Hello from the UK & new friends welcome

[SteveUK]

Hi everyone,

Just to introduce myself.

I live in Brighton, South England, UK. I’m 29 years old and live with a very supportive girlfriend. Looking for like-minded people who are interested in maintaining a healthy life style despite the difficulties that epilepsy occasionally bring about.

I am a positive thinker (although like everyone experience the occasional peaks and troughs). I attempt to maintain a healthy balanced life, with a varied mix of functional fitness activities (amateur strongman competitions, running competitions, kettle bell training) and healthy eating style with lots of oils, healthy fats, seeds, greens and meat. Of course, to maintain some balance I like to drink with real ales being the top of my list.

I’ve been living with Epilepsy now for 5 years, it sits with me like unwelcome company lingering in the background. Throughout this time I’ve tried to beat it, stamp on it, deny it, breath it but mostly I have hated it. However, I am learning to live with it – something which will take a while to do. Tried quite a few medications, I seem to follow the pattern of weaning off one while introducing another. My body normally gets accustomed to one for about 4 months, then seizures come back and another medication is introduced. Keppra @ 1,500mg twice daily has always warned off my grand mals (only one experienced to date), however the petit mals can occur from anything between 0 to 10 times daily. I’ve discovered that the best medication is a good mix of understanding friends and a supportive family – all of which I’m very appreciative of.

I’m very new to online epilepsy forums, so any more friends I can make can’t hurt can it?

Thanks for the read and please get in touch if the need be.

Steveo

[neilB]

Hi Steveo,

Well we are on similar medication paths. I am on carbamezapine (400mg/day) and Keppra (2500mg/day). My neurologist is going to start weeing me off the carbamezapine sometime this week so we'll see what happens. Did you have any side effects from the Keppra? Anyway, welcome and glad to have another voice in the group!
Neil

[SteveUK]

Hi Neil,

Thanks for quick reply, nice to know that someone else is following a similar medication route - as much as you like to trust neurologists' advice it's good to know someone else in going along the same route.

Re: Side Effects
With Keppra, I do not have any side effects with this, however I noticed that you're on a higher dose, I'm only on 1,500mg twice daily. I'm taking this to control my grand mals - of which I've only experienced one four years ago.

With Oxocarb, yes..too many side effects which were unfortunately very unpleasant. I went up to 1,200mg twice daily and at this dose I felt very sick, heavy handed, heavy headed, drowsy (but obviously, not all have these side effects). The med also did not resolve my petit mals. This is why I'm weaning off and going onto a new med called Lacosamide, this will start once I'm fully off Oxocarb.

Hope this helps, out of curiosity did you have any side effects with these meds?

Steveo

[matchu]

welcome Steve

[neilB]

Steveo,

Actually the 2500mg/day is 1,000 in the morning and 1,500 at night, sorry for the confusion.

Neil

[Endless]

Hi, Stevo!

Welcome to the forum. There's lots of nice people in here with tons of knowledge. I've learned lots from them.

What's a kettle bell?

[SteveUK]

Thanks for all the welcomes! You guys rock !

@Endless, Kettle bells were originally a Russian heavy weight used to develop power in athletes - I use them instead of dumb bells.

Steve

[huskymom]

Steve,

Welcome to the party! I am fairly new to the site myself, and it has been great! There are always people to rant to, ask questions of, or just check in. I am sure you will find it a great relief

[SteveUK]

@ Huskymom,

Hi! Thanks for the welcome. Nice to know that there are other newbies to this site. Second day in and it's become very useful already. I've met some great individuals and looking forward to meeting plenty more.

Is that your dog?

Steve

[skillefer]

Welcome to CWE. Feel free to check out the info in the library here, chime in, ask questions, and vent in the padded room as needed. (Heaven knows we all need to at one point... )

[huskymom]

Steve,

Yup, that is our little Missy. She is so great! When I have had a seizure and feel like crap, she will stay beside me the whole time and put her head in my lap. She is 2 years old and spoiled rotten

[SteveUK]

@ Skillefer

Hi, thanks for the welcome. I will check out the libraries now following on from your advice.

Cheers,

Steve

[SteveUK]

@ Huskymom,

You lucky thing! Your dog looks brilliant! Would love to have one myself but currently living in a flat without a garden...watch this space though!

Enjoy your day,

Steve

[Meetz1064]

to ya, Steve!

You'll find plenty of friends to make here, and quite a few of them from the UK. I may go see if I can wake up one or two of them. Heheh. Sorry, I'm being a bit ornery at the moment.

Um, yup, I WAS on Keppra. Won't ever be again, though. We (Keppra & I) had a serious disagreement as to how it should act, and since I don't like seeing things in triplicate, I came off it pretty quick. Being an Energizer bunny's not too cool either...........on only 250 mg??? Hehehe.

The Kitchen's a great place to hang out too, for lots of info and Robin's the guru around here about all sorts of nutritional stuff. I'm one of the lucky ones who's a celiac patient, and been on the GARD diet before going to the celiac diet (they're similar), so the diets are really pretty healthy.

Have you ever kept a journal to figure out what your triggers are? If not, try it. You might be surprised to figure out what they are.

Gotta go. I'll be in and out, or you can PM me if you want.

Feel free to kick up your feet and hang out, and join in the party. Mr B has built us an AWESOME home here. Maybe Buckeye or Eric will stop by with some decent coffee (or high tea)....I keep messing up the coffee.

Take care!

Meetz

[Texasirish]

Welcome Steve, you can already see how everyone here is very supportive. I have been to Brighton before when I lived in Newbury, UK while stationed there from 1986-1990. I really enjoyed my time there and look forward to a visit someday. We will be here to help you!

[SteveUK]

Hi Texasirsh,

Thanks for your welcome. I think I played Rugby in Newbury before, a little after you were stationed there. Thanks for your support.

Steve