changing eeizures and lamictal

Hi, my name is crystal. Speaking from my own experiences only. I have had issues in the past regarding Lamictal. I do believe it can change in the effectiveness of its ability to treat or stabilize aura/seizure activity after a seizure has occurred. For instance, when I first began having seizures I was put on Lamictal 200mg twice a day (400mg total), but after about 3yrs and one very severe grand-mal seizure the Lamictal seem to work diffrently. I would begin having strong overdose side effects about 30mins after taking a dose, and then it seemed like the medication wasn't working effectively throughout the rest of the day or night. I would have intense auras frequently. So I told my doctor about it and requested to add an additional medication (Keppra) while decreasing the dose of my Lamictal to 100mg twice a day. This change was more effective for me than just taking the lamictal alone. As for the body aches and other things you mentioned that I also suffer from (auras/other types of seizures) adding the second medication helped control these things as well. In addition to all of this I asked for a mild antianxiety medication. I try to limit stress both emotional and environmental, I try to get enough sleep, and to eat healthier. For me eating healthier is hard but well worth the positive effects it has on controlling my seizures!  Good luck and I hope this helps in some way.

Hi akunkn its Crystal again! Just wanted to address the part about avoiding people and not wanting them to see you have an episode/seizure.&nbsp;Speaking from my own experience with many very public and severe grand-mal seizures. Yes,&nbsp;I do feel a&nbsp;bit of embarrassment when I think about what people might see or listening to them talk about what they did see, but&nbsp;I don't want someone to find me&nbsp;unconscious or right in the middle of&nbsp;a seizure&nbsp;when I'm convulsing, not breathing, and unresponsive.&nbsp;Even I have to&nbsp;force myself not to hide from people when I feel an aura or a seizure coming, so this is what I do and it may help you to do this as well. I find someone nearby and tell them that I have a seizure disorder,&nbsp;I am not feeling well, and that one may occur. I tell them what to expect&nbsp;and what to do if I do happen to have a seizure. I ask that person if they would wait a while with me in case this happens. In the mean time I&nbsp;call a family member or friend. Let them know where I am and what is going on. I know this seems like it would be imposing on other people to much, but believe me it is a lot worse if someone just finds you laying somewhere or in the middle of having one.&nbsp;Then people really panic and can do some&nbsp;very stupid things trying to help you,&nbsp;but not logically thinking about what they are actually doing. As in one of&nbsp;my experiences where someone made a suggestion to put a cigarette lighter in my mouth to keep me from swallowing my tongue or lifting my leg&nbsp;in the air as if I were going into shock. This of which gave many people at my sister's wedding&nbsp;a full view of what I had&nbsp;on underneath my dress. Talk about embarrassing!&nbsp;Thank the good lord there were other people around who knew what to do. So it is in the end your decisions&nbsp;how you handle&nbsp;your auras and seizures, but I would rather educated one person on what to do than have a whole bunch of&nbsp;panic stricken people trying to figure out what they <em>should</em>&nbsp;do! Hope this helps and good Luck.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;