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Zarontin -- Does it Cure Absence Seizures, or simply Treat them?
Fri, 02/24/2006 - 08:19Topic: Medication Issues
My 6 year old girl was diagnosed with absence seizures over 18 months ago (while 4). Since then, she has been on Zarontin (which has completely controlled her seizures), except during hyperventilationo tests during EEGs. My doctor just recently told me that Zarontin actually "cures" absence seizures -- previously, all of my research had led me to believe that Zarontin simply "treated" her seizures (i.e., controlled them). I had never previously heard that Zarontin (and other AEDs) are necessary ultimately to help "cure" her absence seizures.
Is Zarontin (and, I assume, other AEDs) necessary to optimize the chances of "CURING" absence seizures? Or, is it simply a form of treatment?
I would very much value your insights on this topic.
thanks!
Peter C
Comments
Hi Peter, I'd be willing to
Submitted by solis on Thu, 2006-04-06 - 20:52
Hi Peter,
I'd be willing to bet that the physician that said "Zarontin cured epilepsy" was a neurologist (specializing in the entire brain and spinal column) and not an epileptologist (= a neurologist that specializes specifically in epilepsy).
No complete cure exist for epilepsy except, in some situations, surgery.
And having had epilepsy since I was three, I'd advise you to have your daughter tested asap.
I just had surgery but, truth be told, I lost a lot of my life and my memories due to the fact that it didn't happen earlier.
~sol
Re: Re: Re: Zarontin -- Does it Cure Absence Seizures, or simply
Submitted by jengee on Fri, 2007-03-30 - 11:55
Just read your comment and would like some more information on your child's side effects. My daughter has just turned 7 and has been diagnosed with CAE for almost one year now. She is on Zarontin. She is very tired and complains of stomach pains. She has also started having trouble in school, especially with reading comprehension. Her short term memory has seemed to really suffer, and she has trouble concentrating. One day she will know how to spell a work, and the next day she cannot remember. I have been in contact with the school to try to find some way to help her. Her teacher is very supportive. I just do not know if this is a result of the medicine or the seizure disorder. My daughter is very bright, and her self-esteem seems to be suffering. Any ideas on how I can help her?
Re: Re: Zarontin -- Does it Cure Absence Seizures, or simply Tre
Submitted by peterc on Mon, 2006-04-03 - 07:35
Lisa-Marie, Thanks for your note. In my view, way too early to think about surgery for my little one -- she is just 6, and Zarontin seems to have controlled her seizures for the most part (still induced when she hyperventilates via a pinwheel test). The problem with Zarontin as you most likely know is that there are serious side effects, as there frequently are with all meds. My little one's quality of life has been impacted -- gets very tired, nauseaus at times, etc. -- so, with the doctor's blessing, we have dialed down the meds a bit. But, yes, one of the doctors in the practice definitely said that, in her opinion, meds (like Zarontin) are necessary because they CURE the epilepsy. That surprised me for the same reasons all of you have indicated -- I had done much research and had never heard that before. And, her colleague (my daughter's main specialist) seems to disagree with his colleague on this point. Thanks for all! Peter