keppra is this the one

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jonsey

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Hopefully this is the one drug that will make a big difference for amy. She is still in the early stages of keppra (six weeks in total) . Wednesday she will be upto 1000mg along with her lamactal . We go back the end of the month to see shelia, amys epilepsy nurse. In the six weeks i have noticed a more cofident girl maybe to cofident some times.

The longest after a change of meds is 8 months before a seizure.
 
I hope the Keppra works for her! Ive been on it for 13 years now and its worked wonders for me! :)
 
Thankyou Kristin, I just have a really good feeling , more so after reading the good and i no unfortuanatley some people dont have a good response to keppra.
 
Thats great that you have a good feeling about it. I was 17 when I started taking Keppra, and will be turning 31 in May. The only thing that bothered me was the headaches. But we found out a couple of years ago, that by switching to the keppra xr, it would help me out alot and took the headaches away. :) Keep us updated if any new changes come about!
 
I had my first seizure at age 51 and another two years later..both grand mal...the neuro says my eeg indicates a spike and wave pattern of absence seizures. I have been on keppra, 2000 per day and i feel like i am so depressed, can't think, can't deal with any frustration and really would not mind disappearing. The driving issues are huge and i am thinking of trying to go on disability. I have been teaching HS for the past 30 years and i just feel this med makes me insane.
 
Hi ambrteach,

There are other meds and approaches out there to try. If Keppra is having that effect on you mood, you need to talk to your neurologist about making a switch. You might also want to look into trying the Modified Atkins Diet, which has helped both kids and adults with seizure control (especially with absence seizures).

In the meantime, have you tried taking a B6 supplement? It can potentially help with Keppra's mood-related side effects.
 
i just saw the MAD..i should try that..and i do take B stress vitamins..i know i have to go back to the neuro but i am afraid to change the med..what if i start to have lots of seizures? i just left an abusive husband of 20 years and i am on my own and very scared.
 
There's just no way to know for sure if the next med will be better in terms of seizure control and side effects. With any med change you have to make a risk-benefit analysis -- if your current side effects are problematic though, it's worth at least starting the conversation with your neuro about what your options are. Zarontin, Valproate, and Lamictal have all shown success in controlling absence seizures, so there are other meds to try.

If making a med transition seems too stressful at this time, then of course you should hold off. If you think the Keppra is adding to your stress, but don't want to change meds right now, then think about ways to mitigate that stress. If you are feeling especially vulnerable now (and I send a big hug your way, given the circumstances), consider seeing a therapist to help with the stress. Ask your friends and family for support, and do what you can to be proactive about your general health.
 
i know i have to go back to the neuro but i am afraid to change the med..what if i start to have lots of seizures? i just left an abusive husband of 20 years and i am on my own and very scared.

I was in an abusive relationship for 20+ years also and have had epilepsy for 30+ years. I left the relationship 4 years ago and yes, I too, was very scared of living on my own and having seizures. I take 3000 mgs. of Keppra along with 200 mgs of Topomax + an anti-depressant. I also have the VNS. Like Nakamova suggested, while going thru all the stress, I did see a therapist to help guide me through. It helps tremendously.
 
Thank u for the advice and support..i really am in the dark, although my first husband was epileptic and has been on dilantin 4ever. I am seeing a counselor at the Women's Center here. Clint, what anti depressant are u on? because my neuro said no anti depressants for me, but i hear lexapro is not a med that causes seizures..I was on wellbutrin when I first had one.
 
I take Zoloft. Wellbutrin is definitely a no-no for seizure patients. Actually some anti-seizure meds are also used for bi-polar patients, also; Lamictal, Depakote, Klonapin, Diazapam (Valium),Topomax, Tegretol, just to name a few.
 
hi jonsey,
my daughter is 8yrs old & has epilepsy from when she was 1 she has been on so many different drugs which at first arent too bad but over time dont work... she had been on lamictal by itself up until last year & it slowed her learning & she basically was in a daze at school & everything so they tried her on keppra as it is meant to be very similar to lamictal & an easy change over.... the keppra changed her learning & confidence dramatically from when she started the keppra she has excelled to almost being at yr 3 level (she is in yr 3) so everyone is hoping that continues this yr & will be ready for yr 4 by the end of the year...
however keppra alone wasnt working her seizures changed a bit, & she would have them at least once a night thankfully she stopped having them at school the doctors wanted her to take a low dose of lamictal with the keppra however that didnt change things, just made the coming out of the seizures shorter period at times & go straight back to sleep... so now we saw her nuro the other day & she wants to giver her a lower dose of keppra wean off the lamictal & add topamax in... i am really worried about side affects & how it will change her seizures... we really didnt want to take her off of the keppra cos of the difference it has made with the learning.... i dont know if anything ive just typed gives u any insight or anything but i hope it has
 
