New with a question

[amarques]

Hello!

My 18 yo daughter was diagnosed with left temporal lobe epilepsy this week. She started having auras this past summer and they continued when she went away to college. Her last aura was early December. She was referred to a neurologist by the campus health doctor. The neurologist sent her for an MRI (which was normal) and a sleep deprived EEG (which was abnormal). He referred her to an epileptologist who did a 72 hour ambulatory EEG. That EEG was also abnormal, although it did not show any seizures. He recommends that she start medication - Keppra XR. She has never had any other type of seizure besides the simple partial ones. No history of epilepsy in our family, no head trauma, no known cause for her epilepsy.
My question....my daughter does not want to start taking any meds because she has not had any further seizures. She agreed to start medication if she has another one. I'm torn and don't know how to advise her. Any thoughts?

 

[momof3boys]

Hello and welcome to CWE! Im a 30 yr old female who has had Left Temporal lobe Epilepsy my whole life. When I have had MRI's they all come back normal, and when having EEG's they come back abnormal. I have been taking medications all my life, but in November 2010 I was put on Keppra XR, at 3000mgs a day, and it has helped me out very much! I have had grand mal and complex partial seizures growing up, but last year I started having simple partial seizures. I know its hard to start medication to treat epilepsy, but in my opinion, its one thing that helps people move on with their life. I have been on two medications at a time my whole life, and until last year, I am now only on 1 medication, Keppra XR. It has helped me out so much! I feel like a normal person again! If you have anything you would like to know, or any questions, please feel free to ask. If I were in your shoes, I would sit down with your daughter and explain to her the benifits of taking the Keppra XR. I would rather take medication than have seizures.