Precautions
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
It is very important that your doctor check your progress closely while you or your child are receiving this medicine. This is to see if it is working properly and to allow for a change in the dose. Blood tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.
Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.
Do not receive this medicine while you or your child are also taking delavirdine (Rescriptor®). Using these medicines together may cause unwanted effects.
This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, lightheaded, faint, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert and able to see well.
Do not stop using this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Stopping the medicine suddenly may cause your seizures to return or to occur more often.
If you or your child develop a skin rash, hives, or any allergic reaction to this medicine, tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
Tell your doctor right away if you or your child develop a fever, rash, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, unusual bleeding or bruising, or yellow eyes or skin after receiving this medicine. These may be symptoms of a serious and life-threatening condition called Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS).
This medicine may cause liver damage. Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin.
This medicine may cause purple glove syndrome. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have skin discoloration, pain, or swelling at the injection site after receiving this medicine.
This medicine may affect blood sugar levels. If you or your child notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests or if you have any questions, check with your doctor.
If you or your child develop any unusual or strange thoughts and behavior while receiving phenytoin injection, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people receiving this medicine are like those seen in people who drink too much alcohol. Other changes might be confusion, worsening of depression, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), suicidal thoughts, and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.
Birth control pills may not work while you are using this medicine. To keep from getting pregnant, use another form of birth control along with your birth control pills. Other forms include a condom, a diaphragm, or a contraceptive foam or jelly.
Avoid drinking alcohol while you are receiving this medicine.
Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you or your child are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Portions of this document last updated: June 01, 2024
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