Anyone currently taking seizure meds?
Just wondering about side effects etc.
Anyone currently taking seizure meds?
Just wondering about side effects etc.
Well darn, that sucks...



Yes...
I have very few side effects, thank god.
What are you taking/planning on taking?
"I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade.
And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka and have a party."[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man."
I don't know yet.
I had a seizure while driving down Rt 146... with my daughter in the car. We ended up drifting across the high speed lane and hit the Jersey barrier.
My doctor seems to think i've been having partial seizures for awhile. I've had three episodes where i've lost conciousness now. The two times before the car accident I just thought they were simple faiting episodes.
I'm just trying to collect whatever info I can on meds as what i've read sounds crappy as far as side effects go.
I'm just kinda bummed out right now.
Thanks for answering.



My niece does, however she is 9. She has partial seizures and on a rare occasion has a grand mal stemming from a bout with encephalitis last year. She takes Phenobarbital and Tegretol. She has issues with her weight, but to be fair she always kind of did, but with the anti-seizure meds she is now classified as morbidly obese and weighs in at around 140 pounds. They also make her extremely fatigued. So my sister is having a problem getting her to get her butt moving to work out. The Phenobarbital is the worst of the two, she was heavy but not this heavy when she was only the Tegretol.
But also it effects a child differently than an adult.
Yes, the side effects are pretty bad but the payoff usually makes them worth it.
I am glad to hear you and your daughter are okay! That must have been scary!
Ya. I thank god neither of us was hurt. I got bruised up from jouncing against the door while out but that's it. We both had seatbelts on and when I went out my foot must have come off the gas so we lost some speed.
The whole thing has me pretty rattled and quite frankly a little depressed.
I can't drive which means I can't get around at all unless my other half is home and he's putting in extra hours to make up for me being out of work for a bit.
I'm worried about the weight gain thing with anticunvulsant meds. Blah.



First of all, I'm glad you and your daughter are ok! I've meet two other girls who found out they had a seizure disorder in that same way. So scary!
I had a similer experience in not knowing for years that I had been having seizures. I went to so many doctors and they all told me it was low blood sugarWhen I finally realized I wasn't just "fainting", I skipped all the BS and went right to a neurologist.
Seizure disorders cannot be cured, but they can be treated. Not all seizure meds are horrible, but you may have to work through a few to find one that works for you.
As you research, keep in mind that there are many different types of seizures, which vary in duration and sevarity. There is a big difference between a "grand mal" a.ka. tonic-clonic seizure (the type most people associate with epilepsy and seizures) vs. a simple partial seizure (some people don't even know they are having them). So likewise, some of the strongest meds may not even be what you need.
Check out epilespy.com - it's probably the best resource on the web.
If you have any questions, PM me.![]()
"I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade.
And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka and have a party."[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man."
Thanks for the info and the link.
Right now I want to make sure the cause isn't something shitty like a tumor or lesion on my brain or some sort of heart defect.
I also just want my independance back.![]()
A family member recently had a seizure. He is one year out from a traumatic brain bleed, so while it was surprising, it wasn't unexpected. His doc put him on Keppra because the side effect profile would be more tolerable to someone who is older ( in his 70s and crotchety, so not likely to tolerate much) and he was able to start driving after being on the med for 10 days.
Oh I'm sorry Sirona that sucks! To give you some hope, the hardest part of any disorder is getting diagnosed. Once you know what you're dealing with, you can treat it. Many people who have seizures live totally normal lives.
^^^ Ya I know.
Just in the meantime not being allowed to drive is really bumming me out.
It's doesn't sound like a big deal but I can't get to work and just sitting around all day suuuuuucks.
I'll feel better after I get all my testing out of the way and find out what course of treatment i'll be using.
^^^
Totally. I understand how important driving is believe me. I didn't have a care for a month and a half and went damn near insane. But it will be over soon and you won't have to deal with it!
Feeling tired is a common side effect of a lot of anti seizure meds.
^^^ Ya. I've been doing a lot of reading.
I don't want to get fat or lose my sex drive. I can deal with pretty much anything after that I think.![]()
My uncle takes Keppra. He had a grand mal seizure a few years ago, in his late thirties or early forties, and was diagnosed with adult-onset epilepsy. He wasn't allowed to drive for six months while the medication took hold, but he lives a perfectly normal life now and hasn't had any seizures since starting Keppra. He takes it every 12 hours, at 9 am and 9 pm. He says it has no side effects whatsoever - he certainly doesn't seem fatigued, and he's as skinny as he always was.
hi sirona,
i have JME epilepsy and have since I was 14 years old. I've been on 1500 mg of Depakote since then and it's stopped my seizures for the most part. I havent had many side effects except I get horrible brusing and need to take vitamins (centrum silver)
if I want to have a baby I have to switch meds.. I tried topamax and it made me horribly ill after 2 weeks. feel free to PM me any q's
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