My name is Julie. I am happily married and a 45-year-old mother of two boys (10 & 7).
I started having seizures Oct. 2008 due to an angioma in my right temporal lobe. I found that out later on. However, I had my first seizure while in the bathtub and was lucky I did not drown.
At first I thought the water was just too hot and ignored it, but I couldn't shake the familiar person I saw when I was "out". I heard myself saying to him, "I know you!" and he was sitting on a sofa shaking his head "yes" until I woke up with my head half immersed under water. I ignored the experience and went on with my life until it happened again six months later.
The next time it happened I was at Chuck E Cheese with my youngest. I had just worked out and was having a diet coke (a pattern I would later learn would cause seizures for me). I had a strange deja vu there- almost like a mirage in the middle of the place. I could have sworn I had experienced the scene before (something about a woman collecting money for a telethon) and then it went away.
I safely drove my son to my parents (!). Later I got into the passenger seat of my dad's car to go with him some place. I remember feeling ill and telling him so. Then I went out- I woke up with him calling my name over and over. I had wet my pants. I was exhausted the rest of the day and stayed on their sofa. At their advice, I called my doctor, an endocrinologist, the next morning.
My endo told me what I had experienced was a seizure. It was probably from the Wellbutrin I had been taking for some time. He escorted down the hall to the neurologist's office where I was sent to have an MRI.
By the way the staff at both offices acted when I was asked to return for a more complete MRI that showed blood vessel activity, I was sure I had a brain tumor. When I was told I had an angioma in my right temporal lobe instead, I was relieved to say the least. It made me realize how important my children are to me.
Topamax worked for a while, but I was having breakthrough deja vu, and seizures when I got into the tub (something about hot water). Too much caffeine and exercise were triggers for me too. It was like having an earthquake every six months.
When our family underwent two deaths last year and I got a real jerk for a manager, I began to seize a lot. Plus I had been taking DHEA as a supplement for about 3 years and decided it had been a long time and went off it around then. I think my adrenals were just taxed and the stress brought me back to my neuro's office. We added Keppra XR 1000mg. It works pretty well. My auras are of intense doom now. I can call my husband when it happens and he holds my hand through it. It's really scary.
I had a situation in May when my manager really bit my head off. It was extremely stressful. Two days later I got "the doom". I called my husband and this time I lost consciousness for a few seconds but heard him say my name the whole time.
I really don't like what the Keppra has done to me. I am tired, get angry, and I'm not funny anymore. I've lost my sparkle. My best friend and I are barely friends anymore. I am seriously depressed. Because of this I am switching to Lamictal next month. I am at home right now, off work, doing the titrating down process for Keppra XR. I've also given up coffee and I am trying to heal my adrenals.
I just want to be myself again. I told my neurosurgeon I am tempted to have my angioma removed because I hate the side effects of these meds. He says we have to try the meds first because, after all, it's brain surgery!
I am scared of what's going to happen with the Lamictal- I hear about acne and insomnia. Yikes! I have seizures when I don't sleep.
Wish me luck.
Jules
I started having seizures Oct. 2008 due to an angioma in my right temporal lobe. I found that out later on. However, I had my first seizure while in the bathtub and was lucky I did not drown.
At first I thought the water was just too hot and ignored it, but I couldn't shake the familiar person I saw when I was "out". I heard myself saying to him, "I know you!" and he was sitting on a sofa shaking his head "yes" until I woke up with my head half immersed under water. I ignored the experience and went on with my life until it happened again six months later.
The next time it happened I was at Chuck E Cheese with my youngest. I had just worked out and was having a diet coke (a pattern I would later learn would cause seizures for me). I had a strange deja vu there- almost like a mirage in the middle of the place. I could have sworn I had experienced the scene before (something about a woman collecting money for a telethon) and then it went away.
I safely drove my son to my parents (!). Later I got into the passenger seat of my dad's car to go with him some place. I remember feeling ill and telling him so. Then I went out- I woke up with him calling my name over and over. I had wet my pants. I was exhausted the rest of the day and stayed on their sofa. At their advice, I called my doctor, an endocrinologist, the next morning.
My endo told me what I had experienced was a seizure. It was probably from the Wellbutrin I had been taking for some time. He escorted down the hall to the neurologist's office where I was sent to have an MRI.
By the way the staff at both offices acted when I was asked to return for a more complete MRI that showed blood vessel activity, I was sure I had a brain tumor. When I was told I had an angioma in my right temporal lobe instead, I was relieved to say the least. It made me realize how important my children are to me.
Topamax worked for a while, but I was having breakthrough deja vu, and seizures when I got into the tub (something about hot water). Too much caffeine and exercise were triggers for me too. It was like having an earthquake every six months.
When our family underwent two deaths last year and I got a real jerk for a manager, I began to seize a lot. Plus I had been taking DHEA as a supplement for about 3 years and decided it had been a long time and went off it around then. I think my adrenals were just taxed and the stress brought me back to my neuro's office. We added Keppra XR 1000mg. It works pretty well. My auras are of intense doom now. I can call my husband when it happens and he holds my hand through it. It's really scary.
I had a situation in May when my manager really bit my head off. It was extremely stressful. Two days later I got "the doom". I called my husband and this time I lost consciousness for a few seconds but heard him say my name the whole time.
I really don't like what the Keppra has done to me. I am tired, get angry, and I'm not funny anymore. I've lost my sparkle. My best friend and I are barely friends anymore. I am seriously depressed. Because of this I am switching to Lamictal next month. I am at home right now, off work, doing the titrating down process for Keppra XR. I've also given up coffee and I am trying to heal my adrenals.
I just want to be myself again. I told my neurosurgeon I am tempted to have my angioma removed because I hate the side effects of these meds. He says we have to try the meds first because, after all, it's brain surgery!
I am scared of what's going to happen with the Lamictal- I hear about acne and insomnia. Yikes! I have seizures when I don't sleep.
Wish me luck.
Jules
