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Break Through Seizures on Lamictal??

Fri, 06/19/2009 - 19:18

Hi everyone. I have several questions and Im very confused right now, maybe someone can shed a light on this situation. Im 24, I had my first grand mal seizure 4 years ago. I was hospitalized because I hit my head and was knocked out for a day straight.. About half a year after, I had another seizure, in my sleep and was taken to the hospital as well. This time a resident neurologist prescribed Lamictal to me. He told me to build up, 25mg, then 50.. etc till I finally reached 100mg tablets, twice a day. Everything was perfect, 2 years I havent had a single seizure..

The Doctor and I have descided to try to lower the medication, or get rid of it completely, since my EEG and MRI's showed no problem, and no-one in my family has ever had seizures.. We began lowering the dose, and as soon as it got to 25mg, twice daily, I had another seizure.. Then we decided to go back to the dose I was taking, and I slowly began building up back to 100mg twice a day.. On my way up I had another seizure.. afterwards I stayed on 100mg twice a day, and everything was fine for about another 6-7 month.

Then I was moved to generic, lamotrigine, and I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I had another grand mal seizure.. My doctor moved me to Brand name Lamictal again, and got the autorization from my insurance so I get Lamictal, not generic.. He also bumped up my dosage to 100mg morning, and 150mg at night. 

Everything was fine for another 5 months, then last week I had another seizure, right before I was about to go to bed.. I thought it was because I took my Lamictal a few hours later then I usually did. Then 3 days ago, I had another grand mal seizure, this time right after I woke up.. Now Im worried.. I have never had seizure so frequently. This time I was taken to a hospital.  They put the EEG on my as soon as I arrived, and did not give me any Lamictal at all. I was on the EEG for 3 days,I was sleep deprived since the hospital kept me awake most of the night + I didnt take any lamictal while I was there, and still didnt have a single seizure.. After 3 days of testing, they said everything is fine and discharged me.

Now I do not understand, does this mean the Lamictal is not working for me anymore, or was this a break through seizure??? (To be honest I was kinda stressed and tired, and lacked some sleep this past week) But since I was on lamictal I though that wouldnt matter.. My neurologist is not telling me anything usefull, just bumped up my dose of Lamictal another 50 mg. Now its 150mg morning, 150mg at night.. I was pushing for 200mg twice a day, but he said they only increase little by litte, since too much of it might also increase seizures. But somehow I find it hard to believe that the extra 50mg will keep me safe.

Also what seemed weird is that, my aura before a seizure, is the same as a side effect of Lamictal.. I get really dizzy moments before a seizure happens..

Did anyone experience anything like this?? Does this mean my body is adapting to Lamictal and reducing it effect.. Im not really comfortable having a seizure every 3-4 months, and then having my dosage bumped up another 50mg.. If everything was fine before, even on 100mg twice a day.. Can someone shine some light on this situation??? I would appreciate it..

Comments

Re: Break Through Seizures on Lamictal??

Submitted by Dagmar on Mon, 2009-11-16 - 18:17

I've been on 250mg 3x/day.  I had been doing well until August when I started getting the bad simple partial szs, the kind that lead to the partial complex.  I have had no side-effects on Lamictal and it has been one of the best meds I've been on, and now this!  I also have the VNS which helped my simple partials.  I literally lived in them.  I could not count them, it was like counting how many times you're happy during the day - you can't.  Now I don't live in them.  I can count them - but ever since August, they have been coming very forcefully.

 

Dagmar

I've been on 250mg 3x/day.  I had been doing well until August when I started getting the bad simple partial szs, the kind that lead to the partial complex.  I have had no side-effects on Lamictal and it has been one of the best meds I've been on, and now this!  I also have the VNS which helped my simple partials.  I literally lived in them.  I could not count them, it was like counting how many times you're happy during the day - you can't.  Now I don't live in them.  I can count them - but ever since August, they have been coming very forcefully.

 

Dagmar

Re: Break Through Seizures on Lamictal??

Submitted by wynterz on Wed, 2011-05-04 - 20:34

I take Petit-mal seziures and Lamictal was my first drug and it started at 25mg, 50mg, 100mg,150mg and now 200mg.

They are trying to slowly take me off Lamictal now.

I was on it for 8 years I think and got put on to zonegran aswell because doctors told me I could develope Grand-mal seizures because I've been taking lamictal for so long.

I've had epilepsy since i was 8 im not 21 this year and still take abscences with two drugs, Zonegran was a new drug just out when I got it so maybe I was a test subject I dunno, But it just possibly is a side effect of your body getting used to the dosage if you read your leaflet it says side effects. When I first went onto lamictal I took more abscences than I did when i first started taking seizures.

 

I take Petit-mal seziures and Lamictal was my first drug and it started at 25mg, 50mg, 100mg,150mg and now 200mg.

They are trying to slowly take me off Lamictal now.

I was on it for 8 years I think and got put on to zonegran aswell because doctors told me I could develope Grand-mal seizures because I've been taking lamictal for so long.

I've had epilepsy since i was 8 im not 21 this year and still take abscences with two drugs, Zonegran was a new drug just out when I got it so maybe I was a test subject I dunno, But it just possibly is a side effect of your body getting used to the dosage if you read your leaflet it says side effects. When I first went onto lamictal I took more abscences than I did when i first started taking seizures.

 

Re: Break Through Seizures on Lamictal??

Submitted by wynterz on Wed, 2011-05-04 - 20:34

I take Petit-mal seziures and Lamictal was my first drug and it started at 25mg, 50mg, 100mg,150mg and now 200mg.

They are trying to slowly take me off Lamictal now.

I was on it for 8 years I think and got put on to zonegran aswell because doctors told me I could develope Grand-mal seizures because I've been taking lamictal for so long.

I've had epilepsy since i was 8 im not 21 this year and still take abscences with two drugs, Zonegran was a new drug just out when I got it so maybe I was a test subject I dunno, But it just possibly is a side effect of your body getting used to the dosage if you read your leaflet it says side effects. When I first went onto lamictal I took more abscences than I did when i first started taking seizures.

 

I take Petit-mal seziures and Lamictal was my first drug and it started at 25mg, 50mg, 100mg,150mg and now 200mg.

They are trying to slowly take me off Lamictal now.

I was on it for 8 years I think and got put on to zonegran aswell because doctors told me I could develope Grand-mal seizures because I've been taking lamictal for so long.

I've had epilepsy since i was 8 im not 21 this year and still take abscences with two drugs, Zonegran was a new drug just out when I got it so maybe I was a test subject I dunno, But it just possibly is a side effect of your body getting used to the dosage if you read your leaflet it says side effects. When I first went onto lamictal I took more abscences than I did when i first started taking seizures.

 

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