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Medication for simple partial seizures
Wed, 03/05/2008 - 19:53For those of you who currently have, or have in the past had simple partial seizures... what type of medication/treatment worked best for controlling them for you. Also, if you don't mind sharing, what were your seizures like?
I have simple partials in my left hand and arm... weakness, gripping, twitching, full seizing... as well as in my tongue and jaw making it hard to speak breifly (though this is less often than the arm)
I have also had a couple grand mals (in my sleep/nocturnal) about 5 years ago but they are fully under control with my medication.
In the past I took tegretol (almost 4 years) which controlled things well but caused immense weight gain... so I switch to a low dose of topomax. I have been on this for almost 2 years and am back to my "normal weight" but I have a few more simple partials than I used to on tegretol... I also get B12 shots which seem to help but I have to go back once a month for those.
thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your reponses.
Comments
Re: Medication for simple partial seizures
Submitted by kcox1228 on Fri, 2008-03-28 - 19:31
that is really interesting what you said about your simple partials going off the charts right before your period because it is exactly the same for me! 2-3 days prior, seems like no matter what I do they get really bad. The rest of the month as long as I get enough sleep, and don't have too much stress on my body like getting sick, working out too hard, etc I don't have much simple partial activity.
Tegretol seemed to control them a bit better for me but I was also on a higher dose and it caused a big weight gain for me, but the doctor said that was really unusual... he said they have seen some weight gain but not like mine usually.
I, also like you, do stuggle with feeling like I could use a nap everyday and I do have a hard time with words and recalling names... I have been on topamax for 2 yrs.
that is really interesting what you said about your simple partials going off the charts right before your period because it is exactly the same for me! 2-3 days prior, seems like no matter what I do they get really bad. The rest of the month as long as I get enough sleep, and don't have too much stress on my body like getting sick, working out too hard, etc I don't have much simple partial activity.
Tegretol seemed to control them a bit better for me but I was also on a higher dose and it caused a big weight gain for me, but the doctor said that was really unusual... he said they have seen some weight gain but not like mine usually.
I, also like you, do stuggle with feeling like I could use a nap everyday and I do have a hard time with words and recalling names... I have been on topamax for 2 yrs.
Re: Medication for simple partial seizures
Submitted by t_bedi on Fri, 2009-07-24 - 15:24
I was diagnosed with epilepsy since I was 10 years old, I am 20 now and I have been taking dilantin ever since.
I get simple partial seizures and they affect my upper lip and my right hand. My right hand tends to curl inwards and the muscles around my hand flex as much as possible. My upper lip tends to droop a little bit, but thats about it. These partials last for about 5 seconds, sometimes they go on for 10,15 seconds.
My doctor recommended that i should switch to Lamotrigine, but after reading up about it, and how everyone seems to be sleepless, dizzy and speech impaired, I have decidied not to switch and just deal with the partials.
The partials also happen in cycles. For months I will be episode-free but during times of high stress and depression, the partials happen continuously; sometimes even 20 times in a day.
I personally feel If i am mentally healthy, the Dilantin works perfectly, however it is difficult to stay mentally healthy 365 days a year, so thats the only downfall.
I was diagnosed with epilepsy since I was 10 years old, I am 20 now and I have been taking dilantin ever since.
I get simple partial seizures and they affect my upper lip and my right hand. My right hand tends to curl inwards and the muscles around my hand flex as much as possible. My upper lip tends to droop a little bit, but thats about it. These partials last for about 5 seconds, sometimes they go on for 10,15 seconds.
My doctor recommended that i should switch to Lamotrigine, but after reading up about it, and how everyone seems to be sleepless, dizzy and speech impaired, I have decidied not to switch and just deal with the partials.
The partials also happen in cycles. For months I will be episode-free but during times of high stress and depression, the partials happen continuously; sometimes even 20 times in a day.
I personally feel If i am mentally healthy, the Dilantin works perfectly, however it is difficult to stay mentally healthy 365 days a year, so thats the only downfall.
Re: Medication for simple partial seizures
Submitted by jaamaa on Fri, 2008-03-28 - 14:33
I have been using topamax for the last four years for simple partial seizures...unfortunately when my stress levels go up so do incidents of grand mals....3 in the last year....I'm not up to the maximum level of Topamax...450 mgs. a day...3 days before my period the simple partials are off the charts!.....7-10 a day (from what I've been reading due to the estrogen rise in my body) so I've got to switch to another med. but I'm so scared to try another....tried Lamictal for 2 days and was so zombied...dizzy and loopy there was no way I could function in my job (histopathology) to even attempt to last the 1-2 month switchover period....anybody had any experiences with Topamax ceasing to work after a period of time and is there anything out there that doesn't leave you tired....I feel like going to bed at 7:00 every night....no energy for anything.... Not to mention the brain fog and can't think of words and putting sentences together!