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Should I take medication?

Mon, 05/23/2005 - 11:13

Hi, I am a 22 year old girl living in Queensland Australia, I have been having seizures since I was about 16 years old, all of them Grand Mal with total black out and memory loss afterwards, confusion, well you know the drill.

Anyway, I only generally have one every eight months , which is pretty mild and that is why I am wondering if I should take medication, or not.I had another seizure a week ago, my first in ages, and my doctor told me I should be on Tegretol. But I dont know, Ihave read about the side effects and it really scares me, and I think that maybe if I just eat really well, and look after myself I should be fine......

I dont know, can anyone give me any advice? I dont know what I want to hear, but are all those side effects true? does it really stop the seizures totally? please help

Comments

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Should I take medication?

Submitted by pongosmommy on Wed, 2005-05-25 - 13:12
Linda,I have been off the AED's since April. We believe my seizures were being made worse by an AntiDepressant I was taking. It didn't seem to get along with the other meds.Ummm I am not seizure free, but they are not as often and not Nearly as severe. I still seize in my sleep sometimes, hubby has the bruises to show for it. I still lose time,so I must still have some seizures that I am not aware I am having. I am just no longer feeling confused and don't lose words as much now that I am off the AED's...And even better I am no longer dizzy and seing double.The only things that I am doing different now, other than no AED's is that I am on a restricted cardiac diet. I have to take a diuretic (lasix) and potassium tablets along with my blood pressure pills...and I have been restricted on my sodium intake to only 1000 mg per day. I have read on here about low sodium causing seizures, but I can't see that reducing my intake has caused me any trouble in that area. With Congestive Heart Failure this is something I simply must do. I am only 45 and my body has already been thru so much that the Doctors agree that my body just couldn't handle the side effects of the AED's at this time.We are exploring all the different ways to treat my illnesses to see if we can get me well again.DaynaOh and Needles don't bother me in the least bit. I am a trained Phlebotomist...and I took Insulin injections for many years...until I learned what I could and could not eat.

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Should I take medication?

Submitted by Jessey61 on Thu, 2005-05-26 - 05:05

Hi Linda,

 

May I ask what medication you where on that made your seizures worse?  I too take an anti-depressant along with Adderall & can't seem to totally control my E.  Thanks & have a healthy day!  Wendy

Hi Linda,

 

May I ask what medication you where on that made your seizures worse?  I too take an anti-depressant along with Adderall & can't seem to totally control my E.  Thanks & have a healthy day!  Wendy

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Should I take medication?

Submitted by pongosmommy on Thu, 2005-05-26 - 12:32
Hi Wendy,The offending antiDepreressant I took was nortriptyline. My husbands cousins kid was on this med before and it increased his seizures also. His Motheer witnessed one of my seizures and shee asked what meds I was taking, when she found out about the ATD she told us about her son's experience. I have been feeling much better since that med is gone.Best of luck to you.Dayna

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