Forced to reduce my meds

[Crystal11]

Hello everyone. I have had some trouble with my meds, the combination of all three. Tegretol XR 600mg, Keppra XR 3000mg, and Lamictal 200mg each day. I have been diagnosed with migraines with auras. Kinda strange- I have auras with my complex partial seizures as well as migraines! Kinda confusing to which is which.. lol.
Anyway- since I have been on all of those at one time- I have noticed an increase in my migraines to the point of having to go to ER for a shot of Phenergan which I'm allergic to - no good.

I was wondering if anyone else with migraines has ever been on this much medication for their seizures and if they noticed their migraines becoming more frequent.
I did a no-no and reduced my meds on my own to prove my theory of "meds causing my migraines to increase". So far it seems this is so.
I have been trying to call my neuro to let them know this- but no one is returning my calls. I will be calling tomorrow if they will ever answer.
I did notice that my migraines have not really come back but once in a two week period. I was going insane it felt like, trying to figure out what is causing my migraines to flare up so bad all of a sudden.
I had a 4 day migraine 2 weeks before seeing the neuro. I explained what I went through and that is why I was diagnosed. I had had several migraines while in college the year before- but didn't really take it seriously.
Bad me.
Hehe

Anyway- just seeing if anyone has dealt with the same thing or not. I have realized that many people here at CWE also suffer for migraines as well as epilepsy.

Everyone, thanks for your thoughts-
Take care
Crystal and her guide dog, Umbro.

 

[Nakamova]

Hi Crystal --

Of the three drugs you're on, Tegretol seems to have the most negative feedback when it comes to migraines. I've read where it seemed to help at first (perhaps a placebo effect!), and then quickly began to make things worse and cause more migraines. Although Tegretol has been prescribed for migraine relief, the studies have been inconclusive about its effectiveness.

 

[Cint]

Crystal,

At one time I was taking three anti-seizure meds at once, if I remember correctly they were Felbatol, Tegretol, and Dilantin and with the Felbatol, the migraines were very intense, lasting for weeks. Nothing took away the debilitating headache. So one day, I called my neuro's office and told her nurse to tell the doc that I was eliminating the Felbatol because I knew that drug was causing my headaches. My neurologist returned my call within a few hours and said she was fine with me going of the drug, but do so slowly. After getting the drug out of my system, the headaches were gone, until I started on a drug study for Sabril. No more of that drug for me.
The more drugs we have in our body, of course the more side effects, such as migraines, we will suffer. Keep bugging your neuro until he/she listens!!
Now I take Keppra and Topamax and only have migraines when there is a low pressure system coming our way.

 

[Crystal11]

I have been take Tegretol xr and Keppra xr for 3 years now. But since adding the Lamictal- things has seemed to become worse. I don't want to get off of Lamictal since its working pretty well at 200mg- so I am trying to be a patient as posible until I can get off of Tegretol XR hopefully in March.

I normally and hardly ever have any side-effects at all to my meds which I though was great- I didnt expect my migraines to increase as a side-effect.
Anyway I will be calling my neuro hopefully today.

Thank you guys for your comments.
Crystal