Greetings,
Hello, I feel somewhat uncomfortable joining this forum. I was diagnosed with "focal seizures" about 16 years ago. Two years prior to that, I was falsely diagnosed with "panic attacks" and "chronic fatigue syndrome" and was prescribed the drug "Klonopin" which is a benzodiazepine. I'm 15 days "benzo" free, and I want to learn more about epilepsy, and the effects of different epilepsy medications. I was denied disability and I am having a hard time now. I am thinking about tapering off of the Dilantin to see if that will help me recover from the horrible long term effects of seizure medication and the benzodiazepine which i no longer take.
I'm still going through withdrawals from the benzodiazepine and am told by many that the Dilantin prevents recovery and healing from benzodiazepines. Before I started taking Dilantin, I would get focal seizures constantly throughout the day with hardly any time to recover. I have to be honest and say that the Dilantin does prevent me from EVER having seizures as long as the medication is in my system. My main purpose for joining this forum is to learn as much as I can about seizure medications and possibly find out if there is such a thing as a "good" one. If I do the research and find that there is a better one than Dilantin that is safer with less side effects, then I might try to change over.
I hope that my presence here and my reason for joining this forum does not bother anyone. I am no stranger to the worst suffering imaginable for years now. Benzodiazepines and seizure meds have ruined my life...hopefully not permanently. The story is much to long to post here. I can share bits and pieces as I make posts. I do not know hardly anything at all about epilepsy even though I am epileptic. I am fortunate not to get large seizures including grand mal, etc., but I fear this may very well be the case for my future if I try to get off the seizure medication. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering much worse than me as far as the seizures themselves go. Take care,
chain
Hello, I feel somewhat uncomfortable joining this forum. I was diagnosed with "focal seizures" about 16 years ago. Two years prior to that, I was falsely diagnosed with "panic attacks" and "chronic fatigue syndrome" and was prescribed the drug "Klonopin" which is a benzodiazepine. I'm 15 days "benzo" free, and I want to learn more about epilepsy, and the effects of different epilepsy medications. I was denied disability and I am having a hard time now. I am thinking about tapering off of the Dilantin to see if that will help me recover from the horrible long term effects of seizure medication and the benzodiazepine which i no longer take.
I'm still going through withdrawals from the benzodiazepine and am told by many that the Dilantin prevents recovery and healing from benzodiazepines. Before I started taking Dilantin, I would get focal seizures constantly throughout the day with hardly any time to recover. I have to be honest and say that the Dilantin does prevent me from EVER having seizures as long as the medication is in my system. My main purpose for joining this forum is to learn as much as I can about seizure medications and possibly find out if there is such a thing as a "good" one. If I do the research and find that there is a better one than Dilantin that is safer with less side effects, then I might try to change over.
I hope that my presence here and my reason for joining this forum does not bother anyone. I am no stranger to the worst suffering imaginable for years now. Benzodiazepines and seizure meds have ruined my life...hopefully not permanently. The story is much to long to post here. I can share bits and pieces as I make posts. I do not know hardly anything at all about epilepsy even though I am epileptic. I am fortunate not to get large seizures including grand mal, etc., but I fear this may very well be the case for my future if I try to get off the seizure medication. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering much worse than me as far as the seizures themselves go. Take care,
chain