Another Spin on the Med-Go-Round...

[greggipod]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Greg, and I have grand mal seizures. First, a bit of background--I am 32 and was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2005 when I had seizures in the hospital after colon surgery. At the time, we thought my seizures were mostly drug-induced and didn't continue medication when I lost my health insurance shortly thereafter. Fortunately, the seizures were dormant for several years...until early 2011.

All last year my neurologist and I have been struggling to find the correct medication--now having tried Dilantin, Keppra, and most recently, Topamax. Unfortunately, the latter is giving me debilitating hand cramps and tremors--AND is also controlling my seizures.

As far as AEDs go, does anyone have any insight into what I might try next for grand mals? Preferably, of course, something with a low side-effect profile as I also struggle with MDD and GAD and am also on Effexor XR and Valium,as well as a few endocrine disorders...but I know that might be asking a lot.

Thanks in advance for you insight and help!
Greg

 

[huskymom]

Hi Greg! I can't comment on what you have been going through, but I hope you find a resolution soon. I just wanted to welcome you to the group

 

[Nakamova]

Hi greggipod, welcome to CWE!

Has Lamictal been ruuled out? I am on it and it controls my grand mals fine. There are side effects (of course), but mine are tolerable. Lamictal is often prescribed at lower doses as a mood stabilizer, so it might help with the MDD/GAD too (though you never know exactly what brain drugs are going to do).

You might also consider trying a magnesium supplement to help with the cramps/tremors caused by the Topomax.

Best,
Nakamova

 

[greggipod]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome, both of you!

Nakamova--thanks for the suggestions. I actually had a phone visit with my neuro today, and he was very happy to have me switch to Lamictal. After doing some more research on my own, I think it will be a good "two-fer"--helping with the epilepsy AND the mood disorders. (I actually have a hunch that the MDD/GAD is actually Bipolar Type II...)

Also thanks for the tip on the magnesium supplements, as I still have to stay on the Topamax for over a month on the long, long, long updosing onto Lamictal! That might give me a chance to give the Valium a rest.

Thanks again!
Greg

 

[Nakamova]

Yes, the ramp-up to Lamictal is mighty slow. It took 3 months for me to taper onto Lamictal while tapering off of Zonisamide. But it's definitely safer to go slowly, and slow transitions -- whether up or down -- are ultimately easier on your brain and body.

 

[greggipod]

May I ask what your ramp up schedule onto Lamictal was? My neuro wanted me to do 25mg twice daily for two weeks, then 50mg for two weeks while still on full dose Topamax before a follow-up appointment to discuss further changes.

However, I just called and talked to an RN to see if I could do 12.5mg for 1 week, 25mg 1 week, 37.5mg 1 week, 50mg 1 week, etc... and she asked me "Now why would you want to do THAT???"

Am I cray cray for wanting to take it nice 'n easy? I have bad anxiety--and the possibility of rash has my really freaked out.

Greg

 

[Nakamova]

You're not cray-cray! Unless there's a pressing need to get up to a therapeutic dose quickly, going low and slow can't hurt. And it can help minimize the risk of an allergic reaction. I'll have to check the archives to see what my exact dosing schedule was, but I know it involved razoring my 25mg pills in half to do a 12.5 mg increment. I'm pretty sure I stayed at any give increment for two weeks before going on to the next one.

If you are generally sensitive to allergens, avoid any potential ones while tapering up on the Lamictal -- no new soaps, detergents, cosmetics, shaving creams, deodorants, etc; no new foods; and avoid sunburn or poison oak. This can reduce the risk of getting a benign rash.