Keppra and Vimpat, new to this site

[shan81]

Hi my name is Shannon, I have been having a few problems with my epilepsy lately. I have had epilepsy for about 2 years or so I was always fine before I gave birth to my son. I am kind of scared and just wish things would go back to normal. I cant drive and Im so used to being independent all I do is cry half the time because its taking a toll on me.. I went from working full time to working a part time job in a grocery store and I just feel horrible about it. I am taking 3000 mg of Keppra daily and 100 mg of Vimpat. My dr just added the Vimpat because I was having problems with my siezures.. I also seem to have the worst side effects when it comes to the medications.. has anyone been on the medicine combo I am on and maybe offer some relief. I am just nervous about alot of things which Im sure dont help.. Does it get easier??

[momof3boys]

Hi Shannon! Welcome to CWE!

First off, Id like to share my experience. I have had epilepsy my whole life. I was dx'd with epilepsy at 18 months old. Ive been on Keppra and Carbatrol since the age of 18, Im now 30. In march of this year, after having my first video EEG, my doctor felt comfortable putting me back on Keppra XR, and taking me off the Carbatrol. Once, I was released from the hospital, I did have some seizures at home, since my Keppra level wasnt where it should be. My dr did try adding the Vimpat a few weeks later to see if it would help. I think I was on that for a few weeks along with the Keppra XR (3000mgs) I worked my way up to 100mgs twice a day of the Vimpat, before the dr took me off of it. The side effects I was having wasnt good. I felt depressed, sad, tired all the time, sluggish feeling. I hated being around people, and being a stay at home mom of three little boys, it just wasnt working. I was crying, and feeling terriable. They tried to cut my dose back down to 50mgs twice a day, but things didnt improve. So they took me off of it. Ive had worse side effects with medications, but the side effects with the Vimpat, made me feel terriable about myself, and I just couldnt handle it. I was a different person on it. Once I quit taking it, I felt much better. Within no time, i was back to myself.

What kind of side effects are you experiencing?

At this time, Im taking 3000mgs of Keppra XR for my seizures. So far, things are going good.

[knothing]

Keppra - 3000mg
Vimpat - 400mg

I started out on Keppra and everything was good for over a year then 2 T/C's later my now previous Neurologist put me on Vimpat. He was a latest and greatest type of Dr so whatever was new is what you got. He was smart enough to realize that I needed another Neurologist.
For the last 2.5 yrs I have been this combination and it has kept the t/c's away. It was very rough for the first 6 months (depression, frustration and sever dizziness). I do get depressed occasionally and get very frustrated as well. The dizziness is a balancing act of eating on time with taking meds. Ohh I almost forgot the stuttering on occasion but they may have more to do with a partial seizure I once had. I have had 2 physical effects the entire time with no let up. The first is that my hands shake but that started on Keppra so not a combination. This last side effect is pure combination of the 2 and I trust almost nobody has this issue. I am allergic to oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit. It can be funny at times but I really miss those and as I found out A-1 has oranges in it.

I can say that both drugs have the risk for similar side effects of depression and 'suicidal thoughts'. Given this combination can be IMO a higher risk. I do my Epileptologist said he never would have put those 2 together but we are maintaining course for now given that I am not having T/C's and can tolerate the side effects. I hope my rambling is of some help. Adjusting to both took a toll and still to this day when I get frustrated my son tells me 'Go lay down Daddy and it will all be better.' I used to lay down but now it just helps hearing my boy tell me that.

[shan81]

Thanks guys.. I get a little frustrated sometimes but not too bad yet more sad.. I guess.. I feel down a lot about everything changing and how bad I wish none of this was happening.. and just wish it would go away. But I just started taking it like a week ago so who knows. Every medicine I have been on thus far has givin me awful side effects like hair loss, nausea, weight gain, weight loss..I am just hopeing this doesn't cause any.. Have you guys ever felt like you were too overwhelmed with all of this? and then with trying to quit smoking on top of it.. it is just making it kind of hard.. so when I do get a little aggravated I was assuming that was why.. I am thinking I may need to find a new dr its not that my dr is a bad dr I just have such a hard time understanding her sometimes and I want to be able to understand better what is going on with me..ya know? what is a T/C?

[knothing]

T/C = tonic clonic seizure = the old term of grand mal seizure

I am not sure there are many people that have not felt overwhelmed. It is very hard to cope with meds like Keppra can make it hard to find the patience required to cope. I have learned in the past 4yrs what it takes me to get through the hard days. First I educated my self by using this site and other resources about epilepsy and my seizures. Second I took B6 to keep me from getting really angry or having 'Kepprage' as it is called. But I learned for me it was better to meditate and work on my calm. Third was making sure I had patience to tolerate the side effect long enough to see if they went away. The final was getting a Dr I could work with and ask questions.

It takes time to get used to all of this. It in some ways it gets easier but it depends on acceptance and working towards each new goal. I just keep picking myself back up and work on moving forward. Easier to say but it can be done just never lose hope.

[shan81]

thats one of my problems is my dr I think.. It is also hard not being able to drive, and not being able to work the same kind of jobs I am used too mainly cuz I cant drive. How long did it take you guys to get them under control?

[knothing]

The not driving is hard and everything was twice as hard to do and without getting a ride to work I think it was going to take 2hrs to and 2hrs from work using our public transportation. We always thought it was under control with each adjustment that was made to the medication. My first Neurologist had a saying. It is not the last seizure that concerns me, it is the next one. The point was he could not prevent what already happen ed but he could hopefully set it so my next one was never. I guess it helped having a Dr. put me in a forward thinking state of mind.

[shan81]

yea I hear that I live in a country area.. we have no buses or anything so I hear that part.. How long did you say it has been since you had a siezure?? I just want it all to go away its just hard to adjust from one day your fine then the next you going through all of this its a big adjustment.. I have never had a glorious job but I worked full time in a factory and took care of myself and now Im down to part time in a stinkin grocery store struggling all the time *ahh sigh*

[knothing]

I have been free of the T/C's 2 1/2 years but I still have little jerks and if I don't sleep enough I have deja vu's. I hit my head when I was 4 but it was 30+yrs before I had big enough seizures to be diagnosed. I once had to get a job working 20hrs a week cooking at a daycare.

[shan81]

Well I was hit by a car when I was 11 and had a severe concussion. I am 30 now and never had a problem until just the past 2 years. Im so scared and nervous all the time. And I totally know about 20 hours a week thats all I work. I am actually very happy to talk to other people that understand. I try to talk to people on facebook that are my friends but most of them dont understand.

[knothing]

You will find that most people on CWE understand.

[shan81]

I have noticed and I'm glad I found this sight.. thank you for all your help.. how many different medicines have you been on at one time?