Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking primidone as follows:
- Primidone use carries the risk of inducing/aggravating motor incoordination, resulting in clumsiness and unsteadiness during coordinated activities, such as, walking. Primidone use can also result in abnormal uncontrolled eye movements, such as, rolling of the eyes, contributing to double vision. The confusion and poor motor coordination, secondary to primidone intake, with the added effect of double vision primidone can cause, significantly increases the fall risk with primidone. Also, individuals can present with severe exhaustion, diffuse motor weakness, and fatigue with primidone intake, which can further complicate the fall risk. Observing compliance with use of recommended DME can help with preventing a fall or accident. Seek for increased caregiver assistance, until you get comfortable and the side-effects caused by primidone settle. PT and OT interventions can help safe maneuvering during ADL performance, improve motor strength and coordination, thus contributing to reduce the fall risk.
- Primidone can take some time to fairly adjust to your body and reach a therapeutic level in your blood, before preventing seizure episodes. Do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Your physician could change the dose of primidone, based on the relief obtained or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to update on the relief from symptoms. Be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, if need be, until you show an optimum response.
