HELP Please!

[ConsernedGirlFriend]

Hello Everyone,

My boyfriend experienced his first seizure a year ago at his job. He was rushed to the hospital and had all these tests done and everything came back normal. His doctor told him he wasnt epileptic and that they can't say what the exact cause of the seizure was. My bf at the time was very stressed out and depressed. The doctor prescribed him Keppra (Levetiracetam) 500mg he would take it once a day.

Now my boyfriend Hates going to the doctor/hospitals, seeing blood or just hearing about it makes him gag and even faint. So he never went back to the doctor for follow ups. My boyfriend stopped taking the meds.

For some months now my bf has been feeling very depressed, stressed and anxiety due to financial and family issues. About 2 months or so my boyfriend started taking the Keppra again. He says hell take them once every other day...it seems he takes it spontaneously.

He will call me at 2,3 am telling me he has these horrible dreams...and that he has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. He cries all the time, loss of appetite he is loosing weight. He says he sometimes feels his hands and feet numb. On the days he doesnt work he will sleep ALL day.

Im really worried because he has been getting migraines frequently, he vomits. I also noticed for about 2 weeks now he has been stuttering, seems short of breath and when he is having difficulty saying a word his left eye will flutter. He tells me that he feels he is in a fog, he feels scared and anxious ....he cries alot...Hes not the happy funny guy I fell in love with and Im desperately trying to find out how I can help him. He is severly depressed and i dont know what route to take? i dont know if the stress and depression is what really is causing all this or is it something neurological.

I convinced him to go to the hospital this past Monday. They did blood work on him and he only had low magnesium and potassium but other than that everything was fine. We told the doctor everything that he was experiencing and how carelessly he was taking the Keppra. She advised him to completely stop taking the medicine.

Can i get anyones opinion...I feel so desperate.

 

[Nakamova]

Hi CGF --

Anti-seizure meds are very powerful, so they have to be taken consistently to work properly and minimize side effects. Keppra in particular has a short half-life, which means taking it very other day can be very, very hard on the system, causing unpredictable side effects. It's also known to cause mood-related side effects including depression and anxiety, so even if he were taking it consistently it might be problematic in his case.

Under the circumstances, it makes sense for him to stop taking the Keppra, and then closely monitor his health to see if things improve and his depression lifts. In addition, he should take a B-Complex supplement as well as a magnesium supplement. B-vitamins and Magnesium are crucial for healthy brain function.

It may take a while for his health to get back on track. He should do his best to be proactive -- eat and drink healthily, and try to get plenty of sleep. If he continues to have problems after being off Keppra for a month, he should see a doctor.

Best,
Nakamova

 

[ConsernedGirlFriend]

Thank you so much.

 

[Chaz1]

ConsernedGirlFriend.

Welcome to CWE, could you suggest he get started on magnesium? They are inexpensive but it’s real important to get a good quality (real important and who u can measure this, add to water and if it dissolves fast, usually good quality)

some magnesium info

http://members.upnaway.com/~poliowa/Magnesium - a Miracle.html

 

[cher1985]

welcome ConsernedGirlFriend.

it isn't widely known but weight lose is a side effect of keppra and this makes it NOT a stand alone drug(my doctors kept asking me if I was remembering to eat).

as for the magnesium and potassium, make sure he eats bananas it sounds funny but they are very rich in potassium. you can get magnesium over the counter at any drug store. also if hes on a multi-vitamin check to see how much magnesium and potassium are in it, it is bad to get to much in your system.

you make also want to try and talk to the neruo doctor about what you've seen him going though, it could be a sight seizure.

good luck in getting answers
~Cher

 

[Cardones]

I don't understand why the doctor said he didn't have epilepsy bu then prescribed a powerful anti-epilepsy drug. Was there a specific reason?

Anyway, is your boyfriend's anxiety just financial etc? I had a lot of anxiety after my first seizure so that might be a contributing factor? Hope he feels better when off the Keppra though.