How quickly meds begin to work?

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87sf

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I have recently had a sleep study and found out that I stop breathing on average of 12.9 times per hour. When I took this to my Neuro he said I was actually holding my breath for these periods and that it could be due to me actually having a seizure. This would mean I am possibly having 12.9 seizures per hour while I sleep (sad face).
There are two ways to test this:
1. I start taking medication (my options are Keppra or Valroate) for awhile and do another sleep test or sleep EEG.
2. I have a sleep EEG and hope that when I hold my breath that there is a probe on the part of my head that picks up the area an issue might be coming from. The problem is that it could take several tests before I actually have a probe in the correct spot. Or it may not work at all, leaving the test inconclusive.

As I am not overly excited about taking meds but if I can get away with taking them for a short period of time to get a result and go from there, I'm happy to do so.

So does anyone know how long it takes for either Keppra or Valproate to start working?

Regards
87sf
 
It sounds like sleep apnea to me, so I am surprised your dr. said it could be seizures. Have them check it out during your sleep EEG.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Apnea literally means "cessation of breath." If you have sleep apnea, your breath can become very shallow or you may even stop breathing while you are asleep. This state of not breathing can occur up to hundreds of times a night in some people.

I'm only familiar with Keppra and it is absorbed immediately. The half-life is about 7 hours.
 
I would take the sleep EEG. Then you and your doctor will find out more of what is going on. Then you can go from there.
 
So does anyone know how long it takes for either Keppra or Valproate to start working?

Keppra reaches peak levels in the blood after about 1 to 3 hours. Valproate takes about 3 to 5 hours. (Absorption time can be affected by form of the dose, age/weight of the patient and whether the dose is taken with food).

But with Keppra, you can start at a minimum suggested therapeutic dose for adults (1000mg/day) right away. If you experience daily symptoms, then you should get a sense within 12 to 24 hours of how the Keppra is affecting them.

Valproate usually is ramped up more slowly, over the course of a few weeks. You might still notice an effect within the first few days, but depending on if and how your symptoms respond it might take a little longer to get full control. Your mileage may vary. I tend to get away with lower than average doses. Other folks may need higher than average ones.

You should discuss both options with your neurologist, so you can be aware of potential side effects. Keppra is known for mood-related side effects. The most common side effects with Valproate are digestion-related -- diarrhea, nausea, etc -- so if you already have gut issues, it might not be a good choice.
 
With sleep apnea I was told that the breathing gets shallower and you stop breathing (similar to what is said above), but my Dr said that different to that I am holding my breath. This can be more related to my body/muscles tensing which is more like im seizing.

So from how quickly it takes for the meds to start working, I should be able to do the sleep EEG after just 3 - 4 of weeks? That should be long enough for the meds to have settled in and I would be able to tell?
 
You will have to ask the DR. when to take the sleep EEG. Those are good questions to ask your doctor.

I am on Keppra, I was built up slowly by my neurologist. He also told me to take Vitamin B Complex. Keppra depletes the body of Vitamin B.

I am allergic to Valproate.

Tense muscles does not always mean seizures. Stress can cause tense muscles. For that I take over-the-counter muscle cramp pills. Just when I need them. Maybe once a day.

We cannot give medical information so you have to ask your doctor what you need.
 
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