Sometimes one has to question physicians. The are very powerful in our society and if they say something it is taken as gospel in our courts as a rule. A VA PA prescribed Dilantin for me some years back and I religiously took the medication as directed. Gradually, became ill and lethargic but continued as directed. Finally I became so ill that I needed medical intervention and went to the VA ER and the Doctor after listening to my complaints of urine being so dark that a barn could be painted with it and my stomach hurt, he looked at my eyes and said, "You have hepatitis, have you eaten at any Mexican food places?" I replied no and he took me across the waiting room to see another Doctor who was an endocrinologist. After they looked at my lab results he said only 1% of 1% of the population develop hepatitis from Dilantin. Stop the medication.
I did and over a period of time the liver returned to normal. The PA that prescribed the medication then prescribed me Phenobarbital and said I'd have a seizure if I didn't take this medication. I flushed the Phenobarbital down the toilet and never had any problems at all. My SGOT which is supposed to be around 25 was 525 and the SGGPT I forget the normal values but it was 2,600. The Doctor who took me to the endocrinologists said within two or three days I'd be dead if something didn't intervene. I came close to death but it passed me by. So yes, question the Doctors, it could save your life.
I did and over a period of time the liver returned to normal. The PA that prescribed the medication then prescribed me Phenobarbital and said I'd have a seizure if I didn't take this medication. I flushed the Phenobarbital down the toilet and never had any problems at all. My SGOT which is supposed to be around 25 was 525 and the SGGPT I forget the normal values but it was 2,600. The Doctor who took me to the endocrinologists said within two or three days I'd be dead if something didn't intervene. I came close to death but it passed me by. So yes, question the Doctors, it could save your life.
