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Should I take medication?

Mon, 05/23/2005 - 11:13
Topic: Medication Issues

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: RE: RE: Should I take medication?

Submitted by Yakota on Sat, 2005-05-28 - 10:34
Wendy. Hi. yes. Antidepressants SSRI's and antipsychotics TRICYCLINES all lower the threshold for seizure. That means if you alredy have seizure then you will have more seizure. And if you don't have seizure that by taking these drugs you increase the risk of having first time seizure. After seven years of treatment with these types of drugs I was seizure induced to the point of near death and had to have the vns.i If you decide to stop the antideprsessant then tapper off slowly. A "cold turkey," withdrawl from these types of drugs can cause seizure. I hope this helps. Blesings. Linda.

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

Submitted by Yakota on Sat, 2005-05-28 - 11:06
Dayna. Hello. You haven't been off of the AEDs for very long. It sounds like you are doing better without them. Me too. Can you elaborate more on the diet. I know that salt intake is important to help fend off seizure. I am wondering if there might be something else you know that I don't about what to eat or not to eat? It will be a year for me in mid July since eliminating the AEDs. I have been much better without them. They had such terrible side effects and were never that effective in controlling the seizure. You and I are close in age. In July I will be 45. Wow.have you gone hrough menopause? When I was on the AEDs my eyes got really bad. I too was plagued with horrible double vision and my eyesight suffered. Since coming off the AEDs and all the other pharmacuticals that I used to take, my vision along with everything else in life has improved. It is good to see that awareness is being raised about antidepressants, and antipsychotics that they lower the threshold for seizure. That means they will make a seizure patient have more seizure. And if you don't have seizure just by taking them you increase the risk of first time seizure. Already having seizure with E: taking antidepressants and antipsychotics almost killed me. I took them for seven years before I knew they were causing me to have seizure. A psychiatrist told me it was bad for me to take them since I had E. Oh well. Chalk that bad experience up as over A! We all learn through experience, some of us faster than others. Have a nice weekend. It looks like today is off to a good start. I was so struck with seizure yesterday that I didn't do a thing but lay in bed and sleep and feel like sh-t. Until next time. Blessings. Linda.

RE: Should I take medication?

Submitted by Jessey61 on Thu, 2005-05-26 - 05:24

Hi!

"E" can be such a pain but, if I where in your position I would check all avenues (including meds) have you seen a Dr? Had tests?  I'm assuming you have.  If not you should.  I am on Lamictol and still have seizures in my sleep but, for the most part they are under control.  I couldn't drive or work if I didn't get some control over them.  I just joined this site and have much to learn myself so, this is just my opinion.  Also, just a little something I read: Eggplant used to be used to help control seizures by the Chinese.  It contains compounds called acopoletin and scoparone that help to block convulsions.  I have not tried this, however; will be adding more of it to my diet.  I wish you well & hope you get the information you need to help you.

:-) Wendy

 

Hi!

"E" can be such a pain but, if I where in your position I would check all avenues (including meds) have you seen a Dr? Had tests?  I'm assuming you have.  If not you should.  I am on Lamictol and still have seizures in my sleep but, for the most part they are under control.  I couldn't drive or work if I didn't get some control over them.  I just joined this site and have much to learn myself so, this is just my opinion.  Also, just a little something I read: Eggplant used to be used to help control seizures by the Chinese.  It contains compounds called acopoletin and scoparone that help to block convulsions.  I have not tried this, however; will be adding more of it to my diet.  I wish you well & hope you get the information you need to help you.

:-) Wendy

 

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