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Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!

Wed, 12/15/2010 - 22:28
So a little background on me, I'm on 3000mg Keppra XR and 300mg Lamictal XR for my seizures. Absence and grand mal with no known triggers other than missing meds. I've been on these meds for well over a year and I just sort of exist. Know what I mean?? I'm dealing with depression and insomnia. I stay up pretty much until the point of exhaustion taking over. My mind runs like a mile a minute when I'm laying there trying to sleep. I'm usually up til 3 or 4 am and wake back up between 11am and noon. I'm also dealing with memory loss, I've lost a lot of the info I learned in college. I couldn't remember daily work duties and wound up quitting my job to keep from getting fired. I'm embarassed because of the things I forget daily. I forget everything and feel pretty much like a slug. Can these meds leave me with no motivation to do anything?? Not even take care of myself and my family. Lately, I think I've been experiencing the "Kepprage". I get irritated very easily and angry over little things. The best way I can describe it is that when something bothers me, it's the equivalent of someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard. I'm afraid I'm gonna lash out at my son or husband. Can I do anything to help get back to living a "normal" life? I want to be happy and involved in activities and be able to take good care of my home and family. Any ideas??

Comments

Re: Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!

Submitted by starvingmusician on Thu, 2010-12-16 - 00:37
Army10 Sometimes the marriage between mind and medication is not a perfect union. Call your neurologist and let him know that you are having medication issues and need to see him ASAP. Have you sat down with your family and had a heart-to-heart as well? My husband knew I was having trouble adjusting to the Keppra. He just had no idea that after 3 months on it I really didn't care whether I lived or died... I was very fortunate when I decided to discontinue Keppra, and I really didn't have a hard time convincing my neurologist that we should either. I still had plenty of Depakote on hand to go back to. Good luck to you.

Re: Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!

Submitted by army101wife on Thu, 2010-12-16 - 00:51
Thank you! Yes sometimes I wonder if I even care if I'm here or not. I know that's not the real me talking.

Re: Meds Are Driving Me Crazy!

Submitted by mscoulte on Thu, 2010-12-16 - 17:23

Amy, my husband it experiencing similary side effects...

 My husband started having tonic-clonics in May 2010. He has had 4
seizures and has been seizure free on 2000mg Keppra XR fom 14
weeks...the longest time yet! He has horrible side effects however.
Moodiness, hostility, memory impairment and depression. Sometimes he thinks something is running through his head and can't figure out what it is or he will have flashes of images and not really remembered what happened. He also had a full on panic attack one evening. He recently
started a new job with GE and it now costs us over $450/month. It was a
$25 beforehand...there goes his raise! He's an aero engineer and feels that this memory impairment may affect his work. I don't think he realizes these are MOMENTARY and no one notices except for him. 

We are going to start tapering and trying Lamictal. Very
very nervous as this is our first med change.I'm so scared that he will start having tonic-clonics again. I feel like the side effects and price of Keppra XR will be worth it if it prevents him from having these very serious seizures. Should I basically be prepared for a seizure when we start this switch??We are going to start the generic of Lamictal due to the extremely high cost of the medicine. Any advice??

Amy, my husband it experiencing similary side effects...

 My husband started having tonic-clonics in May 2010. He has had 4
seizures and has been seizure free on 2000mg Keppra XR fom 14
weeks...the longest time yet! He has horrible side effects however.
Moodiness, hostility, memory impairment and depression. Sometimes he thinks something is running through his head and can't figure out what it is or he will have flashes of images and not really remembered what happened. He also had a full on panic attack one evening. He recently
started a new job with GE and it now costs us over $450/month. It was a
$25 beforehand...there goes his raise! He's an aero engineer and feels that this memory impairment may affect his work. I don't think he realizes these are MOMENTARY and no one notices except for him. 

We are going to start tapering and trying Lamictal. Very
very nervous as this is our first med change.I'm so scared that he will start having tonic-clonics again. I feel like the side effects and price of Keppra XR will be worth it if it prevents him from having these very serious seizures. Should I basically be prepared for a seizure when we start this switch??We are going to start the generic of Lamictal due to the extremely high cost of the medicine. Any advice??

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