PCP messing around with epilepsy meds?

[valeriedl]

I was having some problems in January and I wasn't sure if it was epilepsy related or not so I called my neurologist. He told me that he didn't think it was and to see my PCP about it first. When I did he had some blood work done and found out my potassium levels were low and prescribed some potassium pills for it. Doing much better now. So this was non epilepsy related.

I saw my PCP today to get a refill for the pills and he was looking at the results from the blood work I had done in January. It was full blood work done, not just a potassium level blood work. He asked me if I knew, and my neuro knew, that my keppra level was high. I am on a high dosage of keppra and have been for years. This was prescribed by my neuro and I've had blood work done by him, it's been a while though, but he knows about it.

My PCP wanted me to have blood work done again to see how my potassium levels were and I thought that's all that the blood work was going to be checking but it turned out it was a full out blood work.

If my keppra levels are going to be high, which I'm sure they will, I don't know if he'll want to do something about it or not. I don't want him doing anything with my epilepsy meds because he's just a PCP and I don't think he will know as much about epilepsy, or how I'm dealing with it, as my neuro. If he does want to I'm going to tell him to talk to my neuro about it because I'm not going to to do any changes without my neuros consent.

I know I'm doing the right thing. Has anyone ever had anything similar happen like this?

 

[Porkette]

Hi valeried,

I've had the same problem as you with my drug level being to high which in turn messed up my body chemistry and lead to more seizures for me. What I did is just skip one pill at my Drs. okay and I was fine. In the past my drug levels have gotten to high and become toxic and that has made me feel like I'm drunk. What really helped the most is when I gave both my neuro and my pcp the okay to share medical records with each other and now they e-mail me which is great so if there's any problems I will know from either of them. Ask your Dr. if it's okay to skip taking one or two of your keppra's and take it from there. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

 

[Jmedstudent84]

Hi Valeriedl,

Your PCP can make suggestions but in most situations, assuming your PCP and your neurologists are part of different practices/institutions, only your neurologist would be able to alter your prescription. Your PCP could possibly make you a new prescription for an anti-epileptic drug, but he/she couldn't cancel or reduce the order your neurologist put in.

That said, if your blood levels of your medication is high, I would consult with your neurologist immediately. This could indicate the Keppra is adversely effecting your kidneys or other organ system.

 

[valeriedl]

I got the results back from the blood work my PCP had done and it said "There is nothing alarming in your blood work" so I don't think my PCP will leave the whole deal alone. If my neuro looks at it and sees something he doesn't like then he could do changes if he feels he needs to but I doubt if he will.

Thanks everyone!