Hi! I have recently been diagnosed with a Meningioma which has been causing problems on my right side resulting in one focal fit on Christmas Day when my leg was visibly jerking. Other milder symptoms like a twitch in my right thigh and weird internal pulsing down the right side. The tumour is benign (good news) and of moderate size. I have just been started on Keppra - 250mg morning and evening increasing in two weeks. Ihave noticed dizziness, feeling sick and loss of appetite. Presumably this will pass. I hate taking any medication and am rarely ill. I plan to carry out with my classes at the gym. I read exercise is good for epilepsy and there is good evidence it reduces seizures. I wonder whether the gym is the reason why my symptoms are quite mild. Who knows. I know nothing much about Keppra - only one warning about possible agitation. I am generally a positive person and plan to focus on what I can do, not what I can't! Helpful tips welcomed. :bigsmile:
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- Thread starter Walbro
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Hi Walbro, welcome to CWE!
The side effects of the Keppra should recede as your brain gets used to it, but let your neuro know if they don't. There are many different seizure meds out there and sometimes it can take a while to find the right one. If you find yourself experiencing Keppra's mood-related side effects, ask your doc about taking a B6 supplement, as that can help.
The side effects of the Keppra should recede as your brain gets used to it, but let your neuro know if they don't. There are many different seizure meds out there and sometimes it can take a while to find the right one. If you find yourself experiencing Keppra's mood-related side effects, ask your doc about taking a B6 supplement, as that can help.
Generally speaking, being healthy overall can also make for a healthier brain. But what works for one person may not work for another -- for some people, exercise can be a seizure trigger. It sounds like this is not the case for you, but all the same you might want to go slowly until you get a sense of how you feel and how the Keppra affects you. Make sure to stay properly hydrated and not to overdo.
Thanks Nakamova. I'm just getting around to applying for a free bus pass since I am no longer allowed to drive - all these forms! I will listen to my body with the exercise. I certainly haven't noticed exercise triggering attacks though sometimes the numbness down the right side increases. I'm hoping I can come off the medication after the operation though my neurologist thought I might have to stay on it due to scar tissue.
Hi, Walbro and welcome to CWE!
I am one of those whose seizures are improved with exercise BUT it is easy for me to overdo it. When considering just exercise, what is "overdoing it" one day might be fine another day for me and perhaps this could be the same for you. It seems that if other factors are thrown in such as an overly stressful day or a night with poor sleep, for example, that a particular exercise session is more likely to trigger a seizure for me. It will take time to discover what your triggers for seizures are, but sometimes it isn't one thing but a combination.
Based on my experience (I had to learn the hard way, because I am so stubborn!) I would suggest decreasing the intensity of your exercise sessions as you adapt to the medication and determine seizure triggers. When you are at the dose where the doctor wants you to be and you still feel okay, then try to slowly increase the exercise sessions back to where you used to be. I found I was able to tolerate more exercise if I divided the exercise over two sessions in a day, so for example I now do 30 minutes of cardio earlier in the day, and 30 minutes of weight training later on in the day. I suspect that by doing this I am not letting myself become as fatigued as if I was doing the cardio and weights back to back. The added benefit here is I can put more a little more effort into the weight training since I am not tired from the cardio, plus I am keeping my metabolism revving along by causing it to increase twice in the day
I am one of those whose seizures are improved with exercise BUT it is easy for me to overdo it. When considering just exercise, what is "overdoing it" one day might be fine another day for me and perhaps this could be the same for you. It seems that if other factors are thrown in such as an overly stressful day or a night with poor sleep, for example, that a particular exercise session is more likely to trigger a seizure for me. It will take time to discover what your triggers for seizures are, but sometimes it isn't one thing but a combination.
