Has anyone had similar problems, or advice please.
I've been on Phenytoin due to epilepsy for around 25yrs +, and have had
reasonable results with it,
but in the last couple of years I've developed liver disease.
One problem I've heard is that Phenytoin increases the Gamma GT results from
the liver tests, effectively giving a false (inflated) reading. What I don't
know is roughly by how much.
Does anyone know of other tablets for epilepsy which wont affect the liver
like this ?

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Mike C.
CyberCafe - 05 Aug 2003 01:43 GMT
> Has anyone had similar problems, or advice please.
> I've been on Phenytoin due to epilepsy for around 25yrs +, and have had
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Does anyone know of other tablets for epilepsy which wont affect the liver
> like this ?
There's some information about some of the newer epilepsy drugs at
<http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010701/91.html>. They have a chart that tells if the
medication is metabolized by the liver or kidney.
Barb
> --
> Mike C.
Mike - 05 Aug 2003 14:54 GMT
> Has anyone had similar problems, or advice please.
> I've been on Phenytoin due to epilepsy for around 25yrs +, and have had
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Does anyone know of other tablets for epilepsy which wont affect the liver
> like this ?
I briefly had some liver issues back in 2001. I began drinking water and
fruit juice instead of sodas and I avoided alcohol completely in response
(doc said I could have a beer or two every now and then). The pills
definitely contributed, but that wasn't the entire story. Turns out I had
coincidentally contracted one of the Hepatitis's (the one you get from
eating contaminated food) and that had damaged my liver somewhat. The
problem gradually went away and I tested within normal parameters shortly
after.
--
Mike
Jennifer Rudolph - 06 Aug 2003 19:45 GMT
From what I have been told by my neuros is that ALL anticonvulsants affect
the liver after so long. I've asked this question over and over as to why
take a medicine that will help one thing, but in the end destroy something
else.
I've been on several anticonvulsants since 1990 and my liver was
starting to get affected back in 2000. That is when the first liver function
blood test came up abnormal. They just keep monitoring it for me and will
do something once the numbers get to a certain level.
Jennifer
> Has anyone had similar problems, or advice please.
> I've been on Phenytoin due to epilepsy for around 25yrs +, and have had
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Does anyone know of other tablets for epilepsy which wont affect the liver
> like this ?