one out of seven aint bad....i think.

[slayersophie]

I started gabapentin about a month ago. ( I have simple partial seizures and have had 2 grand mals. one december 22 and the other jan 9) I noticed a decrease in my auras and simple partials after a couple of weeks of starting this prescription and not a single aura or seizure after starting the full dosage a week ago........that is, until today. I was a little disheartened to have my aura and the partial seizures come and go over the span of about an hour and a half. I was at work and although i could function it took a lot of extra effort to even move. I honestly thought about going home but I decided to ride it out. I guess I just have a lot of questions about this whole thing. I have only seen my neurologist once on jan. 9th and I dont have another appointment until april. I wonder....how long it takes for a medicine to reach its full potential? When should I call my doctor about a medicines effectiveness? How frequent do seizures have to be to be frequent? I was told that my two grand mals being 2 weeks apart was frequent and that partials 3 or 4 times a day but often more, are frequent. I didnt ask my neurologist, I was just shocked to hear epilepsy and my mind pretty much went blank after that. Its a pretty normal thing for me to blank out after hearing bad news. I have a pretty optimistic attitude about all of this....but I have a lot of questions. If anyone can help please do. Im just looking for some advice from some people who have been through this and have had more experience. Thanks!

[Nakamova]

Everyone has different reactions to the anti-seizure meds, so it's tough to predict what your experience with the Gabapentin will be. Generally speaking, it can take awhile for the brain and body to adjust to the med, so it's possible that the recent spate of partials is just a glitch as med levels stabilize.

It's also possible that there may be something else that triggered the partials. It can be very helpful to keep a seizure diary -- that way you can look for any patterns in your seizures, and potentially identify seizure triggers as well. In addition to details about the symptoms (time of day, length, frequency), keep track of your meds (dosages and time of day that you take them), as well as info about things that might be physical or physiological triggers. Some sample triggers: fatigue, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, food sensitivities/metabolic issues (additives like MSG and aspartame, nutrient imbalances, problems with gluten), fluctuations in hormones, physical or emotional stress, photosensitivity (fluorescents or strobes), etc.

As for seizure frequency -- it varies considerably. What is frequent for one person can be infrequent for another. If your seizures seem to be getting worse or changing in a bad way, let your neurologist know. And it can't hurt to give him/her a call to try and get some of your other questions answered as well.

[slayersophie]

Thanks for the info. I have been keeping a diary of my seizures but haven't been writing down dosage and possible triggers. That seems like a good idea. For a person who likes certainty, predictability in her daily schedule thus sure is difficult to get used to. Lol! I appreciate your help and thank you. I guess having a lot of questions is something I'm going to have to get used to.