Which medication do you take?

[Fscene8]

Which medication(s) do you take?
Have you ever experienced any side-effects with it/them ? If yes, please write them all down.


My first medications were Depakine from which I became a cow due to its appetite opening side-effects.
After that I started taking Lamictal which weren't s good at controling seizures.
And after that Topamax. Bloody hell, I couldn't memorize anything, I'd sleep short during night and just had to take naps during day.
Neurologist changed it back to Lamictal and I still can not memorize well


What side effects did you have from each medication?

I'm seeing my neurologist tommorow

 

[valeriedl]

I take:

Divalproex SOD ER (Depakote)
Carbamazepine XR (Tegretol)
Levetriacetam (Keppra)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Folic Acid
Multivitamin

Right now the only med that I have bad side effects from is the Keppra. I've got pretty bad Kepprage from it. That's the nick name which means that it makes you angry very easily.

I've been on A LOT of different meds through the years, so many that I don't even remember what they were. But I got off of them usually because of the side effects that I had from them.

Some of the side effects that I've had were (I'm sorry but I don't remember which meds caused which side effects though):
-I didn't eat anything
-I'd eat everything in sight. I'd even sneek eat. I'd wait for my husband to go to bed then eat half a gallon of ice cream (not exaggerating) so he didn't know I did eat it. I don't know how much weight I gained on it.
-I was so tired that I didn't get out of bed. It took everything just to get out of bed just to go to the bathroom. I get tired in the afternoon now and have to take a nap but I don't know if that's because of one of the meds I'm on or if it's just me that needs to do it.
-There were a good many that caused me to have more seizures instead of less so I had to be taken off of them.

I'm sure I've had other side effects along with these but these are the ones that I remember.

 

[RunningGirl85]

I'm on Keppra XR and Lamictal XR right now. Those are the only two medications I have tried, and Keppra was the first one until my new neurologist added on Lamictal. Keppra didn't really seem to stop my partial seizures, though my neurologist said it probably DID stop me from having another T/C. The side effects from that definitely caused me to be more emotional and irritable. I also had a sore throat at first. I can't remember all of them though. When I first started on Lamictal I had really strange dreams, and my hair was falling out. I also had issues with mental fogginess and had a hard time concentrating. I still have vivid dreams, but not scary like I was having. My concentration is back, and the foggy feelings are gone. It is also what has controlled my seizures best. I went from having several partials a day to a few a week (which my neurologist is still concerned with, but at least it's a huge decrease).

 

[CathyAnn31]

Generic Lamictal

 

[brydy23]

I've probably been on like 10 medications throughout my life, but right now I'm on 900 mg morning/1200 mg night of Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), and 10 mg morning/10 mg night of Clobazam (Onfi). Both haven't really controlled my seizures that much. I still have complex partials everyday. I'm slowly weaning off of the Onfi because it hasn't helped, but actually made me have a variety of seizures I've never had/made me uncontrollably sleepy. It's a frustrating road, but I'm sure you know that by now.

 

[Crash]

Heres my list

Epilim-2000mg a day
Tegretol Retard-800mg a day
Diazapam-10mg a day
Dihydrocodeine-90mg a day for a dodgy back
Dosulepin-25mg a day

Ive been on others but this is my present "intake"

 

[jemsister]

My past meds were Tegretol, Keppra, and Zonegran.

Tegretol made me dopey and drunk-feeling.

Keppra made me paranoid and severely depressed (only took this one for about 6-8 weeks).

Zonegran didn't work that well, and also gave me UTI symptoms.

Right now I'm on Trileptal, Lamictal, Dilantin, and Vimpat.

Trileptal works well for me, but caused some slight issues with mental sharpness, as well as vision scrolling at high doses. The worst of it, though, has been the way it has siphoned off my sodium. I have to take sodium supplements with this drug, or else I will be incredibly tired, unable to stand up straight, severely nauseated (resulting in dehydration and weight loss). I've been on it for something like 8 years (?), but I can't take it anymore, so they're pulling that one (slowly).

Lamictal hasn't given me any side effects, but it also hasn't worked that well (although I'm on a low dose for now).

Dilantin gave me a temporary side effect of hand tremors, and a continuing side effect of low energy.

Vimpat hasn't caused any noticeable side effects, and it seems to be working okay, although there's really no way to tell right now because I'm on so many things.

Not sure if it's one drug or just all of them combined, but I constantly feel really drugged and half asleep all the time. Kinda the feeling you get when you take benadryl.

ETA: Oh yeah--Trileptal also gives me cotton mouth--forgot to mention that.

 

[Nakamova]

Generic Lamictal. No problems with seizure control. Current side effects: blurry vision, dry eyes and mouth, mild chin acne, low rbc and wbc counts.

