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You need to take phenobarbital regularly every day. Take your dose at bedtime. Do not drink alcohol. In this article About phenobarbital Before taking phenobarbital How to take phenobarbital Getting the most from your treatment Can phenobarbital cause problems? How to store phenobarbital Important information about all medicines. It's difficult to forecast the results for any given person. Differences in side effects may be important in deciding which medicine is best for each person.
Some doctors hesitate to prescribe phenobarbital because it has a reputation for causing unwanted side effects, especially sleepiness in adults and problems with behavior or learning in children. Side effects are much more likely to be troublesome if a high dose is given, especially at the beginning. It may be necessary to increase the amount used very slowly over several months. Side effects are more common when phenobarbital is first taken or when the dose is increased, but not everyone is affected and some people can take high doses without trouble.
If seizures continue, the doctor probably will change the amount of phenobarbital prescribed. If that doesn't work, the next step may be either to prescribe a different seizure medicine by itself or to prescribe a combination of phenobarbital and another seizure medicine. Many are available. No single combination is best for everyone. Phenobarbital is often used as an "add-on" medicine for people who continue to have seizures while taking other seizure medicines.
It does interact with many other medicines, so the amount taken may need to be adjusted if a combination is used. Doctors have been able to study and observe the side effects of phenobarbital for many years.
In some ways this is an advantage over new medicines. Many doctors no longer prescribe it unless other seizure medicines have failed, however, because of concern that its side effects often outweigh its benefits except for certain groups such as very young children. It may be used more frequently in situations where cost is a critical issue, such as in developing countries. The most common side effect of phenobarbital is sleepiness or fatigue.
Be careful with driving, operating machinery, or any other dangerous activity until you know how you react to phenobarbital. If you notice problems like any of these while you are taking phenobarbital, it's probably a good idea to discuss them with your doctor or nurse.
You shouldn't stop taking phenobarbital or any other seizure medication without your doctor's advice. Phenobarbital also has been found to reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives birth control pills , so women who could become pregnant may want to consider another form of birth control.
Some studies have found greater problems with behavior and thinking in children taking phenobarbital than in children taking other seizure medicines. Not all the results agree, however, perhaps because individual children are affected differently. Taking extra calcium and vitamin D may help to prevent bone loss. If you have been taking phenobarbital for more than 5 years, it might be a good idea to have a bone density test. If this easy, painless test shows thinning of your bones, your doctor may want you to see a specialist.
Be sure to read about the more serious side effects of phenobarbital. Serious problems are very rare but everyone who takes this medicine should be aware of them. Long-term effects Long-term use of phenobarbital can lead to changes in the soft tissues of the body. Symptoms include pains in the joints or thickening in areas such as the palm or the bottom of the foot.
If you notice any changes of this kind, tell the doctor. Phenobarbital has a long history of safe use. However, more serious side effects do occur once in a while and should be discussed with your doctor.
Phenobarbital belongs to a group of medicines that can be addictive. People who take it to treat epilepsy hardly ever become psychologically addicted, but they are likely to experience physical dependence. With physical dependence, withdrawal symptoms occur if the medication is stopped suddenly or if the amount taken is sharply reduced. These withdrawal symptoms may include:. Withdrawal symptoms can be avoided or greatly reduced by lowering the amount used very slowly over a long time.
Depression is also a side effect, those who have experienced depression, drug abuse, or suicidal tendencies in the past should be especially careful with this medicine. Women who may become pregnant should discuss the effects of phenobarbital with their doctor.
It may be more likely than some other seizure medicines to cause birth defects, and there is a danger that the baby may experience withdrawal symptoms if the mother takes phenobarbital in the last few months of pregnancy.
Since phenobarbital reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives birth control pills , women should be especially cautious. In general, it is wise to avoid alcohol while taking phenobarbital. Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants 'blood thinners' such as warfarin Coumadin ; disulfiram Antabuse ; doxycycline Vibramycin ; griseofulvin Fulvicin ; hormone replacement therapy HRT ; monoamine oxidase MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid Marplan , phenelzine Nardil , seligiline Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar , or tranylcypromine Parnate ; medications for anxiety, depression, pain, asthma, colds, or allergies; certain medications for seizures such as phenytoin Dilantin and valproate Depakene ; oral steroids such as dexamethasone Decadron, Dexone , methylprednisolone Medrol , and prednisone Deltasone ;sedatives; sleeping pills; and tranquilizers.
Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you more carefully for side effects. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take phenobarbital. If you become pregnant while taking phenobarbital, call your doctor. Phenobarbital may harm the fetus. If you breast-feed during your treatment, your baby may receive some phenobarbital in the breast milk.
Watch your baby closely for drowsiness or poor weight gain. Older adults should not usually take phenobarbital because it is not as safe or effective as other medications that can be used to treat the same condition. Talk to your doctor about methods of birth control that will work for you while you are taking phenobarbital. Tell your doctor if you have a missed period or think you may be pregnant while you are taking phenobarbital.
Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Alcohol can make the side effects of phenobarbital worse. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet. Phenobarbital may cause side effects. Call your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away: drowsiness headache dizziness excitement or increased activity especially in children nausea vomiting Some side effects can be serious. Symptoms of overdose may include the following: uncontrollable movements of the eyes loss of coordination drowsiness slowed breathing drop in body temperature blisters.
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