Topomax and Adderall, or any anti-seizure drug and any adhd drug

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chwooton

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My 17-yr-old son recently went on 50mg of Topomax (2x day) for nocturnal seizures that recurred 5 years after a resection (small cyst in brain).

As Topomax and many anti-seizure meds will do, he is experiencing the brain fog and word-finding difficulties that are so frustrating. He's extremely active in school (student directs a show choir and a band, among other things), and he needs to be "sharp". Maybe it will settle down a little (he's only been back on it for a month), and maybe his doctor will change thing up after he has some tests this summer.

But do any of you have experience in counter-balancing anti-seizure meds with ADHD meds like Adderall? I have a message into his neuro, but I thought I'd ask here.
 
Hi chwooton,
I also take Topamax and have been on it for several months for nocturnal seizures. Although I'm still experiencing seizures I've found that taking lots of vitamins/minerals have helped with the word finding and memory problems that Topamax has brought. I am a grant writer so I understand how important mental sharpness is to students as well. Creative writing is my job and without that I can't support my family. Sorry that I can't offer more suggestions, but I've found micro-nutrients to help me...I hope the Dr. can help!! :)
 
BrandiBrat--What do you take as far as vitamins and minerals, and did the side-effects level out after awhile? Is this the first drug you have taken for nocturnal seizures? Did you doctor ever suggest valium?
 
I take the CVS drug store brand of Specravite Senior Chewables (I'm 42 years old and these are meant for folks 50+ but they are so filled with nutrients I couldn't resist) but perhaps they also make a Teen version. There's so much stuff in them that my urine is practically glow in the dark haha.
The side effect of the sluggishness did level out after I reached therapeutic levels approximately 2 months afterwards. It just took time... My first drug was Keppa and then Dilantin was added to the Keppra about a month after that. Those two did not work for me, nor did the side effects. Topamax was the first drug that I could tolerate. Valium makes me a zombie, unfortunately. I am taking Lamictal as an add-on but I am experiencing a bad reaction to it so I'm not sure how long I will be taking it.
 
Are you allowed to drive?

My son only had about 1 seizure a year until last month when he had 3 in one night, so we had to break down and put him on meds. So far, so good. With a frequency like that, though, it's hard to know whether the med is working or he is just not having seizures. It's only been a month, so I should be patient. His grades are already falling, though, and we had to tell his teachers so they didn't suspect him of slacking or being on ilicit drugs.
 
I'm on lorazepam for anxiety and clusters don't know much abut topamax but I've discovered water water water and more water, found more hydrated through water the more i can mask the side effects of all my meds of you like for want of better words
 
Awe, poor guy :( I feel for him. You're a wonderful mom and good for you for letting his teachers know that it is not him being lazy. I wish I had a suggestion, part of me wants to suggest giving it time but I know how it feels when so much is riding on his shoulders such as school work, grades and test scores. The good side is, the school year is coming to an end soon if he can hold up his grades until then, he should be stable on the meds by Fall when it starts again. Then again, there are lots of other meds to try. Any idea when the Dr will call back?

I don't drive and my seizures are still out of control. I will be getting a VNS next month so hopefully that will help. My latest 72hr EEG showed I'm still having a partial seizure every 5-10 minutes in my sleep so until I'm controlled my teen children drive me everywhere. I'm blessed to have 4 healthy and loving children (who are now all but one adults) and they take pretty good care of their mom :)
 
I take 200 mgs. of Topomax and wouldn't consider taking Adderall on top of it. Adderall is an amphetamine/dextroamphetamine combination. Topomax is one of the AED's that can cause folks to be really spacey, thus Dopemax.

My son used to take Adderall when he was in high school, he was really hyperactive. Nowadays kids are freely distributing these drugs amongst themselves in schools and colleges.
 
:agree: I think any of the ADD/ADHD drugs are too risky for someone with epilepsy to take, even more so than "regular" stimulants like caffeine. Much better to wait for a bit to see if the side effects lessen. If he has seizure control for a while, then perhaps the neuro will okay a small reduction in dose to see if it helps.
 
Hi chwooton. I am brand new to this site and just wanted to say welcome and I'm sorry to read about your son. I have a 17 year old son myself, though I am the one with the seizures. I take Topamax too, also 50 mg 2/day. My primary care doctor has helped me with some vitamins and supplements to ease some of the side effects of Topamax. I'd check with your son's neurologist first, but I take fish oil at night along with just a plain old multi vitamin. Twice a day I take B12 sublingual at a pretty high dose (I was B12 deficient). I also take vitamin D at a pretty high dose in the evenings (I was deficient in that one too). In the morning I take Drenamin with food. It helps some, I think, with the fatigue and concentration issues that have come along with Topamax. I think that's it for vitamins and supplements. I do also take OTC Zantac twice a day. I had taken it a lower dose prior to Topamax due to acid reflux and a history of stomach ulcers, but the Topamax seems to have made all of that a little worse. I think the vitamins and supplements I take are all pretty normal except the Drenamin. That's one I'd really look into. I also have hypothyroidism and take Armour Thyroid in the morning and the fatigue may be from that too, but my doctor - the primary care doc - has been really great in trying to help treat me as a whole person rather than as all of these separate parts - blood pressure Patty, seizure Patty, thyroid Patty, migraine Patty, and so on.

I hope your son gets his sharpness back and the school understands and works with him in the mean time.
 
I just looked at my bottle of Topamax, and I take 100 mg 2x/day, not 50. Oy! This state of denial I've been wanting to live in hasn't really been working for me. I need to get my meds figured out for starters... But the supplements still, think they help.
 
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