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adult onset epilepsy

Sun, 05/20/2007 - 23:19
Looking to see if there are any other women out there with adult onset epilepsy with the complication of migraines and breakthrough complex partial seizures. My tonic clonic seizures have been controlled for one year now with keppra but my complex partials are breaking through the topiramate. They have not found a cause.

Comments

Hello lb34, I am new here

Submitted by spaznurse on Wed, 2007-05-23 - 16:41
Hello lb34, I am new here and had my 1st seizure 4 months ago. it was a biggie..tonic clonic originating in my temporal lobe. I started on Topamax too and have had no further major ones but struggle with smaller ones and may need to increase the dosage, so as with you, med you say, tolerances may be developing with me. I feel my brain getting more irritable lately and am concerned. Plus I have returned to work (and my coworkers are watching me like hawks)and am more stressed, so I have a new trigger. :) I have head and neck injuries in my past. Its also possible I had a seizure when I was pregnant, I thought I fainted and never followed up. This was 27 yrs ago..who knew?? I am now perimenopausal (catamenial/hormonally influenced seizures?) All my MRI's are normal. Lots of nice people here. Keep in touch..it helps to share. :) Sounds like the Top is not helping your headaches...too bad. It helps mine luckily. Spaznurse

Re: Hello lb34, I am new here

Submitted by lb34 on Wed, 2007-05-23 - 18:44
LB Hi spaznurse, wow. Sorry to here about your first grand mal thats how mine started and it was quite a blow to say the least. I am new here too. I am glad you started here earlier than me. It does seem that there is a lot of helpful info on this site. I have also found some interesting info on Google Scholar and then looking up Migraine + epilepsy a lot of medical journals and what not. I never thought much of my migraines even though they were hemiplegic with aura and N/V I'd just tough em out and take the occasional advil. It took the Tonic Clonic to get me to a Neuro. Anyway, ,enough about me. Hope all continues to go well on your topomax. I found it makes me tired they are trying me on a new med called Namenda You might be familiar with it it's for Alzheimers pts but is also effective for epilepsy and migraines. Heck I'll take the Alzheimers coverage at this point:) And it has actuall had the least s/e's of all my meds so far. It's new on the market. Just approved by the FDA. O.K. God Bless You. LB

Re: Hello lb34, I am new here

Submitted by DNA on Fri, 2007-05-25 - 03:42
Hi spaznurse, I am a 45yo critical care RN with a long history of severe migraine problems....I developed complex partial seizures in 2004 but this was not diagnosed as such until a year later...I am now under the care of a neurologist and on lamictal and keppra but am still having problems. I continue to take propranolol and nortriptyline for migraines as well as cafergot. I started to have significant problems with concentration and memory...almost accidently killed a patient at work at which time I took myself off work and have not been able to go back since...I'm having a very difficult time dealing with what now looks to be loss of my 18 year nursing career not to mention the financial and social problems. Even more upsetting than any of this is the fact I feel like I am on the decline in my mental functioning....you mentioned a concern about your brain getting more irritable....what exactly did you mean by this....your co-workers watching you....do my problems sound familiar to you??? I had my initial EEG showing epileptiform discharges....MRI X2 ok....inpatient video EEG abnormal due to interictal waveform abnormalities in my left temporal lobe...interestingly, my migraines are almost always on the left....sorry for going on and on....appreciate any input!!! feeling desperate

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