epilepsy in the past

[carnyspook]

I had epilepsy when I was a kid. It very well might have come from a bump to the head. Grandma called it fainting spells and when I got the mom that I have now she reconized it as epilepsy. I took (forgive my spelling) dialantant and themabarmatal for about six years. When I was seventeen, I did not have no seizures anymore. I still remember the intensitiy of the seizures and how I would wake up in the morning and feel like I had every muscule in my body stretched to the limit and how the migrain headache would dominate me. I had an EEG before I went in the army and they said that I did not have epilepsy anymore and I have not had a seizure since then. Thank the Lord. My question is, is there any long term effects from the medication that I took for those years. My kidneys or liver or heart or any other organ. Were they affected. I took the D pill three times a day and it was one and a half grams per dose and the T pill I took three times a day and it was a half gram a dose.
I appreciate any insight into this. My half sister has epilepsy now and has her seizures during the day or night where mine were just at night when I slept. Thank you for your time and if there is any other questions that I can answer, please feel free to ask them.

[Rae1889]

I think you may mean Dilantin and Phenobarbitol? unless there is one out there with a T that I dont know of. but by sounding them out, those are the ones that seem closest to me.

I know both of those anti-epileptic drug are older drugs, and that they are not prescribed as much anymore. Both of these I have heard of affecting your liver etc from being "toxic". when there is too much in your system not being absoped right.

How old are you now if you dont mind me asking. and what were you fainting spells. just falliing and being "asleep'?(atonic seizures) or where they grand mals? (tonic clonics)

[carnyspook]

I am 55 years old. The fainting spells I think were probally just grandma not knowing what to call them. She was born in the eighteenth century and they probally did not have much knowledge about the disease. I, amazingly, don't remember the fainting spells. It was not until I came to my mother that I had now and went to a doctor and got told what I had, that I started to know about the seizures. My seizures were at night, always. I would wake up and be in such disrepair that I could not go to school. By afternoon though, I was ready to go out side and play. Thankyou for setting me straight with the names of the medicine that I took. I know that it seemed like I was a normal kid until someone told me that I had a disease and then I started to have problems with other kids and in school. I don't know if it was finding out abou the disease or being raised on values that were from another century. I appreciate any insight that I can have into this disease and the long term effects of the medicine that I took. Since then, I have hated to take pills, even asprin. Thank you for listening to me. Michael

[Nakamova]

Hi Michael, welcome to CWE.

The medications you mention can have long-term side effects. Dilantin, because it drains calcium from the body, can affect teeth (gum overgrowth) and bones (osteoporosis). Long-term use of Dilantin can also lead to peripheral neuropathy (that's when you lose a bit of sensation in you hand and feet, and it can occasionally become painful), as well as some brain shrinkage (rare). You should give a complete health history to your regular doctor -- including all medications you've taken and the length of time you took them -- so that he can evaluate any current health problems properly.

[carnyspook]

I was wondering why my teeth were in so bad shape. I had hear this before. Otherwise, I am in good health for being fiftyfive. I only took the medication for about seven years and not taken it since. I outgrew the epilepsy as I came into adulthood. I appreciate the responses I have gotten from this web site. It is good that people care enough to share information. Thankyou again.
Sincerely, Michael Hughes

[dfwtexas]

Hi,
My father took Dilantin for a couple of years and he was able to go off and has been seizure free for 30 years now. He didn't have any long term effects from his use, but it seems like our seizures, our reactions to the drugs can vary from person to person
jenn

[CathyAnn31]

I was diagnosed with psycho-motor epilepsy when I was 3. I was put on dilantin. I still remember those spearmint chewables I had to take. To this day I still dislike spearmint. I outgrew the seizures after a few yrs. The Dr told my mom there was a chance it could come back during puberty but if it didn't we shouldn't worry about it.

Last April it returned and I had my 1st grand mal, at the age of 39. I had a few more, the last one in August. I've been on meds since Sept and haven't had any more, knock on wood. I will say I've had some very funky, scary days where I am totally off. Don't know if its the meds or the epilepsy.

I am really not sure about any longterm side effects. I am still wondering if my new diagnosis has anything to do with what I had as a kid. I haven't had any head injuries or tumors or the like.

[carnyspook]

I have a new question. This has been happening to me for the past fifteen years. I sometimes get this feeling of dejevu. A really strong feeling and then I feel like I am going to pass out. I never did pass out but fought it and won but this last time I did pass out for about two or three seconds. Just enough time for my urine to start to flow and then I woke up. I get cold sweats and am near panic. Does this sound anything like epilepsy of any kind or probally something else. If you have any questions I will try to answer them about this. Thankyou

[Nakamova]

What you describes sounds like a simple partial seizure. Simple partials can involve all sorts of sensory disturbances, including deja vu, and feelings of anxiety.

[alivenwell]

It does sound like an aura or warning precedes a seizure for you. Technically, that aura or weird feeling/sensation is actually a seizure.

The best method so far for me to control the epilepsy is stress management. And, to follow through on my word, I will get off line now and go outdoors for a walk. Exercise really helps fight stress.

[Bernard]

Hi carnyspook, welcome to the forum.

You might find this discussion of interest:

Long term effects of dilantin