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Just want feedback
Fri, 01/08/2016 - 19:56My stepson has recently had 2 seizures within 5 months..after the second seizure the neurologist put him on 1000 mg of keppra..he has days where he is hyperactive and the next day he's depressed. Yesterday the Dr switched him to Aptiom..400mg to start then go to 800 mg..was just wondering if anyone had any depression type side effects with this medication..we believe we know the triggers of his seizures but just want to know what to expect..Thank you
yes almost every seizure
Submitted by just_joe on Sat, 2016-01-09 - 11:36
yes almost every seizure medication has depression as a side effect. But you need to understand that seizure medications are not like aspirin where once it is taken it is gone after a few hours. It generally takes 4-6 weeks for the therapeutic levels to build up in a body. After 6-8 weeks those side effects should go away. As for knowing the triggers___ There are triggers not listed on this site. Some of the triggers listed do not affect other people. You need to research to find out the types of seizures he can have. He may have had those 2 seizures but he might be having others you don't think about. I was being written up for day dreaming in class or had weird feelings in my hand now and then for 1-2 years. I had a grand mal seizure while at school. It took about 2 years before I got tested. Back in the 1960's it did take time. the testing gave the diagnosis of Grand mal, Petite mal and focal motor epilepsy. The daydreaming was seizures. That weird feeling in my hand was a seizure. Those today would be absence seizures and simple partial seizures. The simple partials can change and become complex partial because they generalize. Focal seizures can generalize and did when I was a teen. Changing from a weird feeling and went into a convulsive seizure. With medications I haven't has a convulsive seizure since 1970. I have a seizure evert 8-14 days which lasts a few seconds. So work with the neurologist and give medications time to get to the therapeutic levels the neurologist wants. I would also suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary watch the video and give his neurologist permission to bring it up. It may help him come up with medications, dosages and procedures which can get your stepson seizure free. I hope this helps and he does get seizure free Joe