I was on Pheno for a very long time, they ended taking me off pheno as it was doing nothing for me as my system got use to it. They took months on months to get me off, as when they tryed i would go into seizures when they got me done to 1 pill a day, they had me on 3 pills a day. i am off pheno but now am on keppra 1000mg twice a day, lamictal 500mg twice a day, zonegran 100mg twice a day. These are to help replace pheno, we have tryed depakote, dilantin and many others all hoping to help and replace pheno but none help so far. Hospital said pheno is a good drug to stop on coming seizures, how come they use them in er, how can they be good drug for use mainley as my sytem can not take them in me, they like candy in me.
nana1

Hi nana,
I also took pheno for a long time and after taking it for so many yrs. it didn't seem to help me that much so my neuro I had put me on mysoline (primidone) instead which is a little stronger but in the long run it breaks down into pheno. Pheno. is one of the oldest AED's if I'm not mistaken it came out in 1912 or 1921.
I'm not Dr. but it sounds like your body became immune to the drug and that may be why it did work to good for you. This happened to me when I was on depakene for yrs. the AED worked great controling my sz. but after so many yrs. of being on the drug my body got used to it and it didn't help me at all.
My neuro wanted me to try keppra but I told him "no way" with all the moodiness and temper problems it can cause I didn't want to take any chances of having more problems.
When I was on lamictal I was on the drug for only 4 days and I broke out with a rash only to find out that I was allergic to the drug.
I've been on dilantin and depakote but the drugs didn't work to good in the long run. Recently my neuro wanted me to try zonegran but I told him "No" I've found that the more AED's I take the more sz. I have because a lot of the drugs interact with each other causing problems.
You asked: why they use pheno in the ER in many cases the drug helps bring a person out of a status sz. which is a bad type of sz. to have.
Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue