Time for Vimpat ... any advice?

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AlliOz

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Hi all, I saw a new neurologist for a second opinion today. He was very clinical and I was upset by his manner (thought my husband thinks I'm oversensitive and he was just being factual). He had my history, including PET and MRI scans. He agreed that it was worth trying another med instead of Epilim. I'm currently on Epilim and Keppra. He's weaning me onto Vimpat, and then slowly off Epilim. I'm on all three for a month, starting tomorrow, then reducing Epilim, which makes me dopey and put on weight. And it hasn't stopped my complex partials anyway.
I'd like to know if anybody has experience with Vimpat - good or bad. Sorry if this post is in the wrong place.
I'm not driving as I had a crash bc of a seiz just over two months ago. I'm feeling miserable and really hoping that Vimpat will improve things.
Thanks, Alli
 
Everyone is different of course but of all the meds they've tried on me, vimpat was by far the worst. My drs have said I'm med sensitive, like I was odd, but from what I see here I'm not alone! :)

At least keep a journal so you can document how you handle it and show your dr.

Wishing you well!
 
I also have complex partials and had Vimpat added to my medications. I was on Keppra, Carbatrol and Vimpat. After my video eeg, we got rid of the Vimpat. I did not notice any difference with my seizures while on it, and no change in anything while off. For me it did nothing. Good luck to you!
 
AlliOz

I am being put on vimpat and weened of epanutin , aparently it is not good to be on either of these drugs for a long period. That is part of what I was told.
 
For me, vimpat didnt work. I think I was on it for around three weeks. I was very depressed, crying, and wasnt myself at all. My dr cut my dose in half, and it didnt improve things, so I had to get off of it.
 
I didn't tolerate Vimpat at all. It made me tearful, stressed and suicidal. As soon as the docs realised it was the vimpat i was pulled right off it. I think i'd been on it for about 3 months and missed a month of work in that time.
 
For me personally I was on Vimpat for about 2 years before my surgery. It seemed to help out in my situation, not stop seizures, but surely not as many. I was on Lamictal as well. The only side effect I noticed from Vimpat was blurry double vision for about half an hour and that was only for a certain amount of time. About three months after the surgery, it began giving me bad suicidal feelings, so I stopped the 500 mg and am now better. Just my 2 cents
 
Daughter added Vimpat to her Lamictal in March and it is doing nothing for her complex partials. In fact, she started to have an increase in seizures this summer. Current dose is 100 mg 2 times a day, and she is still having several seizures every day. She has a video eeg next week, then I think we will be getting rid of the Vimpat.
 
Thanks Ryan.2288, I think I will be getting rid of the vimpat as well the depression and thoughts are bad.

Thanks bandmom, I am on Lamictal as well as vimpat and epinution ( speling is wrong) but I do know vimpat and epi do not mix. so trying to figure out side effects is hard.
 
I have been on Vimpat for about a month now and the first week or so it didn't seem to be doing a darn thing but then it seemed to reduce the frequency of my partial seizures by 50% which is good. So far no suicidal feelings and this week I will increase my dose to 200mg twice daily. I am taking as my only AED which is different than others. I am also on a drug that stops production of estrogen and progesterone so that might change my seizures too.
Good luck though! Whenever a new drug is started it is always with a leap of faith!

Too bad that this new neurologist has a poor bedside manner. Sometimes I find that dr.s like that are actually really smart and good at what they do and I put up with their clinicalness but you have to find someone you are comfortable with and trust at the same time.
 
I'm glad I can be a cheerleader for Vimpat here. I started it a couple of years back in addition to the Carbatrol I had been taking for years. It has done WONDERS, cut down activity from almost daily to auras maybe once a month. Very minimal side effects- the double vision thing if I don't eat enough in the morning, but it's rare, and hasn't happened in some time.

I've noticed some increase in activity recently, and had a breakthrough seizure a couple of weeks ago (and in fact am dealing with some auras at the moment, which is why I'm on the site!) so I'm going back to the doc to talk about levels and whatnot.

But, long story short, even with that, I'm such a fan of Vimpat. i know it's not for everyone, but it does work for some :)

-Sarah
 
Thanks Sarah ... Good to heard a positive outcome! My pharmacist said she has a few customers on it who have reported good results. I've been diagnosed since 20004 and have only ever been on Epilim and Keppra for any length of time, so it's a big leap to try something new. I took my first Vimpat last night, and my second this morning. Nothing terrible has happened yet!!!
 
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