How to Use

For diseaseds taking the liquid form of this drug:

• Shake the bottle well before using.
• Use a specially marked measuring spoon, a plastic syringe, or a small measuring cup to measure each dose accurately. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid.

For diseaseds taking the chewable tablet form of this drug:

• Tablets may be chewed or crushed before they are swallowed, or may be swallowed whole.

For diseaseds taking the capsule form of this drug:

• Swallow the capsule whole.

If this drug upsets your stomach, take it with food, unless otherwise directed by your family doctor. The drug must always be taken at the same time in relation to meals to make sure that it is absorbed in the same way.

To control your medical problem, take this drug every day exactly as ordered by your family doctor. Do not take more or less of it than your family doctor ordered. To help you remember to take the drug at the correct times, try to get into the habit of taking it at the same time each day.

Dosage

The number of capsules or tablets or teaspoonfuls of suspension that you take or the number of injections you receive depends on the strength of the drug. Always the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses and the length of time you take the drug depend on the medical problem for which you are using a hydantoin anticonvulsant .

For ethotoin
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • As an anticonvulsant:
    • Adults and teenagers To start, 125 to 250 milligrams - mg four to six times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose gradually over few days if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 3000 mg a day.
    • Children To start, up to 750 mg a day, based on the age and weight of the child. The family doctor may increase the dose gradually if needed.

For fosphenytoin
• For injection dosage form:
  • As an anticonvulsant:
    • Adults and children Dose is based on the illness being treated, and the body weight or size of the patient. The drug is injected into a vein or muscle.

For mephenytoin
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • As an anticonvulsant:
    • Adults and teenagers To start, 50 to 100 milligrams - mg once a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose by 50 to 100 mg a day at weekly intervals if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 1200 mg a day.
    • Children To start, 25 to 50 mg once a day. The family doctor may increase the dose by 25 to 50 mg a day at weekly intervals if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 400 mg a day.

For phenytoin
• For oral dosage forms - capsules, chewable tablets, or suspension:
  • As an anticonvulsant:
    • Adults and teenagers To start, 100 to 125 milligrams - mg three times a day. Your family doctor may adjust your dose at intervals of seven to ten days if needed.
    • Children Dose is based on body weight or body surface area. The usual dose is 5 mg of phenytoin per kilogram - kg - 2.3 mg per pound of body weight to start. The family doctor may adjust the dose if needed.
    • Older adults Dose is based on body weight. The usual dose is 3 mg per kg - 1.4 mg per pound of body weight. The family doctor may need to adjust the dose based on your response to the drug.
• For injection dosage form:
  • As an anticonvulsant:
    • Adults and children Dose is based on the illness being treated, and the body weight or size of the patient. The drug is usually injected into a vein.

Missed dose If you miss a dose of this drug and your dosing schedule is:

• One dose a day Take the missed dose as soon as possible. However, if you do not remember the missed dose until the next day, skip it and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
• More than one dose a day Take the missed dose as soon as possible. However, if it is within 4 hours of your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

If you miss doses for 2 or more days in a row, check with your family doctor.

Storage To store this drug:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the drug to break down.
• Keep the liquid form of this drug from freezing. Do not refrigerate.
• Do not keep outdated drug or drug no longer needed. Be sure any discarded drug is out of the reach of children.