Hi babyann03

Amy was experiecing absence seziures for around six years. She was not on any meds . It was only when she had had her first T/C in her teens that she was put on Lamotragine . The first six months Amy was a diffrent girl she wasnt day dreaming and at the time she got a place in college doing plummbing . Then it was like a thunder bolt. She had a seziure in college . Amy still carried on with lamotragine but the dose was upped . Still having seziures , so the gp changed her for lamactal . Eight months down the line Amy would have a seziure like clockwork . Her triggers are down to her time of the month, thats what i noticed but was ignored time and time again . She is now trailing keppra 1000mg a day alongside 300 mg lamactal . She goes back the end of the month to discuss weather or not to start weaning her off the lamactal . Amy just seems totally diffrent on keppra , no side effects as yet .
 
i hope the keppra works for amy!! i am happy with keppra other than the moods & emotional side affects & i am really hoping that adding topamax to the meds will help control her seizures everynight!!! so far she had one on the first night of adding the topamax but lastnight 2nd night of topamax other than it keeping her awake & emotions were flying she had a great sleep!! i woke her up for her meds this morn & she has gone back to sleep (i think the lamictal has contributed to that as we are still weaning her from it she is on 25mg of lamictal atm)!!! i hope amy doesnt have too many side affects on the keppra & that it doesnt affect collage or daily life in a bad way....
 
Amy had a seziure this week , when i was away . My mum told me soon has i landed back home So gutted for her dont no much about what happened as yet . Im waiting for her to tell me when she gets in from work . But my mum said it was so small . I no she is due her depo next week and we see amys nurse at the hospital .
 
I no what happened, Amy had a lie in that morning . Missed her morning meds , breakfast .Im so upset with her for being so blas hay about it . I cant sress enough about her eatening habbits . If its not made for her, she will wait. If you dont put her tablets out or constantly ask her to take them , im on her back . When do you draw the line. Talk about rebelling , Amy is 21 when do i let go and get her to stand on her two feet . I feel so guilty feeling like this but sometimes i want to shake her
 
Amy is 21 when do i let go and get her to stand on her two feet.
She's old enough to take responsibility for her decisions now, even if they aren't always the right ones. You may just need to hang in there until she figures things out. Of course, as a parent you will always be concerned, but you have to be careful that you aren't hovering a bit too close, or enabling her behavior.
 
Thanks for the advice . Its just so frustrating, especially when she is new to keppra .
 
Amy had her appointment yesterday with Shelia (epilepsy nurse ) . Amy never mentioned her mishap (missing her am dose of keppra ) . She is going to start weening her off lamactal . But i have read some of the posts and a lot of people have another drug alongside keppra . There is a noticable change in Amy (more positive and confident ) . Which is not a bad thing .
Also maybe instead of the depo, which she has every 10 weeks , which can be a bit of a pain having to go to the doctors for her needle . Her gp/practice nurse want to arrange an appointment to discuss the merina for contreception , and hopefully prevent break throughs
 
hi jonsey,
my daughters neuro had her on both lamictal & keppra, however the lamictal didnt work for her... complete oppositte from how you say it makes amy feel... the lamictal always made her tired & stuff espec when she was only on the lamictal... (maybe if the lamictal is helping amy feel more positive & confident they could look at weaning the keppra & having her solely on lamictal??) i take soley lamictal & i dont have any troubles with it(was just my daughter that did) they have decided to put her on topamax with the keppra now & lowered her keppra dose... still have another week before shes on the dose they want her on, but from this week she has been having little focal seizures where her hand will start twitching usually her right, or just go stiff & start raising itself or else her face gets twitches... she gets worried about it & at least she is with it enough to tell us that she is having one or that she feels its coming on!!!
she has still had a couple of seizures where she cant breathe properly for a few secs (feels like longer) however nowhere near as many as she was having... she used to have them at least once a night sometimes 2 or 3 times.... i hope that whatever they & you decide is going to help amy works out well & prevents those breakthroughs!!
fingers crossed hey :)
 
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