Anticonvulsants

[spiderman]

Hi everybody,

I am having focal seizures since last 9 years.
I am on carbamazepine 200 X 3 a day.

Yet I get seizures once in 2 months.
The seizures are decreasing with time.
Can the seizures be stopped altogether.

I can't trust local neurologist here.

Should I increase the carbamazepine
strength or take another anticonvulsant
in addition.

Thanks in advance

[Nakamova]

Hi spiderman, welcome to CWE!

There's no way to predict what will work for you since everyone reacts differently to the meds. In general, it's good to avoid taking more than one drug if you don't have to. It's also good idea to keep a neurologist in the loop anytime you time you change your dosage. Is there a way you can find another neurologist? Even if it's someone farther away, it would be worth it if they can give you good advice about the meds.

Since your seizures are decreasing in time, is it possible that this trend will continue? You might want to keep a seizure diary (if you don't already) so you can get a sense of how long they last, and how frequent they are. Another thing that might be helpful is to track things might be seizure triggers (like diet, metabolism, sleep, exercise, physical and environmental stressors), so that you can avoid them. And lastly, if it's available to you, consider trying neurofeedback.

Best,
Nakamova

[epileric]

Good luck finding something that stops your seizures totally. To be honest I'd be soooo happy to only have 1 seizure every 2 months. It's about 11:15 AM here & I"ve already had 6 this morn. I usually only have about 1 a day but even at that rate you seem to be doing pretty good.

Rather than using more medications to gain complete control of your seizures have you considered looking at things like diet, finding & avoiding triggers, or anything else? I'd recommend you look at the page of alternatives that you can use in conjunction with your medications.

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/...ive-treatments

Keep us updated on how you're doing.

[Crystal11]

The neurologist should be listening to you when you say you have a seizure in two months. They may increase you dose or leave it the way it is- or add another med to what you're taking.
You may ask about Tegretol XR which I'm on- it keeps a constant level of medication in your system without the ups and downs of the drug levels during the day- sort of more stable as far as how much medicine you have in your system.
Tegretol may not be the right med for you- but if you both aggree that its doing a good job at controlling some or almost all of your seizures- you would have to weigh the risks of taking more, adding another med, or leaving it the way it is.
Right now, I'm on three but will be getting off of Tegretol XR 600mg in a few months. Yay- it worked for a while with my little complex partial seizures but I still had longer complex partial seizures here and there. So we added Keppra XR and Lamictal to it. I hate being on this many meds- but don't really have any side-effects to it, sort of weird to me lol.
Anyways- ask ask ask your neurologist what are the best things to think about. Do not increase or decrease your meds on your own- I've done this and its a bad idea...

Please take care,
Crystal

[spiderman]

Hello Nakamova,

Thanks for warm welcome to CWE
I know my seizure triggers like excess stress, and try to keep it in control.
Also I keep a seizure diary.

I would definitely visit a neurologist this week.
But can you tell, in my case that if the doctor increased my meds,
or added another med, can seizures stop altogether.
Or in cases like mine, seizures can be fully controlled with proper meds?

Thanks a lot

[Nakamova]

Hi Spiderman --

My seizures are fully-controlled by meds, so I know it's possible. Your meds can be upped as long as they remain at a safe dosage, and the side effects aren't dealbreakers for you. Likewise adding a second med can be successful as well, with the same concerns as above in terms of dosage/side effects.

Good luck with your neurologist. Keep us posted.