Vimpat, a new AED, has anybody else tried it

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Weight gain? That is a big yes...Seven pounds and counting, but that was minor compared to the depression and insomnia....and then my rock, my hero, my hubby, realized that I was not taking my Vimpat at exactly 12 hour intervals....WOW! Thank you Captain Obvious!! I feel much better :woot: I have not had a med that was so time sensitive but it sure does work when taken properly. I even had a decent night's sleep for the first time in weeks. Who knows, I may even leave my house or answer the phone (I hate depression):pop:
 
What else are you on besides Vimpat Paradis Survivor? Curious because I hadn't thought of the Vimpat being the possible cause of my son's insomnia. I thought it was the Zonisamide he also takes. Thanks! All the input sure is helpful.
 
I am taking 100mg's 2x of the Vimpat and 50-100 mg's of phenobarbitol. I have taken most others at one time or another, alone combined and several times I would get so frustrated that I would go med free (not a wise choice, but sometimes I needed to remember what I used to be like...and why I need meds for seizures...I am a little stubborn.....OK A LOT STUBBORN) :lol:
 
Vimpat just makes me tired. And I can't sleep that much because it just isn't healthy, I love to exercise vigorously but I have wierd siezures when I do. But all that started when I came out of the coma. Basically I would say it just makes me tired and I have to slowly get back into shape.
 
Lynnrx52... At this time I take Vimpat 100mg x3. My E doc will probaly move it up to 4x's a day when I see her next because just recently I have started having (not that often) Absent Seizures again.
As for other meds I have been on a few but have had very bad side effects with them.
 
Jeannie55 From what I know Vimpat is not usually taken alone. Perhaps you need just a little of something else to go with it. Maybe with just a small dose of something else you won't have the side effects. Wouldn't that be nice!
 
I still struggle with living a life style that would make it easy to take my meds at appropriate times. With Vimpat it is not as easy as stick in your pocket and try to make sure you take it on time. With Vimpat I continue to have the side effect that if I don't take it with a substantial food consumption an hour later my balance will be so bad I will fall on my face.

That also causes problems because now I am starting to gain back the weight loss I worked so hard on.

I also have to be very diligent about not taking my vimpat too close together with my neurontin or I will fall on my face also I have a planned schedule of went I am suppose to be taking my Lamilctal,vimpat,nerontin but many times that seems to be impossible to do accurately so I end up realizing what time it is and have to make a decision of going ahead and take it or face the consequences..so I have to decide whether to just skip the dose.
 
It's complicated. I wish my son could communicate with me about that sort of thing so I could tell if it makes a difference when he takes each medication he's on. Lonnie do you have a cell phone? My son has a complicated medication schedule including many meds besides his seizure meds. I have programmed alarms into my phone labeled with the appropriate medication. Even though I CAN remember if I have to, it really helps free my mind for other things. The alarms really work for me.
 
Ditto on the alarms!! They have been my saving grace...that and my back-up (hubby)! I would be lost without either (literally) lol
 
Thank you for the suggestion. I don't know if my cell phone has alarms or not. I will have to ask my adult children about that. They are the experts at that kind of thing.

If it does I will have to have it set 1/2 hr. before any of the vimpat doses so I can get some food ready to scarf down with it. As an after thought I could have something ready in the refrigerator if I am home.

It still seems hard for me to remember to take all that ready and with me when it to an (just-in case) time. When I am about to leave home for a while when the time may come to take one(some) of my several meds.

It is not unusual for my husband and I going out with the assumption we are just going to take the grandchildren to the beach for a little while and it ends up being an all dayer. Because of the heat in the car I can't just keep some meds and non-perishable food in the car just in case.

This summer at Yellowstone National Park we got in the biggest fight paying $8.00 for a chili dog just so I could take my vimpat. At least I had the vimpat with me.

