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anger and rage

Tue, 06/22/2010 - 14:47
I am on 900mg trileptal generic and been doing very well.I am concerned about these extreme bouts of rage.Where do they fit in the picture.Are they related to a seizure or just another side effect of medication or symptom of left tle?I am on a slow burn of anger all the time but I try to hide it from my kids.Every once in a while it erupts-I smash sweepers when they dont pick up what i want them to and I throw stuff out windows and follow up by busting it up.Its never directed at people-only things although I do scream and yell at offending people and have been told I am hateful,but I generally control that.Although i have a corroborating eeg and classical symptoms,they could only catch on VEEG what they call a paroxysmal nes.With my meds I know longer have hallucinations and I dont feel on the brink of madness and Im not misplacing time so I feel like Im doing pretty good except for this.Dont feel like my psychologist is of any help and went off my celexa months ago-it was worthless-Im not a big fan of the "soft sciences"

Comments

Re: anger and rage

Submitted by zealot on Sat, 2010-11-06 - 10:49

Dot,

Effexor is not for anxiety.  It is an anti-depressant and causes anxiety as a very common side effect.  I don't know anyone who could tolerate it for long.  It also is a huge seizure risk.

Depakote is a new formulation of a very old, well-tested med.  I do not believe that it is especially effective for TLE, although it greately reduced my sensitivity to photic induced seizures.  It did nothing else and the side effects caused me to have to discontinue it. 

I was up in toxic range with my idiot shrink insisting I take even more even though it wasn't working and just making me sick.  I put my foot down and said no.  If I can ever get to a neuro, I may ask about a low dose adjunct to the Keppra even though I hate the stuff, but I have to lower my seizure risk.  I'll have to see.

I also used the running to the bathroom trick at the office.  It's a good one.  Discretion is the better part of valor.

Hashem was looking after you!  A psychiatrist who diagnosed epilepsy!  Wow.  I had epileptiform activity on my EEG and baseline LTL wave slowing with spikes and all the neuros at Montefiore would do is tell me about my "complicated psychiatric condition."  Huh?

If you are getting brand name Tegretol CR you are blessed, once again.  Tegretol and Trileptal are the gold standards for TLE.  Unfortunately, the hyponatremia and allergies make them impossible for me to take.  The Trileptal actually could have worked if I were not at toxic levels and not suffering from hyponatremia.

Now I'm stuck with Keppra.  I hate it, but it keeps me alive.  I'd be in status epilepticus without it and then I'd be dead.  I prefer being sick.  I'd prefer being well.

Baruch Hashem.  Hoshia na.

Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help! Please read my blog. Thanks.

the new blog post from the zeelot

Dot,

Effexor is not for anxiety.  It is an anti-depressant and causes anxiety as a very common side effect.  I don't know anyone who could tolerate it for long.  It also is a huge seizure risk.

Depakote is a new formulation of a very old, well-tested med.  I do not believe that it is especially effective for TLE, although it greately reduced my sensitivity to photic induced seizures.  It did nothing else and the side effects caused me to have to discontinue it. 

I was up in toxic range with my idiot shrink insisting I take even more even though it wasn't working and just making me sick.  I put my foot down and said no.  If I can ever get to a neuro, I may ask about a low dose adjunct to the Keppra even though I hate the stuff, but I have to lower my seizure risk.  I'll have to see.

I also used the running to the bathroom trick at the office.  It's a good one.  Discretion is the better part of valor.

Hashem was looking after you!  A psychiatrist who diagnosed epilepsy!  Wow.  I had epileptiform activity on my EEG and baseline LTL wave slowing with spikes and all the neuros at Montefiore would do is tell me about my "complicated psychiatric condition."  Huh?

If you are getting brand name Tegretol CR you are blessed, once again.  Tegretol and Trileptal are the gold standards for TLE.  Unfortunately, the hyponatremia and allergies make them impossible for me to take.  The Trileptal actually could have worked if I were not at toxic levels and not suffering from hyponatremia.

Now I'm stuck with Keppra.  I hate it, but it keeps me alive.  I'd be in status epilepticus without it and then I'd be dead.  I prefer being sick.  I'd prefer being well.

Baruch Hashem.  Hoshia na.

Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help! Please read my blog. Thanks.

the new blog post from the zeelot

Re: anger and rage

Submitted by zealot on Sat, 2010-11-06 - 00:56

Mel,

It could be the med, it could be the szs, it could be both.

