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combination of lamictal and topamax

Mon, 12/17/2007 - 03:45

I developed epilepsy 9 years ago, i was on epilim for a number of years unsuccessfully, and have been on lamictal for the past 4 years, i am on 400mg. I was still having seizures and went to see my neuro he added in 200mg of topamax which i have been on for the past 4 months but my seizures have increased and have gone from nocturnal to during the day (complex partial). My neuro is now gradually increasing my dose to 400mg. My condition seems to be getting worse rather than getting better since i started on the topamax and im wondering if the increase in dose will help or just lead to more seizures.

He then suggested at the end, if this doesnt work he will reccommend that i go to the epilepsy clinic, where they will take me off all my medication and wait for me to have a seizure then do some tests and scans, to see if im a candidate for surgery.

I am wondering has anyone else been on the same dose 400mg of lamictal and 400mg of topamax, and has it helped? The thought of surgery isnt pleasant!

My neuro also hasnt performed any blood tests for my medication levels, i asked him about this and his reply was " You cant check the levels for these particular drugs". is this true?

Comments

Re: combination of lamictal and topamax

Submitted by lynn_linus on Sat, 2008-01-26 - 21:59
i had been seeing a neurologist that had put me on the 400 mg dose of lamictal and i was on a 100 mg dose of topomax and then recently started seeing a new neurologist who did test those levels and got back with me and said the lamictal level was more than twice what it was supposed to be in my blood. he is slowly backing it down to 300 mg and slowly increasing my topomax to 200 mg. you might wanna be sure to keep a tab on your lamictal level at that dose.

Re: combination of lamictal and topamax

Submitted by Seruzies on Mon, 2008-04-07 - 22:07

"You cant check the levels for these particular drugs"

Then why has my Neuro been sending me to the blood lab almost every week for a month to get my Lamictal level checked? I just started Lamictal a few weeks ago, and am only taking Lamictal. My Dr doesn't like to combine drugs, he wants to find one that works for me and get the level to a theraputic dosage and stick to it. My level is good for now according to the last blood test I had, and my Dr was happy with my progress on Lamictal. Along with being able to eat better, and the changing to a warmer season, Lamictal seems to be working fine for me right now. I've never tried Topomax, and as well as I'm doing on Lamictal, I don't want to change anything. I call BS on your Dr saying, "You cant check the levels for these particular drugs". Now, it makes me want to go to the lab I go to get my levels checked, and see if they say the same thing.   

"You cant check the levels for these particular drugs"

Then why has my Neuro been sending me to the blood lab almost every week for a month to get my Lamictal level checked? I just started Lamictal a few weeks ago, and am only taking Lamictal. My Dr doesn't like to combine drugs, he wants to find one that works for me and get the level to a theraputic dosage and stick to it. My level is good for now according to the last blood test I had, and my Dr was happy with my progress on Lamictal. Along with being able to eat better, and the changing to a warmer season, Lamictal seems to be working fine for me right now. I've never tried Topomax, and as well as I'm doing on Lamictal, I don't want to change anything. I call BS on your Dr saying, "You cant check the levels for these particular drugs". Now, it makes me want to go to the lab I go to get my levels checked, and see if they say the same thing.   

Re: combination of lamictal and topamax

Submitted by dbrown44 on Thu, 2012-03-15 - 02:50
I agree. My Dr. has been checking the levels of lamactil in my system as well. The whole point being that changing medication may be the only chance I have of not having more seizures based on what my liver is holding and dispensing.

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