Just been put on Keppra after having a seizure 2.5 months ago now. I have to gradually come off epanutin as he thought it was doing nothing for me. I am on lamotrigine to. So eventually i will be on Lamotrigine(Lamictal)and Keppra together.
My dosages will eventually be 1000mg of Keppra per day.
I take lamotrigine 2 timed daily to 300mg morning and night.
Can you please let me know how Keppra has been with you and have you found it has improved you.
He told me it will interact with any of the other meds,and it hasn't, only thing is i am really tired easily.But i believe it wears off.
Hello. I was on that combo of Lamictal and Keppra. I found that to be unacceptable for me. I had heightened extremes of emotion on that combo. Lamictal I know does interact with other meds, but I do not know abbt the Keppra. I even had friends who didn't want to be around me when I was on both, but all of the meds did affect me in some way. Lamictal potentiated the action of the Tegretol I was on when I took just those two. I now just take Keppra bcause I hav had surgery, but and do have some emotional side effects although not nearly like I had with the Lamictal added. Even though I notice no effects on mentation or cognitive ability with Keppra, I do notice an increase in emotions. That combo with the Lamictal with was worse for me. Try it first and see if you notice changes or increases in emotional extremes, and notify your doc immeditely. Since had been on so much Tegretol before getting off of it and replacing it with Keppra. I do wonder if the effects of the remaining Tegretol also played a part as well. All of these factors should be considered, but above all else, it is how it works for you regardng your seizures as well as your quality of life. Important is to have a good Epileptologist treating you. Pease locat one if your meds have not produced full seizure conrol. General neuros will not refer you on and will evntually rob you of quality of life if you are not seizure free on the mds. I am serious! Tattoo
I have been on Keppra for about 4-5 months. I take 1000 mg a day & 200mg dilantin also. Keppra made me very tired when I first started. I was able to lower my dilantin & have only had a "minor" seizure since. Give it some time.
I have been on Keppra for about 4 months now, gradually working my way up to 3000mg per day along with 400 mg of dilantin. My g/f says I go through mood swings is the biggest noticeable difference. I have now gone 3 weeks without a seizure. I was on 2000mg of keppra along with 400 mg of dilantin and was still having seizures. I was afraid to have surgery at first because I have already had surgery once to remove a cyst from my left temperal lobe, but if I have to be on this much meds to control my seizures, I am considering having the surgery.
The meds also can decrease the quality of life as we all know. If there is good chance that surgery could rid you of your seizures even if you still need a low dose of a med, and if the neurosurgeon has logged a LOT of successful cases, I would consider surgery too if I were you. If you are not completey controlled and are no in any way hampered with side effects, emoving the problem is a good choice. Just make sure your neurosurgeon has indeed logged a Lot of successful cases. Ask for names of his patients who he has performd he same procedure on. You may know all of this already thopugh. I asked for names and of one an talked a lot before surgery. I left the hospital on less than half the meds I went in on. I also asked how many cases he had done and for how long. Do you go to MINCEP possibly? They are supposed to be the originators of the Comprehensive Eilepsy Program. [url="http://www.mincep.com"]www.mincep.com[/url] Tattoo
Hi there,
Sorry to say but surgery is not for me, as they cannot detect anything on my brain i was told this when i was young. So bad luck there just gotta be as stable as poss for meds. Theres no chance i will ever come off meds. Their for life.
Thanks for your posts great to hear peoples views.
bye Shirleyx.
Who is this They who are telling you there is nothing there? Is your doc a general neuro or Epileptologist at a Compehensive Epilepsy Center. I am assuming that They are general docs. Have you and a VEEG? That's really the best way to locate the focus. It is easy to not be able to detect the spikes on EEG. It really is a hit or miss situation, bu a VEEG give a better chance at locating it. Many people are not even diagnosed until after many years. The only excuse for that is poor care. Think about the years wasted at the hands of inept and arrogant general neuros who do not put the ptient first. If they did, they would refer the patient to a good patient oriented Comprehensive Center once ONE med does not control the patient's siezures. It is your choice to continue with the meds as you are now or to seek care at a Comprehensive Center. After struggling with epilepsy for more than 30 years, I have decided that never again will a general neuro touch me! They do Harm. Tattoo
Hi,
you've obviously have bad experiences by the sounds of it. My brain was scarred at birth, no trace of anything.Never even heard of a veeg, had plenty eeg's though over the years.
Surgerys a hit or a miss really anyway, doesn't mean to say it will cure ya.
my fits are few and far between anyhow, don't fancy getting my head cut open. thanks. I have been happy over they years with my neuro, sorry your so angry.
Bye Shirleyx.
I have the same problem you have they cannot do surgery..I have had this since I was 14 years they are now saying it may be lightning flash damage. either way I cannot come off the meds.
Hi I have had this since I was 14 I have done just about everything I wanted to do in life. NO, I have never gotten my license but I find other ways of getting around.. my quality of life is great! I have worked on trains, rode horses, snowmobiled stayed fit.. drove tractors..even drove the train once LOL .. went to dances, played music.. nothing was ever bad so to say.. the way I see it and this is for you too shirl do what ever you want in life... you write your own contract so live it!
Yeh your right, lifes what you make it yourself!! Not my problem if others aren't pleased. I am not in the states. Canot receive surgery anyway so its just tough, not the only one in the world.
Go with the flow...............
everydays a new venture..............
i have my license but i hope to receive it next year again.
tc Shirlx.
Yeh your right, lifes what you make it yourself!! Not my problem if others aren't pleased. I am not in the states. Canot receive surgery anyway so its just tough, not the only one in the world.
Go with the flow...............
everydays a new venture..............
i have my license but i hope to receive it next year again.
tc Shirlx.
Originally posted by Tattoo: Who is this They who are telling you there is nothing there? Is your doc a general neuro or Epileptologist at a Compehensive Epilepsy Center. I am assuming that They are general docs. Have you and a VEEG? That's really the best way to locate the focus. It is easy to not be able to detect the spikes on EEG. It really is a hit or miss situation, bu a VEEG give a better chance at locating it. Many people are not even diagnosed until after many years. The only excuse for that is poor care. Think about the years wasted at the hands of inept and arrogant general neuros who do not put the ptient first. If they did, they would refer the patient to a good patient oriented Comprehensive Center once ONE med does not control the patient's siezures. It is your choice to continue with the meds as you are now or to seek care at a Comprehensive Center. After struggling with epilepsy for more than 30 years, I have decided that never again will a general neuro touch me! They do Harm. Tattoo
I am quite interested in your response. I too was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, at the tender age of 32. While my doc seems like a nice enough guy, seems to care etc, I still felt very uninformed about WHAT exactly was causing this. Like Shirley, I was told that I probably had scarring from birth (lesions), yet he also said my mri and ct's "looked good". I guess my eeg was decisive enough to put me on meds. But I still feel as though I am travelling down a steep path, blindfolded. Any info you could share would be much appreciated.
Keppra! 
my quality of life is great! I have worked on trains, rode horses, snowmobiled stayed fit.. drove tractors..even drove the train once LOL .. went to dances, played music.. nothing was ever bad so to say.. the way I see it and this is for you too shirl 