Based on my experience (I had to learn the hard way, because I am so stubborn!) I would suggest decreasing the intensity of your exercise sessions as you adapt to the medication and determine seizure triggers. When you are at the dose where the doctor wants you to be and you still feel okay, then try to slowly increase the exercise sessions back to where you used to be. I found I was able to tolerate more exercise if I divided the exercise over two sessions in a day, so for example I now do 30 minutes of cardio earlier in the day, and 30 minutes of weight training later on in the day. I suspect that by doing this I am not letting myself become as fatigued as if I was doing the cardio and weights back to back. The added benefit here is I can put more a little more effort into the weight training since I am not tired from the cardio, plus I am keeping my metabolism revving along by causing it to increase twice in the day
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Nakamova - I don't have date for op yet. Neurosurgeon wants to see me first to determine if I need anymore tests.
Masterjen - I did spin and then body pump back to back yesterday and did feel really tired yesterday and quite sick during the exercise. Like you I'm stubborn. I am reducing the intensity though. The neurologist encouraged me to carry on with the exercise as it will get me into good shape for the op. I certainly don't want to trigger any attacks. My neurologist said I could extend the time before increasing the meds because at moment appetite is shot, feeling sick and tired so I may do that. Cant believe how much I'm sleeping. But I have been on the meds for less than a week so I have to give it time.
Thanks for the helpful comments
Masterjen - I did spin and then body pump back to back yesterday and did feel really tired yesterday and quite sick during the exercise. Like you I'm stubborn. I am reducing the intensity though. The neurologist encouraged me to carry on with the exercise as it will get me into good shape for the op. I certainly don't want to trigger any attacks. My neurologist said I could extend the time before increasing the meds because at moment appetite is shot, feeling sick and tired so I may do that. Cant believe how much I'm sleeping. But I have been on the meds for less than a week so I have to give it time.
Thanks for the helpful comments
Hi Walbro
My dad had a meningioma removed about 15 years ago. It was quite large (fist sized) and he did not know until it caused swelling - we thought he'd had a stroke until he got to the hospital. He came through the op really well but suffered from tonic colonic seizures, so he was on keppra and epilum too. He felt a bit 'squeezy' nauseous and tired for a while. The seizures were due to scar tissue from his operation. He had two smAller tumors removed about 10 years ago and they were able to clean up the scar tissue. He has been seizure free for about 8 years now and is driving again. He is still on both lots of medication and will be 70 this year and is one of the most active people l know
I wish you all the best with your tests and forthcoming operation.
Cheers
stace
My dad had a meningioma removed about 15 years ago. It was quite large (fist sized) and he did not know until it caused swelling - we thought he'd had a stroke until he got to the hospital. He came through the op really well but suffered from tonic colonic seizures, so he was on keppra and epilum too. He felt a bit 'squeezy' nauseous and tired for a while. The seizures were due to scar tissue from his operation. He had two smAller tumors removed about 10 years ago and they were able to clean up the scar tissue. He has been seizure free for about 8 years now and is driving again. He is still on both lots of medication and will be 70 this year and is one of the most active people l know
I wish you all the best with your tests and forthcoming operation.
Cheers
stace
Stace - that's brilliant news. Thanks for sharing with me. There are so many people much worse off than I am. At least I can still exercise and work. Give your dad a big hug from me. My dad died off a massive stroke at 70 and there is not a day goes by when I don't miss his smile and hugs! Rosie xxx
I should add that it may be helpful to have longer warm up and cool down times than the typical 3-5 minutes with cardio. For example for a warm up when my cardio is running on the treadmill I walk at a moderate pace for 3 minutes, and for the next 5 minutes progress from a fast walk to slow jog before starting my actual running routine. My cool downs are at least 5 minutes (I make sure my heart rate is back down to no more than 25% above where my heart rate was before I started to exercise).
With weight lifting, be sure and warm up with very light weight (let ego go out of the window and don't think everyone is staring at you for using such "baby weight". This is hard to do, I know). A warm up for dumbbell, barbell and machine-weight exercises should be the weight that you can easily do 20 reps (without straining), although for a warm up you should only do 10 slow and controlled reps, going the full range of motion.
Thanks for the exercise advice Masterjen. I am not big on weights and whilst I do Body Pump, I never load up. My excuse is I concentrate on technique haha! I love cardio but do find I get quite light headed if I do too much - its hard though because I love the cardio buzz. So far so good but its early days.