After that on our vacation, we were spending so much time driving, I made sure we had a cooler with milk in it and took along some protein powder. Yogurt isn't enough to ward of the side-effect.

I'll have to try to work on that. Suggestions welcomed, but thank you so much on the timer suggestion I will definitely look into that.
 
This is late the night of the previous post. I just got back from helping my son set up the decorating for his weeding tomorrow.. He is one of the adult children I mentioned above. I asked him about my cell phone as an alarm. He told me my cell phone was too old to have that feature.

My husband is uncomfortable with me having epilepsy and having to take all these meds so I can not rely on him to tell me or even set a regular alarm clock to go off to remind me if he is around.

He is a teacher so once summer is over and he goes back to work maybe I can try setting a regular alarm clock for the doses when he is not here.
 
A lot of Dr.s love this drug because it does stop seizures. But I told my doc that it's just know way to live. Sleeping all day. Anyway I got off if it and it screwed me over.I needed it. I'm on keppra with it to. But I am not on as much as I was before. I am up to 100 am and 100 pm that's it. Other wise I would be sleeping all day long. It's your life. Discuss options with your Doctor. I have a lot to accomplish. And I know that sleeping my life away will not do for me. Or my son.
 
Hi stilldancing, sorry to hear Vimpat affects you that way. I don't know how long you've been on it but I wonder if that side effect might go away with time. Although my son does have fits of sleepiness at times I think it's because he doesn't sleep well. I don't think its the Vimpat...and he's one who seems to get all the side effects. Of course all these drugs affect each person differently.
 
lonnie, most phones have alarms...it must be REALLY old. If you're home most of the time I suppose a regular alarm clock would work however I think it would be worth getting a new phone for the alarm function. Even the cheapest phones now a days have that function. Check it out if you get a chance. Good luck!
 
My epilepsy nurse said to be careful with taking things for acid reflux etc as they can affect the rate of absorbtion of epilepsy meds. Janet
 
Thanks for the comment J.J. I'm going to double check with the docs about interaction wtih protonix
 
Lonnie, I noticed you mentioned your hubby's 'uncomfortable-ness' with your diagnosis. I very much understand, we had some rough patches in the begining as well. First off it is a little frightening to see E in action and men (God love 'em, I got one myself) are more proactive about things and this is a 'no control zone'. Seizures run their course, and that is that. Your husband cannot 'fix' this and that is difficult. There are times when I know my E is even more challenging for my husband than it may be for me, because it affects his day to day life with me. Besides the events themselves there are the side effects, the whole dr./rx thing, it can be daunting HOWEVER life does go on and you learn to (dare, I say it?) COPE WITH EPILEPSY. Even while in the middle of Keppra side effects, we still went on vacation and had a marvelous time...I want to go again...I don't remember much of what we did, but I know I had a great time whatever we did. My husband loves the fact I rarely remember tv or movies so he can watch all the star trek sci fi he wants and its new to me. Let him learn more. My husband likens it to diabetes, you still gotta deal with it, closing your eyes does not make it so. You don't ask for seizures any more than you would want diabetes or any other health issue that is long term or cronic. You do need to make some changes and add a few new habits...maybe even a new phone. Sorry for the long post...Happy wedding!!:soap:
 
Vimpat does make you tired, depending how much you are on. My dr. put me back on it agreeing to put me on a lower dose with keppra. I bought a book today called prescription alternatives. It talks about every med in the book on everything and how they mix with other drugs, and if you have stomach problems,heart, epilepsy, or behavioral on and on. My son also has only one kidney, my dad had diabetes, he was difficult to get along with. And I took protonix. I am on omeprazole for an ulcer. Just breathe.
 
Lynnrx52 Docs has already said she will increase Vimpat if all seizures do not stop. Both the Drs and I are afraid to try anything else, do to the very bad side effects I have suffered from other E drugs.
 
You have to do what you have to do.. If it works this is good. If it doesn't see if you can get a team of dr.s together to works with you.
 
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