vimpat sickness.

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leannec

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Hi, I have been taking vimpat for the past 6mths and have been seen a great improvement in my seizure control. I have however had some debilitating side effects the worst of these being vomitting and headaches. Has anybody else had a simalar experience, and could give me some advice

Thanks
 
Hi leannec, welcome!

Have you discussed the side effects with your neurologist? Any suggestions from him/her? Can you ask about backing off the Vimpat dose slightly? That might reduce the side effects. You might want to consider alternative treatment approaches: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/index.php?p=alternative-treatments
They might allow you to back off your dose slightly as well.

I assume you've tried the usual headache and nausea remedies. Others here at CWE will chime in with their cures...

Best,
Nakamova
 
I had some vommiting too when I started on Vimpat and had some horrible interactions with other meds. I was only on the VImpat for a couple of weeks and then I started having the interactions. I was pretty miserable and slept quite a bit so my neurologist took me off the Vitmpat because it was weakening my immune system.

I don't have any cures but will tell ya not to drink any orange juice. That stuff is horrible for a sick tummy.
 
I just started Vimpat about a month ago. My neuro gave me the impression that it was a BRAND NEW ep med, just released onto the market & I had never seen it listed anywhere with ep meds before then. So I am surprised to find out you started it 6 months ago.

As far as side effects, I've had a lot of stomach cramps & diarrhea, and I started having some hand tremors last week. I showed my hand tremors to the pharmacist & he said it is from the vimpat & to watch & see if it get any worse. I haven't spoken with my neuro yet.

You might look up the ingredients in vimpat. I know one ingredient is magnesium stearate, which I am extremely sensitive to, thus the diarrhea. (It may be what is causing you to vomit.) You may find an ingredient in it that you are allergic to - if you know all your drug allergies. There are a couple of good drug sigts that will give the ingredients, side effects & med/food interactions of all meds.

Hope this helps. If you aren't ready to discuss it with your doc or he doesn't want to take you off of it, talk to your pharmacist (especially if you have a good relationship with him).

Shelia
 
I just read that the oral solution of Vimpat contains aspartame(!) Since aspartame can be a seizure trigger for some, it's worth noting.

Vimpat was approved in Europe and the U.S. in 2008, but there was a delay in the FDA approval process in the U.S., so it wasn't officially released here until June 2009.
 
Nakamova,

If it was released in June 2009, why has it not been on the list of meds for ep?

And that's good that you told about the aspartane. Many people are actually allergic to it. My husband is one who is allergic to any artificial sweeteners. I'm sure there are many more just like him.

There are always ingredients in meds that some people are allergic to, so it's good to find out what a med contains.

Shelia
 
Hi Shelia -- Which list of meds are you referring too? Many online references can be slow to update their info. (I did a quick check, and you're absolutely right -- many sources don't have it listed yet, either under Vimpat, or under lacosamide, it's generic name). Neurologists won't always rush to prescribe something new, so maybe that's part of the problem.
 
i have been on vimpat for a little over a month now with no improvements and hopefully i will be taken off next month. I have had the nausea so bad that there are time i actually vomit (blah) and the headaches and other bathroom issues. I am kinda glad to know that i am not the only one that is experiencing these types of issues. I have had to increase my water intake a lot because of these side effects. My neuro made it seem like this was the greatest thing out there for patients like me who have not been able to be controlled with other meds. Well this one hasn't helped for me either... soooo...
 
Nakamova, I've looked on a number of website ( Webmd, Drugs.com, etc.). Webmd still doesn't have it listed under ep meds, but if you type vimpat in the search, it will bring it up. Same with drugs.com - do a search by condition, no show, but type in the name & it will come up. It's strange that it's not right up there with other ep meds.

Stephk, I understand your problems with meds. I found out that my CFIDS is what makes me med intolerant/sensitive. My neuro gave me samples to last for about 6 weeks. I called & left a message on the answering machine that I seem to be tolerating it fairly well, that it seems to be helping the tonic & myoclonics. When the nurse called back, I told her the only side effects were the diarrhea & the tremors, but she didn't even listen, just told me the doc had a written prescription for me that I had to pick up personally & sign for.

Now, why would I have to pick it up personally & sign for it? Why couldn't my husband pick it up? I'm not allowed to drive. It's not like I can just jump in the car & dash over to get it. My husband could easily pick it up on his way to work. But she stressed that I have to pick it up, no one else.

Anyway, hang in there stephk. I know it's frustrating. Vimpat is helping with 2 of my 5 types of seizures, but it hasn't stopped them completely & when I talk to my neuro in person about the side effects that the nurse wouldn't tell him about, I may still be taken off of it. And this is a last try for me too.

Shelia
 
to find the side effects for vimpat i just typed in the name. To me the list was just a generic-these-are-the-side-effects list. If you search a little further, it is really just a booster type med that is supposed to work with your other AEDs. I can normally adjust after a few weeks, BUT not with the vimpat. I found a site (can't remeber where) that has a breakdown of potential effectiveness of Vimpat with other meds to include tegratol xr and Keppra (i only remeber those because i take those). I have found that the nausea and vomiting are not as bad (i still yuke sometimes) if i take the vimpat during my meals and my other meds after i am done eating. Hope that this helps leannc, and any others dealing with the vimpat blahs...
 
leannec & stephk,

I just wanted to check & see how you are doing on the Vimpat now, if any of your side effects have improved. I've been keeping a close eye on my seizure activity with my diary. My neuro liked the diary. Since I was still having quite a few single seizures & a couple of cluster seizures, he increased the Vimpat & added Klonopin. I'm still having more headaches than normal, more painful than normal too, and the continued diarrhea, but those side effects are nothing compared to what other ep meds did to me.

Anyway, I hadn't been on for a while & wanted to see how you were adjusting.

Shelia
 
I tried Vimpat when it was still in the testing phase (guina pig) for about 8months I've been desprate for somthing to get ahold of my seizures....Anyway I was on it and I didnt get any seizure control but I did get a lot of the side effects that your talking about. My Neurologist had me drop out of the drug testing/ stop the med.
:e:
 
Vimpat and its struggles

AmandaLynn said:
I tried Vimpat when it was still in the testing phase (guina pig) for about 8months I've been desprate for somthing to get ahold of my seizures....Anyway I was on it and I didnt get any seizure control but I did get a lot of the side effects that your talking about. My Neurologist had me drop out of the drug testing/ stop the med.
:e:
Click to expand...

Go to vimpat.com. I have been on Vimpat for atleast a couple of years now. I was on it for a while, it made me to tired. I got off the drug and then got back on it. I would not suggest this for anyone else, but I cut back this drug because it was making me to tired and it was causing more siezures. Tonic Clonic are almost gone now. Just nocturnal and the computer or if I get sick. I still have myoclonic. But it causes me to have more partial complex. All day.
So now I allow myself to take 50 mlg am and 100pm. I don't even know if that is at the point where it works. But I know I feel better. I still have my Keppra, Lorazepam,and another that I am unable to remember right now. I once believed in vimpat, the Dr.s treated it as a god. Maybe for some, not me.
 
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