New Here, How does everyone deal with drowsiness?

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tedwins

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I have been diagnosed with complex partial seizure disorder. I've had two within a week of each other but have not had any in a month. My EEG test results show abnormal findings so I'm on Trileptal to prevent more.

Trileptal makes me extremely drowsy, and I have to take it in the morning and at night now. I have actually been taking it for high anxiety for 8 months now and before the seizures I only had to take it once at bedtime. I read somewhere that anxiety or fear may happen before seizures instead of auras, so maybe it was seizure and not panic attacks.

I am wondering how people here handle the drowsiness or fatigue. Does anyone have suggestions for another medicine to keep you awake. I've been drinking a lot of caffiene which I shouldn't.
 
Yep anxiety is a big part of my auras. I had some people trying to convince me that they were panic attacks. I'm on Trileptal too, 300mg am and 450mg pm plus 100mg of Prometrium pm. I know I shouldn't but I use caffien also. I just can't stay awake any other way. i only drink 1 1/2 cups in the morning and an occasional coke with lunch. Iv'e been on it for 6 months and just recently the drowsiness is getting less. So I'm hoping it will go away all together.

I hope others post here with some other suggestions.
 
I decided after the reduction in the quality of life for my daughter while on meds, that she was weaned from the 4th trial. Nothing was found to help with her seizures up to that point. So I began working with making nutritional changes. It has made the biggest improvements with her seizure control.

There are now no sleep issues, or fatigue, muscle aches, vision loss, suicidal thoughts, sore throats, rashes, fevers, severe acne, weight gain, hair loss...
 
I am on Keppra. When I first started it a year ago, I had trouble with drowniness, but it got better after a few weeks. However I have had a couple of seizures and just had my meds increased...so back to dealing with the sleepiness! I really hate it!
I do drink a lot of coffee/coke....although with severe oestro, that is not really good for me. I sing (really loudly and really bad) in the car to help keep me awake. I am just praying this is going to get better as soon as my body adjusts to the new levels.
 
it gets easier in time. the drowsiness becomes your new norm. in the car try blowin the ac out the defroster on drivers' side only, it shouls hit you in the face, pick the music you hate the most, tune in a station that plays only that kind of music and crank it up. strong coffee does help.
 
Believe it or not, your body will adjust to having the increased dosage. :) It just takes time... so try being patient. :) And welcome to CWE. :) Check out the library here. There's a lot of great info.
 
Thank you for the replies. I will check out the library and see what I find.
 
Oh...try to avoid the caffeine if you can. Caffeine is a stimulant, which pretty much just works against the meds....so if you do drink coffee, make sure that you limit yourself to maybe 2 cups a day....

I know...it's hard. I used to drink 9 cups a day. Now, none...
 
At this point in my life, I am scared to use caffeine. I am trying the mind over matter... “physic in” my self up for the day. I have only been on Kepra for a couple of days, but my children are my number one motivating factor for me. Once I start moving I’m good. I just keeping moving all day, and don’t stay still, until my body can get used to this.
 
Well, I don't have a choice but to up my caffeine. I get yawn attacks that triggers seizures if I don't. I figure caffeine is better than full blown seizures!
 
Hi
What is a yawn attack? I have a lesion on my left temporal lobe where I will have partial complex seizures. I currently take Lamictal-300 daily and Keppra XR-1000 daily that has caused me to sleep b/w 10 to 12 hrs. daily. The only caffeinated drinks I have are iced tea and sometimes coffee. It seems that if I were to drink coke-caffeinated or not I would have a seizure. What is a full-blown seizure for you?
 
Hi everyone,

In taking Keppra XR-extended release- and Lamictal. Has anyone noticed problems with memory (phone #'s, forgetting to do things, thinking I'm saying one thing and I'm saying something and I'm saying something else. I have to write everything down by making lists. I also have extreme drowsiness. I sleep 10 to 12 hrs.daily.
 
I tend to yawn a lot (like continuously for 15 minutes) and it will trigger a seizure. For me a full blown seizure is a complex partial. I become a walking zombie and who knows what I will do.
I have noticed memory issues on here. My neuroligist said it could be from meds, but probably an after effect of the seizures i have had.
 
Aloha- Drowsiness, fatigue, downright exhausted, all of the above. I have become the queen of naps although sometimes it is hard to wake up. I do drink 1 cup of 'joe' in the morning...ok, 2 cups...I need it to speak english, (and that IS my first language). I try REALLY hard to keep the meds to a bare minimum so my phenobarb and primidone are pediatric dosage. It does an ok job, not 100% but it keeps my doc happy-er and my family is on board with the compromise. I was med free for about two years after a bad round of side effects...it is a tough call and sometimes just a big 'catch-22'.:paperbag::e:....But I am UPRIGHT today:woot:
 
For me a full blown seizure is blacking out and doing who knows what while I'm in that stage. I have absolutely no memory of what happened while I have a seizure. Luckily for me it has only happened twice that I had somewhat of a witness. The first my wife found me swaying back and forth with a blank stare and non responsive. Second time I either threw everything off the counter or i fell into the counter knocking everything off and then my wife found me sitting on the ground with the same blank stare and not responding to her. I feel I have had more without realizing it because numerous times I have had what feels like a lose of time. One time I was walking up stairs to the second story of a complex, I ended up on the top floor and was really confused when the door to the condo was not the second floor. I've had quite a few of those before I had the two known seizures.
 
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