Kappra, Trileptal, and Surgery - Epilepsy Message Board

08-25-2003, 12:03 PM

I took Carbatrol for a few years and no seizures, then I had a few breakthrough partials. My neuro upped my dosage and switched me to Trileptal. The partials still came, and then this past weekend I had a Grand Mal. Those suck. I haven't had one in a while, and I didn't like it one bit. I feel for anyone for whom this is a regular thing because I was useless the entire next day.

Anyway, he is keeping me on Trileptal and adding Keppra. I read the info on Keppra, but it didn't tell me much. From what I can tell it does its work in the brain, and it does not seem to have drastic side-effects. The Carbatrol/Trileptal weren't much of a problem. I was a bit tired at first, but then I got used to it. Does anyone have some opinions? Any help would be appreciated...

Also, he mentioned that surgery was becoming more common. Now, I thought that was a last resort option, and saved only for folks who had no other options. He, however, said that it is now very routine even for folks such as myself. Of course, if he suggests it I would get a second opinion from another neuro, but I wanted to see what the general opinion was here...

Thanks

jsal · 08-25-2003, 12:15 PM

AJR,
My6 year old daughter has been on trileptal for a year now. She continued to have seizures so they added keppra. She still had them. We were told that keppra works best in smaller doses. She started to have more seizures the more we gave her. Also her behaviors were totally out of control. They said that behaviors were the most common side effect of keppra. Trileptal we had no problems.Now we added lamictal and are slowly getting her off the keppra. Hope I helped a little. Who knows it may work differently for you.
jsal

Tigre · 08-25-2003, 02:12 PM

Im on 2000mg a day of keppra for partial complex seizures do to head trauma. I feel that it has worked better than the other drug they had me on first (topamax) but as for the behavioral side effects that ive heard about...well i dont know. I have PTSD from the accident and i dont know if my depression/anxiety/panic attacks are from the PTSD or the keppra now that ive reaed some posts or maybe both combined. Good luck to you and hope that you find the right combo. I also have a question that ive been hesitant to ask. Can partial complex seizures spread and become worse...for instance if not controlled totally by the keppra can they lead to grand mal or something else? Thanks and hope you feel better.

Grumps · 08-25-2003, 02:16 PM

I am also on 2000mg of Keppra a day and have been taking them since June this year - has turned my life around, szr free for the first time in 15 years.

Apart from needing a bit more sleep and yes I have had a few mood swings but nothing drastic. Keppra has given me back my life and independance.

A wonder drug as far as I am concerned

Hope it works well for you too.......

kaymad41 · 08-26-2003, 06:43 AM

Tigre, to answer your question, yes complex partials if not controlled can lead to grand mals. I'm the poster child for this. When I first started having complex-partials I chose not to go on meds because I knew, I just KNEW they'd go away. It's called kindling..seizures open new pathways in the brain leading to more and different types of seizures if not controlled. The seizures did stop for a while and than I had a status grand mal...something that would never have happened if I'd just taken my medication!

I was on dilantin for two years, the side-effects were awful. I'm on Keppra now and it works pretty well, but I do have more of a temper.