when the neuro dr checks our levels what does this mean?? - Epilepsy Message Board

vickie45 · 04-07-2008, 11:25 AM

hi everyone ,i was on here last week telling you all that i been on depakote xr 1000 mgs for my seizures well i went 5 whole mos without any then they started back up on mar 30th well i called the neuro dr and hes having my levels checked what does this mean and how can they tell if my dose needs upped or lowered and does it also tell him if my brand im on now needs switched ? if my seizures came back after 5 mos on 1000mgs would this mean i need a higher dose or can being on too high a dose cause it too? i called my reg dr and he increased my xanax i been on 1 mgs since mar 06 i took 3 a day and i tried to ween off myself and my dr said i should never try to do this without his help but i didnt know i thought if i weened off i wouldnt get so tired but it wasnt the xanax i was having seizures everyday since mar 30th i had one mar 30th then april 2,3,4,5,6, so far today i didnt but i allmost did my dr told me to take the 1 mg and not cut in half and man it helped calm me down good i was freaking out crying so im not doing that again he said i may need them for life with my seizures i have tried klonipins and ativan both and they didnt help at all i freaked out so had to go back to xanax i NEVER EVER abuse them i take because i need them otherwise i would be at ER and if i ever get to the point to ween off i will have to be put in hospital he said cause of my seizures so they can keep a eye on me and i found out when my seizures came back thats when my depression came back too so maybe i get some depression with my seizures i hate them but nothing i can do about them i dont have EP i just have a seizure disorder ,oh and the whole 5 mos i was so proud and happy i was singing ,dancing going out to eat driving and listening to music doing all kinds of stuff then on the 30th i was going to drive 30 mins away but hubby was too scared and thank goodness he didnt let me drive because while at my nieces baby shower i had a very bad seizure .so maybe the depakote isnt right for me or something but what i wanted to know is what are they looking for when they test my levels??
thanks any advice would really help me understand more .
((((hugs)))) vickie

dogmom · 04-07-2008, 02:13 PM

Hi....doctors routinely order bloodwork to see if you're at the "therapeutic level" for a particular medication. Sometimes the levels could be too high and that's why you get adverse reactions. Or you may be having seizures because the levels are too low. Doctors make adjustments to your meds according to your seizure activity, how you are dealing w/the side-effects, etc.

I'm sure you got the message when your doctor told you not to wean off meds on your own but it bears repeating...

Don't suddenly stop, or start weaning off of your meds unless you consult your doctor!

It's very dangerous.
Hope you're feeling better

Travis from MN · 04-07-2008, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vickie45

...but what i wanted to know is what are they looking for when they test my levels??
thanks any advice would really help me understand more .
((((hugs)))) vickie

Boiling it down, there is a "therapy range" that a person should be within when on a medication. Seeing where the patients labs come out at will help tell if levels of a medication in our systems are low, normal, or high.

The "therapy range" can be broad, so it is a suggested spectrum I guess is the best way to state it. Example, Dilantin the range is 10-20. That means they should be between those markers, hopefully not too low or high.

Depakote, depending on dose, the range is 40-120 and depending if a person is on mono or polytherapy that also has a bearing with Depakote.

If a person is on multiple medications they may at times have effects on one another, either boosting the drugs levels in our systems, lowering it, or altering the medications half life. It depends on the situation.

Every patient has a "typical result" for their dose as well I have seen based on my past level history. My levels tend to come back the same, while another person on the same dose may produce different results.

I'd say keep a log of your labs and the dose you were on, see if they change. It helps knowing your result history.

--Travis