My husband has had his seizures under control since we moved in together 18 years ago, so I've had little need for help. He's got a seizure disorder from forceps damage to the brain stem, not epilepsy. He is a disaster right now and I could use some advice.
His last episode was when our oldest was 6 months old, rotten little bugger didn't sleep, and that's a trigger for him. When he had that seizure his doctor took him off dilantin and put him on lamictal. It was an easy transition, no problems.
Earlier this year his neurologist dumped him because of an insurance switch. Basically, done with you, find someone else.
In the past 8 years there has not been an eeg, brain scan or blood test run by this doctor. Blood tests were done every 6 months for the dilantin, but nothing else, which I assumed was normal because of no seizures.
Two years ago hubby broke out in hives, the allergist couldn't pinpoint anything, chalked it up to stress. I suggested that it was the lamictal, asked repeatedly for hubby to look into it, BTW.
About three weeks ago, the hives started up again. He woke up one morning with lips that put Angelina Jolie's to shame. Off the the ER and got a shot of steroids. Found a new neurologist (not discussing that he went 8 months without one, GRRR) who is switching him from the Lamictal to Keppra.
The withdrawal is awful for him.You read about it, he's having it. He looks stoned, can't focus, is crawling in his skin - I'm watching closely. He is however MUCH friendlier. None of the lamicatal nasty-grams lately. He's weened off from 1000mg a day, and stopped totally today. The Dr. pushed up the transition because of the side effects and continued rash - which I believe is lamictal toxicity.
I wanted to know if anyone had advice on how to help him through and how Keppra works for controlling seizures. And also, what I should expect a doctor to do during visits - should they be more than annual. Something wasn't done along the way here and that's not happening again on my watch. TIA!
~Angela
His last episode was when our oldest was 6 months old, rotten little bugger didn't sleep, and that's a trigger for him. When he had that seizure his doctor took him off dilantin and put him on lamictal. It was an easy transition, no problems.
Earlier this year his neurologist dumped him because of an insurance switch. Basically, done with you, find someone else.
In the past 8 years there has not been an eeg, brain scan or blood test run by this doctor. Blood tests were done every 6 months for the dilantin, but nothing else, which I assumed was normal because of no seizures.
Two years ago hubby broke out in hives, the allergist couldn't pinpoint anything, chalked it up to stress. I suggested that it was the lamictal, asked repeatedly for hubby to look into it, BTW.
About three weeks ago, the hives started up again. He woke up one morning with lips that put Angelina Jolie's to shame. Off the the ER and got a shot of steroids. Found a new neurologist (not discussing that he went 8 months without one, GRRR) who is switching him from the Lamictal to Keppra.
The withdrawal is awful for him.You read about it, he's having it. He looks stoned, can't focus, is crawling in his skin - I'm watching closely. He is however MUCH friendlier. None of the lamicatal nasty-grams lately. He's weened off from 1000mg a day, and stopped totally today. The Dr. pushed up the transition because of the side effects and continued rash - which I believe is lamictal toxicity.
I wanted to know if anyone had advice on how to help him through and how Keppra works for controlling seizures. And also, what I should expect a doctor to do during visits - should they be more than annual. Something wasn't done along the way here and that's not happening again on my watch. TIA!
~Angela
