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EPILEPSY

Wed, 03/29/2006 - 16:51
I CANT COMES TO GRIPS WITH HAVING A SEIZURE DISORDER. ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ASK ME HOW DID THIS HAPPEN. I'M 33 AND I'M SO UPSET THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME. I THOUGHT I WAS ALWAYS HEALTHY. I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN I WAS A SMALL CHILD I DON'T REMEMBER BEING SICK THAT MUCH. DO THEY CALL IT ADULT ONSET EPILEPSY FOR UNKNOWN CAUSE. SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO EXPECT I HAVEN'T HAD A PASS OUT SEIZURE I'M ALWAYS WOKE AND I KNOW I'M HAVING ONE BUT AS LONG I TAKE MY MEDS WILL I HAVE A MORE SERIOUS SEIZURE

Comments

Re: Re: EPILEPSY

Submitted by scorpio on Tue, 2006-04-04 - 06:10
Dan Ref your comment about too much medication 'provoking' seizures this migtht be due to interaction between different AEDs rather than the quantities taken per se. It is well known that some AEDs (Phenytoin is one) reduce the serum levels of others taken concurrently. Conversely, there are one or two that have the opposite effect. So, rather than 'provoking' seizures some drugs are just reducing the efficacy of others that might otherwise prevent them. Like you, I speak from personal experience... If that is still a problem the above might be worth looking in to. Chris

Re: Re: Re: EPILEPSY

Submitted by Dan Marple on Wed, 2006-04-05 - 22:59
Thanks for the info. You do make a good argument. Another possibility is that a person who is heavily sedated as a side effect of even one medication alone may be more susceptible to being over-stressed, leading to seizures. Also heavy sedation from medication can make it hard for a person to get the exercise they need to deal with stress. I had this experience with Zarontin, Depakene, and Dilantin. Each was my only medication at the time I took it. I have never taken more than 1 anticonvulsant at any time in my life. I have no problems with Tegretol alone because I never really had any noticeable side effects from it. However, I seem more alert today given I was taking more than double the dose 16 years ago.

Re: EPILEPSY

Submitted by Nylrad on Mon, 2006-04-03 - 17:43
I always thought Adult Onset Epilepsy was called that if your seizures began after you became an adult and for no other know reason (like trauma to the head). But I'm no doctor, my history sounds a little like yours. I was 25 years old before I had my first seizure; just had it while at work one day, then I had several and spent over two months in the hospital with repetitive grand mals. But since then, I've only had two other full seizures and mine have always been nocturnal. I guess I'm glad that I'm sleeping when I have them, it saves me from the fear anyway. As far as how did it happen, your family and friends will come around after a while. It's just because they don't know how to react because they don't understand it. Learn about it yourself and it will make it easier for you to explain to them that it isn't anything you did, or anything you need to be embarassed about; it's just something that you have and you are learning how to manage the best way possible. I know there is ALWAYS someone else who has it a whole lot worse than I do. Good luck and take your meds:)

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