You might find the "askapatient" website helpful for side effects related to specific meds. As an example, here's the link with user comments about Lamictal: http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20241&name=LAMICTAL

 

[Maisy]

Tegretol retard 800mg too early too tell yet except itching has got worseand tiredness but found out I have nocturnal seizures so meh

 

[acpollard2010]

lamictal=dizziness nausea also on phenobarb dont know why it just drags me down and makes me think slower same with topamax along with lack of apettite.prior meds too many to count all pretty much had same reaction like i had the owrst case of food poisoning possible.plus was on depakote first med gained a crap load of weight and was having multiple t/c a day

 

[sixyearsold]

I have been on alot, also.
I started with:
Dilantin- Made my eyes super sensative to sun, so tired(i actually slept days and stayed up all night because of the eye problem), an extremely moody. It did not control my seizures.
Tegretol- I actually didn't mind this med. Some weight gain. It did not control my seizures, I still had partials.
Depakote- Worst med ever. I was a lunatic and I thought it was normal. Massive weight gain and it also mad eme lose my hair. it controlled my seizures for about 5 years.
I think I took one in between here... but I can't remember??
Phenobarbital- I was born an alcholic but I swear this did not help. Before going to treatment for my alcohol abuse my neurologist explained that pheno and alchol run off the receptors of your brain.. so, the more pheno i took the more alcohol I wanted. I thought I was craving alcohol(so i drank it, of course ;-)) but I was really craving pheno and didn't even know it. It made me severly depressed and it did not control my drinking.
Trileptol- Make me see all funny! I had to be very careful about how much I ate, when I are, how fast I ate and when I tookmy meds. If i didn't do it exactly right-- I wouldnt be able to see for 4 hours. It was so bad. It also didn't control my seizures.
Lamictal- just started. wish me luck. so far some night sweats and little problem with vertigo.

 

[CQ:)]

I'm currently on Tegretol 200mg (AM/PM) & Keppra 1000mg (AM/PM). Haven't had too many side effects on either of those meds.
Have also tried Lamictal, Topamax & Neurontin.

The only 2 meds I noticed any major side effects from were:-
Topamax - I had no appetite while on it & lost about 20kg over 2 years which I didn't mind as I was overweight before I started the Topamamx.
Neurontin - I had the worse side effecst while on Neurontin & hated being on it. I was always tired, would usually have a nap during the day & still go to bed early, was not my usual happy self & had terrible mood swings - would burst into tears or snap at the drop of a pin & I'm sure it affected my memory aswell.

 

[momof3boys]

Gosh, from what I recall... the age of 17 or so... I started taking Keppra and Carbatrol. Since May 2011, Ive been only on Keppra XR.

I have tried Vimpat in March 2011... but it didnt work... became very depressed and was always crying, and just not myself...

I also tried Lamictal in April- May 2011... found out on the second week that I was having an allergic reaction to it. So I had to get off of it.

Ive been on alot of different anti seizure medications since the age of 18 months old, when I was dx'd with epilepsy. I recall being on Phenobarbatrol... which was my first anti seizure medication... then also some others... like Depakote... Neurotin...

Ill have to ask my mom what all different medications Ive taken over the years.

 

[JustAnotherName]

I had been on on some form of Tegretol 200mg AM/PM since 1995 before switching meds in December. I didn't notice any side effects with Tegretol/Carbatrol/Carbamezepine. The only thing I noticed with Carbatrol was sensitivity to sunlight in the beginning. I got some wicked migraines the first couple of weeks. The meds did become less effective after my first grand mal seizure in October 2012. I've since switched to generic Keppra XR 500mg AM/PM. The only thing I've noticed with the Keppra is that I get tired very easily. It usually happens about md-day. I'll start to feel quite drowsy and in need of a nap.

I am going to start taking pre-natals soon along with folic acid, so hopefully that will help with the fatigue issue. It was a lot worse in the beginning. I've been on Keppra for a bit over a month now, and it hasn't been as bad lately.

 

[vanessa1148]

Keppra, 500 mg twice daily. Overall it's been pretty good.

When I first started taking it, it made me really tired, had heavier periods, wild dreams. Now that I'm used to it, those side effects have gone.

The only lingering side effects is that when I type I skip words, and my short term memory is not as good as it ought to be.

 

[Cint]

Let's see, my list of meds that I've taken over the years is:
1)Dilantin
2)Phenobarbitol- had an allergic reaction
3)Tegretol
4)Felbatol-gave me terrible migraines
5)Lamictal
7)Sabril- as a study medication, it gave me headaches and caused terrible depression
8)Topomax- weight loss and memory loss
9) Trileptal- caused decreased sodium level
10) Keppra-depression
11) Potiga- just started

As of now, I'm on 3000 mgs. of Keppra and a low dose of Topomax + my neuro just started me on a new one called Potiga because of my break-thru seizure after my car accident. My dr. want me to increase the Potiga, but I'm having a difficult time doing so. It is making me very anxious right now! Plus I take 200 mgs of Zoloft for depression.
Stop the world. I want off!!!!

 

[jyearta]

I have been put on about all the meds. out there.

Keppra was the worse for me.

Now taking Dilantin 100mg - 10AM & 10PM
Clonazepam 0.5 mg, - 1/2 tablet 2AM, 6AM 10AM, 2PM, 6PM then 1 whole tablet at 10PM

This has given me the best control and a quality of life worth living.

 

[qtowngirl]

Carbamazepine since dx (november 03) - no issues other than decreased sex drive the first nine months or so. still have grand mals.

Topamax for 2+ years (2008-10) - no issues, great at controlling weight. a few grand mals.

Lamotrigine since october 2011 - very bad for my hair, always in knots and has to be pulled out in handfuls (though lucky me it's thick and long so it's unnoticeable).
had the bad rash as it's known for the first day, so had to go off and reduce dose.
helps partials but not grand mals.

Vimpat for close to two months - no issues noticed yet. still partials though.