Worried Mother

[hrp57]

Hi
I am new to the world of epilepsy and rather confused by it. We live in the UK.

My son aged 12 was diagnosed last year with childhood absence epilepsy and given Ethosuximide to deal with it. Marvellous results until Christmas when he had a full-blown seizure for the first time generating enormous panic and anxiety.

He was prescribed Epilim and was weaned of the Ethosuximide over the holiday period. Over the last 2-3 weeks he has been suffering from insomnia -taking over 2 hours to get to sleep. Result - exhaustion.

I wonder if insomnia is a recurrent problem when taking epilepsy medication?

Grateful for any input.

[Birdbomb]

Welcome hrp57

I don't have any kids with E and I haven't taken this particular drug but I did find you some information

You can find a list of side effects here It's a PDF so you'll need Adobe to read it.

Although insomina isn't listed as a possible side effect, it still can be one, and you should call the doctor and let him know ASAP.

Lack of sleep can be a trigger for more seizure activity so it's very important, your son get his needed rest.

[montse]

I was taking that drug for 10 years, but I do not remember problems with sleep, the common problem with many drugs is to feel sleepy, like I am now

[RobinN]

Welcome HRP -
I am a parent of a teen with a seizure disorder. We have been dealing with this for the past 1.5 yrs. Prescription drugs were the first method of control, and I believe she has had more on the drugs than off. I believe the medical situation caused more stress and frustration and chaos in her life. However, it did put me on a path of looking at how nutrition and body functions, absorbtion of the nutritients, can effect brain functioning.

I was helpless in the beginning however now armed with a lot of information, and keeping a very careful journal of my daughters diet, body functions, activities, and hormonal changes. I see a bigger picture. It is a trick machine that we have been given to manage... and somewhere they forgot the illustrated instruction manual.

[Amy]

Hi, My son (9 yrs old) is on valproic acid for the last 1 month for his partial cplx seizure & though he feels very sleepy and tired, and it looks as if he is having a sound sleep, all of a sudden due to very small sound too, he would just wake up and stand up or sit and start saying something... which exactly means that he IS having a very shallow sleep. Earlier when he ws not taking med. it used to be a big deal to wake him up.
so, may be it has to do soemthing with the medicine, for your child too. You can talk to his dr and see what he has to say..
Good luck to you!

[Bernard]

Hi hrp57, welcome to the forum.

Depakote/Epilim/Sodium Valproate had the opposite effect on my wife. She was a zombie and needed to sleep/nap all day long. She had *no* trouble falling asleep.

anti-epileptic drugs affect everyone differently though.

[Meetz1064]

I took Depakote/epilim/sodium valproate this last time for over 7 years, and had to discontinue it because of side effects....namely the huge weight gain, edema and the high blood pressure it caused. It did NOT make me sleep like a log tho. I wish it had. I kept having problems FALLING asleep.

Take care,

Meetz

[skillefer]

HI hrp! Welcome to the forum! I've never heard of insomnia as a side effect. But I would definitely let your doctor know. Lack of sleep can be a trigger for more seizures.

[brain]

Hi
I am new to the world of epilepsy and rather confused by it. We live in the UK.

My son aged 12 was diagnosed last year with childhood absence epilepsy and given Ethosuximide to deal with it. Marvellous results until Christmas when he had a full-blown seizure for the first time generating enormous panic and anxiety.

He was prescribed Epilim and was weaned of the Ethosuximide over the holiday period. Over the last 2-3 weeks he has been suffering from insomnia -taking over 2 hours to get to sleep. Result - exhaustion.

I wonder if insomnia is a recurrent problem when taking epilepsy medication?

Grateful for any input.

Welcome to CWE! And I am a little bit concerned,
while it's not a side effect at all, but I am NOT a
Medical Doctor, but my deceased father was a
pharmacist; the insomnia "may" be a sign that the
medication is too high of a dosage -OR- your son
is not tolerating the medication very well.

I strongly advise you to notify your son's Doctor
ASAP - DO NOT WAIT!

If you need assistance you can get help from
Clicking on the Banner Below:

[hrp57]

To all who have responded to my question about insomnia, thank you very much indeed. While not conclusive it has certainly inspired me to look further despite my paediatric neurologist confirming that it has nothing to do with the medication. After all, how does he KNOW??

[brain]

To all who have responded to my question about insomnia, thank you very much indeed. While not conclusive it has certainly inspired me to look further despite my paediatric neurologist confirming that it has nothing to do with the medication. After all, how does he KNOW??

You can always go for a 2nd opinion or
see the main Pediatrician (The Primary
Pediatrician, not a neurologist-Pediatrician).

Doctors can be wrong sometimes; they are human.
Just my humble opinion.