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Tired: Seizures vs. Medication vs. Depression
Wed, 05/26/2010 - 15:02I'm currently taking Keppra 500mg twice daily for epilepsy and am also on Lexapro 20mg at bedtime for depression. I am literally exhausted and unmotivated all day, every day. I'm so fatigued, I just want to sleep constantly. The Lexapro does not seem to be helping the depression issues. And being on the Keppra has only made me feel more tired and unmotivated.
My primary had put me on Wellbutrin which caused me to have a grand mal seizure (I have absence seizures typically). Now I have to be on Keppra to prevent another grand mal seizure so that I can get my driver's license back. Meanwhile, I'm off the Wellbutrin and have switched primary care physicians. My new primary care doc has me on a low dose of Lexapro.
I'm just so tired of being tired all of the time. My doc insists my bloodwork is normal. My neurologist insists the Keppra is the right drug. My husband's patience is wearing thin with seeing his wife sleep all of the time and sit on the couch all day long.
Has anyone else dealt with anti-depressant and anti-convulsant med therapy?
Re: Tired: Seizures vs. Medication vs. Depression
Submitted by bleedingheart on Sun, 2010-12-19 - 04:00
Hi
Perhaps you could ask the doctor if a time-release medication could be prescribed, if you are not taking one now, so that side-effects could be minimised through gradual elimination of the drug throughout the day It might give you a constant supply throughout the day and because of the gradual release of medication to your bloodstream, the side-effects may be minimised as compared to having severe side effects at peak efficiency sooner with a drug that is released all at once and needs to be constantly repleneshed to maintain its anticonvulsant or antidepressant effect. I think a time realease option may be better to give you the least amount of medciation needed with the fewest side-effects. Hope this helps.
Hi
Perhaps you could ask the doctor if a time-release medication could be prescribed, if you are not taking one now, so that side-effects could be minimised through gradual elimination of the drug throughout the day It might give you a constant supply throughout the day and because of the gradual release of medication to your bloodstream, the side-effects may be minimised as compared to having severe side effects at peak efficiency sooner with a drug that is released all at once and needs to be constantly repleneshed to maintain its anticonvulsant or antidepressant effect. I think a time realease option may be better to give you the least amount of medciation needed with the fewest side-effects. Hope this helps.