Titration up and Titration down - UPDATE

[brain]

My Neurologist is going to take a shot at it:

Titration slowly reduced on Zonegran
Titration slowly increased on Lamictal

While the Clonazepam and Folic Acid
remains unchanged...

He's going to see how it works from there.

Hmmm .... this ought to be interesting!

*laughing*

[swimmy]

Best of luck with the change, Sharon. I hate it when they play around with the medications. It's like they just roll the dice and see what comes up and go with that (and my neurologist admitted that much of it is just that).

Can I ask what the folic acid is for, how much you're on, etc? Was it recommended by your neurologist?

Thank you.

[joan]

Lamictal works well for many. Works well for my son. I hope it does GREAT for you. Let us know.
joan*

[brain]

Can I ask what the folic acid is for, how much you're on, etc? Was it recommended by your neurologist?

Thank you.

Folic Acid (Generic) / Folate (Brand) is merely a B-vitamin.
This is often given to women as well when they are pregnant.

===========================

Joan:

What my Neurologist is trying to do is
seeing what will happen if he removes
Zonegran out of the way and moving
in Lamictal so I won't have to be on
BOTH of them. I will see him again in
one month... if there are problems between
now and then --> we will know and sort
things out. He does not like people on
so many medications and he'd rather
that I be on one or the other. He already
knows how I am like on Zonegran (having
been on it for so long) ~ now he wants to
know what it would be like on Lamictal
without the Zonegran in picture; as he
believes Lamictal is a much better medication
for the various types of seizures that I have.
The Clonazepam remains unchanged.

So this can be one heck of a rough sailing or
it could be smooth sailing for one month. We
will have to wait and see.

He already knows my body cannot tolerate so
much medications over a long period of time
and right now, I do not have any anti-epileptic drug
to fall back upon (since Dilantin is -GONE(!)
as I can no longer use it anymore). If I do well
with Lamictal; this would be a HUGE relief for
everyone and "Zonegran would be the spare
tire in the trunk" and I would have something
to fall back on "if ever" something happens.

They know Zonegran works - but I have nothing
to fall back on; like I had in the past for decades,
whenever they tried new medications; if it collapsed
(failed) --> I could always fall back to Dilantin, which
was always the case. But right now - I have "no spare
tires" at all - absolutely nothing to fall back on, and
this is very risky!

I know this is an "illustrative" perspective, but at least
one gets the generalized idea of where I am at. Almost
everyone has something to "fall back on" whether you
realize it or not (maybe your Doctor has or has not
informed you of this, it could be so noted in your chart).

However, it is imperative for me to have something to
"fall back" on in the event if a medication fails. I have
a historical record of my body developing tolerance and/or
resistance to drugs (not just anti-epileptic drugs) and
this makes the risk factor excessively high and dangerous!
These things, my family and I, not just my Physicians,
we all have to know this in the event of "emergencies".

As implied, if Lamictal works and all goes well, then Zonegran
will become the "spare tire" and everyone can be able to
"sigh a relief" knowing there is a back-up spare tire!

Personally, I feel that everything is going to go very well;
and that I am going to be even more relieved knowing I
have a "spare tire" in the trunk after all this time running
around without one that has made everyone so jittery
(which includes myself).

The only difference here with Lamictal is, due to the
vast different epileptic seizures I have; the titration of this
Lamictal once it is "solo" (in spite of the Clonazepam which
will remain unchanged) will increase slowly with hopes all
will go smoothly. But one can only dream of a "smooth
seas" without any seizures in it during these phases.

So I am well prepared and so are all my Doctors during
this time and process. It is risky, but it has to be done.
I will certainly be most glad when it's all over with!

[joan]

I am so wishing you well. I think, the only issue my son had in the beginning was just getting used to taking drugs as, as a family, we arent big on meds : ) I recall the first few weeks him being extra tired but before I knew it, he seemed to adjust and do well. I hope it goes as easy for you. Ive heard the only seizure lamictal not good with is those darn myoclonics. I love the idea of less meds for everyone.
joan*

[brain]

So far the transition is ... is ... is ...
INTERESTING?

I have been experiencing some seizures,
but I expect that to phase out (?) ... I
hope (??)

No side effects but it is sure weird, but
of course my body has been "used" to
what I had been on for several years ...

[brain]

Current phase: Insanity Required!

1) Titration has been going well - Yay me!

2) My own body just cannot seem
to make up its own mind - menopause
to go along with the titration (which had
to happen few days later but it is not
unusual).

3) Saturday I overdid everything trying
to get all the gardening done before all
the Spring rain comes tumbling down on
Sunday

4) Ended up waking up feeling postictal,
menopausal hot flashes and later running
fevers up and down - told Crazy that too;
and was trying to determine if I should go
to the Hospital early Sunday AM. Phoned the
Doctor and his back-up was snippy; ended
up phoning the Hospital... they wanted me
in - but I felt like total "spacey" - just could
not think, in a pure brain fog.

5) One heck of a price to pay for #1, #2,
#4 = Seizures! I finally figured out what
kind it was when I was asleep. Had been
talking with Crazy Monkey - earlier, and
already knowing some teeth were cracked;
well one literally was just loose, finally broke
off today.

*sigh*

And did find out where the other part of the
tooth came from, the one that was behind that
one.




Anyway - my son kept an eye on everything
throughout all of this...

Gee, I am really considering going on a
Strike:

From Epilepsy
From being a Woman
From all this Torture

Whatever happened to the famous quote:
"The Buck Stops Here"?

[brain]

So far Lamictal is working while Zonegran
is going "hasta la bye bye". I am hoping
that this altogether will work out better
than the Zonegran, Clonazepam and Folic
Acid - won't be long until Zonegran's gone.

Meanwhile the Lamictal titration will continue
to go up - no side effects so far! (I hope!)

But one question ... has anyone ever had
weird dreams while on Lammy? *laughing*

(I will see the Neurologist on March 17th,
yeah - should I wear "Greenies"? *laughing*)

[Meetz1064]

consider sharks swimming in a sea of chocolate weird??

[brain]

consider sharks swimming in a sea of chocolate weird??

I would consider that unusual for you!