worst seizure yesterday that I have had in a good while

[stringbean]

Hi All,

Starting on Friday, I was having small really small partials but several of them. Come Friday night I couldn't keep my eyes open no matter how hard I tried. Was totally out of it until about 7 am yesterday. When I first awoke I felt like my high energy mode was still on track, then wow, like bam a bad one hit me, I get so confused with these kind, I know it wasn't a grand mal, I get confused between the partials and complex partials when they are this bad, the bad one yesterday started with this like cloud around my mind stuck in one thought, then the that awful taste in my mouth, next I can remember trying to talk but nothing would come out right and I can't remember what I was trying to say or what I did say. I had the jerking and shaking in my right arm and hand and then very cold when it was very hot in this apartment. When I started coming out of it I felt really weak, my body felt like my arms and legs weighed more than my whole body and I was extremely unbalanced and couldn't hard keep anything in my hands without dropping it.

I had 3 of my grandkids here with me yesterday, and when they came in I was just starting to go into the worst part of the seizure and I had managed to tell them to lay down and be quiet until mamaw let them know it was ok to get up, they were wonderful they layed down and were totally quiet and still.(my daughter was running really late for work so she just sent them in, so she didn't know what was happening)

When I was able to talk right again, I could not remember their names, I said to my grandson Corey, here Corey handing him the remote and said to turn on the TV now to watch cartoons but still lay down and be quiet please, as I was handing him the remote I had to ask him honey your name is Corey right and he said yes mamaw, So the name was right I just didn't think it was. Weird.

Then within 20 minutes another one hit me, it wasn't as bad but still there. and then it was about 2 hours later another hit me. I felt so out of it after the first one so weak and tired and sleepy. Just one usally does not affect me this bad.

So far this morning, no seizures, but I still feel so weak and listless.

It just came to my mind this mornig that one of my meds, Tegeratol was changed to the generic carbamazpine (simple partial) I was taking that one for a good while, and now the the generic carb. has been changed to a generic for it called Epitol, and also now a generic for my Lamitical called lamotrigine, I have read on several posts and epilepsy boards that the generics for seizure med cannot work as good as the name brand. does anybody think that this could be a part of why now the seizures seem to be coming back more often and more severe than they were. I have been the the new generic for Tegratol for about 3 weeks now and for the Lamictal for about 1 week. I also have been on one of my very high bi-polar modes and it has stayed that way longer than it has so far, I was not sleeping more than 4 hours a day, my temper has been flying off the handle very easy, and before Friday couldn't seem to sit still for 10 minutes unless I was working on a craft while watching someting interesting to me on TV. When I saw my counselor last week, she wants me to get in to see my pysch ASAP saying that I am showing signs of being manic, I am very confuse over that, I looked up manic in the dictionary which actully goes along with mania and I really don't think I am like that, or could I just not believe that because I am manic.

[stringbean]

I was just also thinking when I just remembered my counselor telling the sec. that my meds may need ajusted or increased, that I have not been put on any different meds for my Bi-polar because 2 of my seizure meds are ones also used to treat it. My neurologist precribes these. and I just feel like I will not be willing to take any more increased doses or any different med that is used to treat the bi-polar. I refuse to go back to the point where I have to live in a dazed like out of it state of mind. I want to stay active and able to accomplished more than to just sit and lay around 24/7 for the rest of my life, I am 48 years old and will not live the rest of my life like that.

[RobinN]

Gosh Darn It!!!

I am so sorry that you are going through this. It sure sounds to me like it is a cause of your med mixture. It has your body confused as to what it is to expect. I too have read that the generic are not as effective, or just effective in different ways. I believe it would be the same result if you were to begin on a generic and then move to a name brand.

I would agree with you, I would never want to live dazed and confused day after day. That to me is no life. I sure hope your doctors can find a balance that is acceptable to all of you.

Have you kept a journal to see if there would be any other reason that you would be experiencing this seizure activity? Are there friends that you trust that would help you to decide whether or not you fall into a manic state or not? I don't know if I would trust a counselor to make that decision. Many of us when sharing our daily experiences would most likely fall into this catagory. Especially when dealing with seizure activity and drug over/under dose.

Good luck , we are here for you.

You sure do have some grand Grandkids.

[speber]

I hope this passes soon for you! Robin's right, you have some awesome grandkids!


Speber

[alivenwell]

In my opinion, it sounds like the difference in fillers between generics and brand name only drugs could have been a major factor there. I spoke to a pharmacist the other night and he said they usually do various physical tests about how quick the drugs dissolve, how quick they are absorbed, and any other potential issues about quality control.
In the USA, they are looking at laws that will make a patient aware of any switch between a generic and brand name, or from one generic to another generic company. As I re-read your post, I wonder if the extreme heat was a factor. It sounds like that was your first observation before the rest of the seizures took over. The fatigue was probably a post-seizure symptom. Then as you slept longer than usual, it probably thew the medication schedule off which just made things worse.

The good side of this is that your grandkids probably have a more open-minded view of epilepsy. If they saw this happen and seem fairly unfazed, then they seem like they understand this disability a lot better than most adults!

[Cint]

.. of your seizures.

I was told by my epileptologist to never use generic meds for epilepsy, but I think that is because I've had seizures in the past like you described, 3-5 a day, sometimes tonic/clonic as well.

As far as bi-polar, if you're not sleeping more than 4 hrs., flying off the handle, can't sit still, it could be that you're going into the manic state. Call your psych.

And your grandchildren are awesome. Someone taught them well!
I had to teach my children what to do when they saw they're mother go into a seizure. They were very young when they first witnessed seizures.

I hope you have a better day!

Cindy

[Meetz1064]

I'm sorry to hear of the problems you're having. I have had similar issues with generic ep meds.......I just can't use them, PERIOD.

Your grandkids sound AWESOME though. What gems. Hopefully the bi-polar stuff will settle down once you get the med situation worked out.....

Take care,

Meetz

[Bernard]

{{{stringbean}}}

[darkmarkshark]

I have never had any luck with generic medicine. There was a time I was expected to take generic medicine because the insurance didn't cover name brand - I found myself skipping doses just so I could stay awake and not feel sickly

[stringbean]

Thank You all for your caring, good wishes and advice and more.

sorry it took me this long to reply back, I didn't have a very good week, still having seizures everyday. The last 2 days they have only been really mild (if that is how you put it) however, just being there upsets me.

My energy level has started to slow down a bit, not my temper though and some days still only sleeping about 4 hours and a couple nights this past week went to sleep pretty early and sleep for around 7 hours.

I didn't go to the appt. I had Monday with my psych, I know I should have but just couldn't do it yet, and then on Tuesday didn't go to my counselor either. Also being very active those days I didn't want to stop long enough to have to go and sit for a half hour with the doc and then the next day an hour with my counselor.

I will definetly have to making an appt. to see my neurologist soon about the seizure meds, another mess up on my part as far as appt. with my neurologist, well in Jan. I was supposed to go in for another video EEG to see if they could do more surgery more than likely to remove scar tissue from first surgery and only a 50% chance of it doing any good. I had to post pone that because of my hysterectomy in Feb. and was supposed to call and reschedule for video EEG when recovered from that. Well, my neurologist told me to make an appt. to see him for two weeks afther the test. Well now since I have not gone in for test, I have not made an appt to see him. I know I will have to be doing that. I know he is not going to be very happy with me.

Thank you all for your wonderful replies for my grandchildren, as soon as I can I am going to show them these replies and tell them again how wonderful they are.

Well, have to go do something not able to sit still very long today.
Wishing all a Wonderful Weekend and a Great Labor Day!

Tammy