Has anyone had experience with complex partial epilepsy causing/triggering Bi-Polar a

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Hi my name is Jasmine, I haven't written on here in awhile as it has been a very hectic and challenging last couple of months. Just to recap: Our lives changed in November 2012 as our five year old son started having seizures. The day I took him into the ER his seizures drastically started changing in frequency, intensity, and type. He started having over 5 different types of seizures over 30 times a day. Before the seizures started our son was outgoing, very interactive, kind, thoughtful, playful, joyful, loving, affectionate and incredibly bright. Now, I certainly am not trying to say that all of those things are gone, but really we only see maybe 20% of the son we "know" in a day. I know that he is in there, but... it's just so hard. I hang on to any moment that I get a glimpse of my sweet boy.

Evod has become very aggressive, angry, disconnected, insecure, VERY impulsive, violent,and seems to even have a gravitation towards negative/dark/violent things. We rarely watch TV and the only video games he plays are the basic sports type on the Wii. So, where this is coming from... I do not know. He started kindergarten this year, but we had to pull him out because his behavior was so bizarre (for him). He even has violent thoughts towards himself - which breaks my heart. Again, he's only five. He has MAJOR mood swings, sometimes one second to the next. He has major highs and has bouts of extreme energy. He has a very hard time falling asleep at his bed time, which rarely was the case before. Now, he can be awake until 1 am with racing thoughts and hyper activity then once he falls asleep he has both intense nightmares along with seizures.... so I know the lack of sleep isn't helping any of this.

He is also exhibiting various early signs of autism; Palilalia/Echolalia. He repeats words/syllables/phrases that he hears around him. Also sometimes he doesn't want to speak at all and just points and makes mouth gestures.

All of these things started occurring after the seizures --- has anyone had a similar experience? We want to help our son as best as we can and love him through this.

[side note: I realize that some medications can cause similar changes, and brought that possibility up to the neurologists. However, they don't believe in our son's situation that the meds are the actual root cause.]

Thank you... if for nothing else, for listening. :)

Hope is very much alive!
 
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I am so sorry to hear about all that your family has been through. Is this the first medication that your son has been on? If so, ask for it to be changed even though the doctor doesn't think that is the issue. Also, has he been evaluated by a neuro-physc? That may be useful. I hope things begin to return to normal soon. Please keep us posted!
 
Hello Jasmine,

Your heartbreak is huge, so sorry...

I cannot believe the docs say "they don't believe in our son's situation that the meds " they were not there before right???

What meds is your Son taking?

Are you keeping a seizure diary - recording and noting all his seizures types, times and behaviors? Can help you locate triggers (diet or otherwise)

Have you researched the Ketogenic Diet? One of our members, Karen recently posted the below and it’s so worth a listen.

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f42/latest-update-ketogenic-diet-dr-kossof-19549/



This is a long heavy read (but for us parents of kids with E, well we will go that extra mile), and please do not let the subject put you off, I highly recommend it, talks so much about diet, and behaviour paterns on meds (and meds) again this is from Karen and another member Keith…

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/sunshine-seizures-3021/


I would think at such a young age bi polar not likely, please research this heavily before they add additional meds to your little man, bipolar disorder (my sister has) through all my research (and I am no doctor) does not come on until (late) teens..

I am Mother to Son of 27 with E.

there is so much to learn here.....warm welcome.....
 
I am so sorry to hear heartbreak you are going through.

I too am can not believe its not the meds.

I was on Keppra around 5 years ago, I had so many horrible side effects, my husband had to get a sitter for me while he was at work. The epilepsy spect. said it was not the meds. I took myself off Keppra (slowly) --I don't recommend that....

These meds. affect each one diff.
 
Jasmine, first of all, thank you for your story and nothing but a bright future.

I am on 3 different medications and I as well have expressed bi-polar tendancies. The Dr told me that it is kind of a double edge sword. The same medication, most of the time, that is used for epilepsy is also the meds used for bi-polar disorder.

And if the Dr is so easy to denounce the meds, you may want to try a different Dr.. Like I said my moods are very up and down.

Wishing you the best and hoping you find answers. -Jeff
 
Thank you so much everyone, for your compassion and input; both mean a lot to me. Our son has another neurology appointment on Monday. We will be discussing the results of his MRI (we already know that he has an "abnormality" on the right side of his brain, but are still unclear as to what exactly it is.) At the appointment, I will bring up the likelihood that all /some of these personality/behavior changes are from his meds. My husband, is reluctant to switch meds right now feeling as though we need to really give this one a true "go". I would be so thrilled if we discovered if most, if not all, of these changes are from the depakote!

Thanks again, everyone, I will try to keep you updated.
 
Hey guys! We saw our son's neurologist team today and they did decide to switch him from Depakote to Trileptal. We pray that this helps our son both physically and emotionally. We would just love for his smiles to last longer in a day and for his joy to be full! Thanks again for your responses, info, and compassion!
 
Hello, HopeIsAlive. What a journey you have been on with your son! I hope this new med will improve things a great deal, and that you can have more and more time to enjoy each other again, and that your burden is a great deal lighter because of it. Many hugs to you.
 
"Depakote to Trileptal"

thank goodness they are trying out something, will pray this works, but at least they are listening and doing.

May the happy smiles return quickly :-) to give your little man and you some hard earned peace.

Keep us posted.
 
That's great to hear. I hope the trileptal makes for a happier son -- and his parents too.
 
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