Capsule contains 30 mg of the active ingredient phenytoin sodium.Inactive ingredients are sucrose, magnesium stearate,starch-maize, purified talc, titanium dioxide, carbon black CI77266 and gelatin.Each Dilantin Infatab containsthe active ingredient phenytoin50 mg.Inactive ingredients are sucrose, sunset yellow FCF CI15985, starch- maize, quinoline yellow CI47005, saccharin sodium, magnesium stearate, purified talc and spearmint flavour.Dilantin Paediatric Suspension contains the active ingredient phenytoin 30 mg/5 mL.Inactive ingredients are sodium benzoate, sucrose, glycerol, aluminium magnesium silicate, carmellose sodium, polysorbate 40, vanillin, orange oil terpeneless, ethanol, carmoisine CI4720, sunset yellow FCF CI5985, citric acid monohydrate, hydrochloric acid, banana flavour and purified water.SupplierDilantin is supplied in Australia by: Pfizer Australia Pty LtdABN 50 008 422 34838-42 Wharf RoadWest Ryde NSW 2114 AustraliaToll Free Number: 1800 675 229Dilantin is supplied in New Zealand by: Pfizer New Zealand LtdPO Box 3998Auckland, New ZealandToll Free Number: 0800 736 363Australian Registration Numbers:Dilantin 100 mg AUST R 14305Dilantin 30 mg AUST R 14306Dilantin Infatabs AUST R 14308Dilantin Paediatric AUST R 14309This leaflet was revised on 18 September 2008© Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd 2001.All rights reservedDILANTIN® Miscellaneous Drug Interactions Warnings Common Uses Ingredients Directions Indications