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PTSD Therapy and Seizures
Mon, 11/07/2011 - 12:37Hey I am new here and I have a question.
I am a recently Medically Retired Veteran of the U.S Army....I was diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering a head injury due to a roadside bomb (IED).
I now have severe PTSD and I was wondering if anyone here was taking some sort of medication to help with the anxiety and depression...the V.A gave me "BUSPIRONE" but now have come to find out that it shouldn't be taken with people with our condition..
If you have any ifno or can help...please let me know
Re: PTSD Therapy and Seizures
Submitted by Spike. on Mon, 2011-11-07 - 18:50
I'm an honorably discharged, disabled American Navy Veteran (1986-1994), who has a service connected disability of epilepsy. If there were not as many cutbacks and negatives when I was in the inactive Navy Reserves, then I would have repeatedly re-enlisted, with the hopes of retiring as well.
Back around 1998 until around late 2001, I was taking both lamotrigine and phenytoin, which I eventually realized was given the side effects of anxiety, memory impairment, and increased seizure frequency. As an inpatient for my second video EEG, the doctor in charge discovered that one of the two medications I was taking, was knocking down the potency of the other medication. He switched the phenytoin over to divalproex, and my seizure frequency decreased greatly, and the side effects of anxiety and memory impairment faded away.
I have no idea what is causing your side effects of anxiety and depression, but the possibilities could be coming from the antiepileptic medications you're taking, and/or the dosage amount of each medications you're currently taking. If you were not experiencing anxiety and depression before taking medication, then the arrows should be pointing towards medication has been the culprit for your anxiety and depression.
What antiepileptic medications are you currently taking? At what dosage amounts, and how many times per day do you take the medications? Is there a particular time of the day when you feel symptoms of anxiety or depression?
Bruce (I'm not a doctor, but instead, an epilepsy support group leader, epilepsy advocate, who has epilepsy.)
I'm an honorably discharged, disabled American Navy Veteran (1986-1994), who has a service connected disability of epilepsy. If there were not as many cutbacks and negatives when I was in the inactive Navy Reserves, then I would have repeatedly re-enlisted, with the hopes of retiring as well.
Back around 1998 until around late 2001, I was taking both lamotrigine and phenytoin, which I eventually realized was given the side effects of anxiety, memory impairment, and increased seizure frequency. As an inpatient for my second video EEG, the doctor in charge discovered that one of the two medications I was taking, was knocking down the potency of the other medication. He switched the phenytoin over to divalproex, and my seizure frequency decreased greatly, and the side effects of anxiety and memory impairment faded away.
I have no idea what is causing your side effects of anxiety and depression, but the possibilities could be coming from the antiepileptic medications you're taking, and/or the dosage amount of each medications you're currently taking. If you were not experiencing anxiety and depression before taking medication, then the arrows should be pointing towards medication has been the culprit for your anxiety and depression.
What antiepileptic medications are you currently taking? At what dosage amounts, and how many times per day do you take the medications? Is there a particular time of the day when you feel symptoms of anxiety or depression?
Bruce (I'm not a doctor, but instead, an epilepsy support group leader, epilepsy advocate, who has epilepsy.)