Saw neuro yesterday - good and bad news

[RunningGirl85]

First the bad news (not too bad) - I either stay on Keppra or replace it with something else. He wants me on two medications - probably in part because I'm still having partials despite the 300 mg of Lamictal XR and 2250 of the Keppra XR. Actually, he is increasing my Lamictal to 400 mg. So, as much as Keppra is frustrating, from what I have seen it seems to have less of an effect on concentration and thinking, and with my job and my school, I want to be functioning. I also don't want to gain a bunch of weight (seems as if the drugs either make you dumb, or you gain a bunch of weight). Also, I think he wants me on the safest pregnancy medications so in the future if I decide to get pregnant and we have medications that work that I'll all ready have a routine established. In his words, he did say "you don't have to take any of it - I can't force you." He said it nicely, but I said I'll take his recommendations... my military career is kind of at stake, as well as driving, and both are important to me, so I will follow his instructions. Obviously if I still have seizures when I'm on these medications, I'll probably need to switch over. Hopefully that won't happen.

The good news: I should be driving next month (assuming I don't lose consciousness anytime soon). I know some people feel that people with epilepsy should never drive, but I've only ever had two T/C seizures and both of those were before I was on medication. I also don't get complex partials, so I'm pretty much always aware. Plus I get like two hours of warning... I wouldn't drive if I didn't feel right. I have been known to pull over the car if I get an aura and wait until it passes, or have someone else drive if they are in the car.

And now more bad news... I'm having a bit of an aura now. And I have root canal part two for the same tooth I THOUGHT was done in about an hour and a half. Eeek. Either that or it's anxiety, but it started with deja vu, which I think caused the anxiety. Or it was triggered by anxiety because I have SO much going on today, and I am not looking forward to this appointment, along with the ten other things I have to get done today. I will be taking Klonipin before the appointment to calm me down. When the dentist saw I have epilepsy, his first question was when I had my last seizure. Understandably. I assured him it was before I was on medication.

All right, that's it for now! A nice long post - almost like my blog entries! I just felt like sharing with people who understand all the fun stuff

 

[cazzy]

hooooooo root canal,cost of them things enough cause anixety,you got every reason feel like that but may not be e

 

[MuayThaiFighter]

I know how you feel about the Anti-epileptic drugs. Seems like you can't win with certain ones. Either they make you to out of it, or gain weight, or just feel really sick all the time. Though maybe getting rid of Keppra and trying something new might make everything stay balanced. I am getting on lamictal soon so im a little nervous about that, never took it at a high dose. They want to try something else too, so idk. But I hope you get back to your old routine soon!

 

[Nakamova]

There are so many unknowns with meds -- I feel like the neurologists should just acknowledge up front that it's just a guessing game, and then do their best to be responsive when the meds mess you up one way or another.

Hope the Lamictal increase makes a positive difference, and the root canal is over soon...

 

[RunningGirl85]

Thanks for the support. Had part one of the root canal today and it just started hurting pretty bad in the shower- ugh!

My doctor did say I could try something else if I want - I'm just nervous about it. There are days on Keppra I hate it, but others I don't notice anything. Today I'm sooo out of it from the half tablet pf Klonipin I took - I can't imagine feeling this way all the time! I was trying to study and take notes and I could not concentrate and my typing was atrocious (which isnt normal for mw.) Ah well. I'll get it all figured out sooner or later

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

 

[JaneC]

Good luck RunningGirl, it's so sad that a person might have to give up their chosen career because of a medical condition. Hope you get back on the road as scheduled too.

 

[Cint]

it's so sad that a person might have to give up their chosen career because of a medical condition.

I had to give up my career in the airlines because of miserable E. It was very sad..............

 

[RunningGirl85]

I'm sorry Cint! It makes sense I wouldn't be able to stay military with this condition. Sometimes it's discrimination, but in my case, I can't really shoot a weapon, which makes me non-deployable, and they need soldiers who able to deploy if necessary. However, I do want to finish up my commitment of five years (I have just under four left) to get the experience and finish my master's degree, then I will probably need to leave. I have a plan for future work that will probably involve a desk, so I am hoping I will be okay with that in the future.