Also, it only feels like rage.  If you realy analyse it, it feels like your brain is going to explode, but you're not really angry because there's nothing to be angry about.  It's just "stupid brain tricks."

We learn to interpret certain sensations as emotions, but that doesn't mean they are.  I had to learn to figure out am I anxious because I have a stomach ache or do I have a stomach ache because I'm anxious?

See what I mean?  If you can figure that out you can get a handle on this "rage" thing.  Understanding the source can get it from a serious problem to a manageable one.

Still, it's something you need to tell your doctor.  If your head feels that bad, you've got a problem.  I know with me, the "rage" was from seizures, most of them medication induced.  I stilll get the "rage" seizures, but now I understand I'm not angry, I just feel like my brains are about to blow.

I'm getting much better about not blowing up in response to it.  If I'm in public and I think I'm gonna have a problem, I just let peope know I'm not feeling well and apologise in advance.  It helps in case I mess up.  You don't have to say you're having a seizure.  I use low blood sugar as an explanation.  It happens to be true because I have a problem with low blood sugar and it makes me seize.

I'm sure you have something you can use and still be truthful.  Talk to your doc.  Exploding brains are not a good thing.  If you are taking 450mgs twice a day you might want to ask your doc about taking 300mgs every eight hours.  It keeps the med levels more stable and you might even be able to reduce the dose slightly.  You'd have to be monitored.

Also, is there a pattern to the "rages?"  Do they happen at certain times of the day or in certain circumstances?  Try to keep track.  This will help you and your docs figure out what the problem is.  It's not something we should have to live with because it is a sign that something is wrong.

Baruch Hashem.  Hoshia na.

Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help!  Please read my blog.  That's the link.

Mel,

It could be the med, it could be the szs, it could be both.

Also, it only feels like rage.  If you realy analyse it, it feels like your brain is going to explode, but you're not really angry because there's nothing to be angry about.  It's just "stupid brain tricks."

We learn to interpret certain sensations as emotions, but that doesn't mean they are.  I had to learn to figure out am I anxious because I have a stomach ache or do I have a stomach ache because I'm anxious?

See what I mean?  If you can figure that out you can get a handle on this "rage" thing.  Understanding the source can get it from a serious problem to a manageable one.

Still, it's something you need to tell your doctor.  If your head feels that bad, you've got a problem.  I know with me, the "rage" was from seizures, most of them medication induced.  I stilll get the "rage" seizures, but now I understand I'm not angry, I just feel like my brains are about to blow.

I'm getting much better about not blowing up in response to it.  If I'm in public and I think I'm gonna have a problem, I just let peope know I'm not feeling well and apologise in advance.  It helps in case I mess up.  You don't have to say you're having a seizure.  I use low blood sugar as an explanation.  It happens to be true because I have a problem with low blood sugar and it makes me seize.

I'm sure you have something you can use and still be truthful.  Talk to your doc.  Exploding brains are not a good thing.  If you are taking 450mgs twice a day you might want to ask your doc about taking 300mgs every eight hours.  It keeps the med levels more stable and you might even be able to reduce the dose slightly.  You'd have to be monitored.

Also, is there a pattern to the "rages?"  Do they happen at certain times of the day or in certain circumstances?  Try to keep track.  This will help you and your docs figure out what the problem is.  It's not something we should have to live with because it is a sign that something is wrong.

Baruch Hashem.  Hoshia na.

Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help!  Please read my blog.  That's the link.

Re: anger and rage

Submitted by tcameron on Mon, 2010-11-08 - 02:04

Anger and rage could be a side effect of your medication, but  it could also be a seizure trigger.  It's important that your neurologist is aware of this.  Perhaps he can help you with your feelings.  Some AED's cause these feelings, other times they're caused by the seizure disorder.

It's imperative that you keep a calendar of these feelings, so your neurolgist can be aware of what is going on.  Also, make sure to keep your menstrual periods on the seizure diary.  

Please make sure he is aware of this, so you can adjust to these feelings.

Good luck!

T. Cameron

Anger and rage could be a side effect of your medication, but  it could also be a seizure trigger.  It's important that your neurologist is aware of this.  Perhaps he can help you with your feelings.  Some AED's cause these feelings, other times they're caused by the seizure disorder.

It's imperative that you keep a calendar of these feelings, so your neurolgist can be aware of what is going on.  Also, make sure to keep your menstrual periods on the seizure diary.  

Please make sure he is aware of this, so you can adjust to these feelings.

Good luck!

T. Cameron

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