Tiredness

[Andrewbanker]

Hi all,
I haven't been online for a while. I haven't had a grand mal for sometime.
Every few months I will have partial siezures for a day or two, push up the meds, and then I am ok. I have had a few this weekend, a couple during the day, and a number at night. I haven't changed my meds.
What I have noticed this time is that my brain is really tired. Like it's had a real workout. It's given me a headache, and I am finding it difficult to concentrate.
Do any of you experience this?
Andrew

 

[Julie Mc]

Hiya Andrew,
I'm going through exactly the same. I too am having partials, I haven't had a full blown grand mal in ages & after having these little ones I too feel that my brain has been plonked in some kind of thick fog, with a dull, annoying headache to boot. What I've noticed about mine though, is that I always seem to have these when I'm tired. Trouble is, I'm always tired! AND, they are coming every month for a week. It's nothing to do with menstruation (for me, as I'm going through the menopause & those things can set off fits in women), so I can't blame that. Problem is, is that if I'm tired, I'll have at least 2, 3 or even more & in the past they did sometimes lead to the awful grand mals' I dread. They're also setting off massive cramps in my calf, which is really annoying.
I also upped my Epilim in those weeks, but that did naff all, so I stuck to the usual amount.
Hopefully, someone out there might have an answer for all this & if I can get to see my GP, I'll mention what I'm going through & come back with whatever he's fobbed me off with.
In the meantime, take care!
Julie

 

[Andrewbanker]

Thanks Julie. I know what you mean. I am usually pretty tired, and I am sure this has a lot to do with the medication. When I have a run of partials, it is like my brain is running at full steam, but not clear. I reckon it even impacts my speech and decision making.
A bit frustrating at work!

 

[valeriedl]

I'm tired a good bit and I know that is due to my meds. After a seizure I'm very tired and might even sleep a good bit the next day. Lack of sleep and being tired is a major seizure trigger for me.

Almost always after a complex partial or TC I have a very bad headache that will last for hours. The only way to make it go away is to sleep but that doesn't always work. I usually don't have headaches after simple partials though.

When I'm having simple partials my brain really doesn't seem to know what it's doing at times. I have trouble thinking and talking. I know what I want to say but it just doesn't come out that way. Until I completely come out of a complex partial or TC my brain is the same way but worse.

I don't know how long you stayed on the upped dose of Epilim but meds usually take a few weeks, sometimes over a month, before meds might kick in. You might even need to up the dosage more, add another med or the Epilim might not be a med that works for you and need to try something else completely. Going through what seems like a whole pharmacy of meds is very frustrating but it's something that some people need to do. I know it was for me!

 

[Julie Mc]

Mmmmm. I usually blame being confused & not being able to get my words out on the Keppra I also take. But, there again, I can't win. If I try going to sleep or have 40 winks, on those days when I'm super-active with having partials, I have more partials. If I avoid sleeping because I'm p*ssed off with having fits & cramp, I'll be even more tired & then have them anyway! Grrrrrrr!
I've come to a conclusion. Although I have no idea why I'm having these monthly attacks, & I've not changed my diet, stopped doing anything I shouldn't etc....I think it's down to the meds. Soooooo, a trip to that GP of mine is in order so he/she can either up my meds 'officially', or change them completely. And we all know what happens when we have to do that. Tut!