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Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!
Wed, 12/15/2010 - 22:28Topic: Medication Issues
So a little background on me, I'm on 3000mg Keppra XR and 300mg Lamictal XR for my seizures. Absence and grand mal with no known triggers other than missing meds. I've been on these meds for well over a year and I just sort of exist. Know what I mean?? I'm dealing with depression and insomnia. I stay up pretty much until the point of exhaustion taking over. My mind runs like a mile a minute when I'm laying there trying to sleep. I'm usually up til 3 or 4 am and wake back up between 11am and noon. I'm also dealing with memory loss, I've lost a lot of the info I learned in college. I couldn't remember daily work duties and wound up quitting my job to keep from getting fired. I'm embarassed because of the things I forget daily. I forget everything and feel pretty much like a slug. Can these meds leave me with no motivation to do anything?? Not even take care of myself and my family. Lately, I think I've been experiencing the "Kepprage". I get irritated very easily and angry over little things. The best way I can describe it is that when something bothers me, it's the equivalent of someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard. I'm afraid I'm gonna lash out at my son or husband. Can I do anything to help get back to living a "normal" life? I want to be happy and involved in activities and be able to take good care of my home and family. Any ideas??
Comments
Re: Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!
Submitted by mscoulte on Sun, 2010-12-19 - 12:39
I understand what you are going through! It has been a roller coaster
since we got married in August. He said he doesn't find joy in anything
he does anymore and it generally unhappy all the time. He started taking
Lamictal on Thursday and already his mood has lifted. We actually had
friends over on Friday night and he had a good time. I understand that
lower doses of Lamictal are used to treat depression and bipolar so I'm
attributing the switch in attitude to that. We met with a epileptoligist
at Duke in October bc we weren't happy with the neurologist here in
Greenville, SC. My husband started describing the side effects and he
interuppted him and said, "Let me guess...you're mean to your wife." He
said that this drug is something he may be on for the rest of his life
and that is no way to live. We tried for a couple more months and added
250mg niacin as well, but nothing helped. Hopefully he will be seizure
free on this new medicine. It's 14 weeks today. I'm thankful for every
morning that we are not waken up with a seizure.
Re: Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!
Submitted by ckidd2000 on Sun, 2010-12-19 - 18:49
Has he had any really bad side effects on Lamictal? I am going to call my Neuro tomorrow to see when he can get me in for an appt to switch me. I just want my life back. I have a 11 year old daughter who I want to take to the movies and a 6 year old daughter who I want to volunteer at her school but with Keppra I am afraid to go anywhere and sometimes I feel like things are closing in on me so I just stay cooped up in the house. I haven't even been to church in a month and that is not like me.
Re: Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!
Submitted by ckidd2000 on Sun, 2010-12-19 - 11:34
I have been on Keppra for almost a year now and I have not had any seizures but the side effects are horrible. I have memory problems,very angry all the time amd my husband and I fight all the time,I get dizzy spells in the evening and am getting to the point where I don't want to go out anywhere. I am thinking about trying Lamictal but after hearing some of the horror stories I am really scared to switch.