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Only had one seizure..been off keppra for 5 months

Sat, 04/19/2014 - 13:18

Hi Everyone!

This is my first time on this site and I thought I could receive some feedback from people with similar situations. I am 18 and I had my first seizure a little over 2 years ago. At the time that I had the seizure I was on monocycline for my acne. From what was decribed of the seizure from my friend who witnessed it, it seems that it was a grand mal. I do not remember how I felt before the seizure happened at all, I just remember waking up confused. I saw a neurologist the next week where I got an eeg done and the results showed a couple abnormal spikes in my brain. The neurologist put me on keppra and I was taking 2 1000 mg a day. After being seizure-free for 2 years, I had the option of getting off the medication. After talking about it with my family and the doctor, I decided to get weaned off. I truely believe the acne medication that I was on has something to do with the seizure, but my neurologist won't say. I am currently completly weaned off of Keppra and I feel fine but I still worry that I am going to have another seizure. I have been off of keppra for almost 5 months now with no seizures. I decided to get off the medication because I believe I will not have another one but the only way to see is to get off of the medication. My neurologist ordered an eeg that I got done yesterday, and I will find out the results in about a week. Has anyone experienced something similar like my case? I am getting anxiety of my results of my eeg. Please Help!

Comments

I can only say for my self I

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2014-04-19 - 16:41
I can only say for my self I have had Epilepsy for over 45 years and I have focal & Grand mal seizure. so if you M.D.did not fine some thing show up on your tests like a tumor or you did not get it from hitting your head then your like a lot of us no neurologist can tell how you got it and what meds will work its a try and see if it stops your seizure from happing and it seems they did or your brain could have fix its self. and that's ware its at we know more about are sea's then we know how your brain works. as for what my happen do not think about it live your life as each day is your last do not give any thought to if you will have one agene that's some thing that my never happen agene. but if it happens to god forbid you will be beater off that you know about it that's what I would tell you. and its good to here about some one getting over there seizure it gives hope too those that still have them.

acne medication may not have

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2014-04-20 - 10:47
acne medication may not have been the cause of your seizure. I do know that there are medications that can counter the medications we take which is why all your doctors need to know all the diferent medications you take. That would aslo include over the counter medications. Oh and the over the counter medications have their own side effects. showed a couple abnormal spikes in my brain <<< Those spikes were seizure activity which shows up in EEG's.... Keppra is the best medication I have ever taken in the 50+ years I have been living and dealing with epilepsy. The dosage you were taking doesn't equal half the amount I take, But then to I am a person that has taken the maximun dosage of most medications. What ever you do live your life one day at a time. Tissue in your body repears itself so your brain might have covered the tissue or replaced it with new tissue which does happen. New techonology is getting better but the brain is still one of the things not known since they are comming up with new things and ideas almost daily. I still worry that I am going to have another seizure <<<< I went 3+ years without any seizure of any kind and then I had one. The more you worry the more stress you have and stress is the main trigger. I don't worry if I have a seizure or not If I have one fine I'll deal with it it it comes. If I don't then I live my life like I want. People can take me as I am with epilepsy or they can leave me alone. In other words it is their decission and not mine I hope this helps Joe

My son has a similar story.

Submitted by mereloaded on Sun, 2014-04-20 - 11:24
My son has a similar story. He had one grand mal a year 2 months ago, he is 16. On keppra 500 mg twice a day with no relapses. Neuro want to wean off at two years since his EEG was borderline and not conclusive, but for they can see she says it could be focal, so he wouldn't need meds for life. My son takes impunity link for his acne too with no issues. He was not on mynocycling when he had the seizure but after. I believe his seizure was caused by not sleeping for 3 months while playing 3d video games until the wee hours of the morning in the dark and then getting up at 530 am for school, his sleep deprivation and video 3d stimuli I believed caused it although he is not photosensitive according to two eegs. Neuro has another EEG scheduled for this summer. It will depend of what that shows. Some people if their EEG shows a bilateral or generalized reaction they will not wean off, if it's normal or focal they will consider weaning off. So happy for you that you are seizure free without meds and have even on an extended remission, hopefully for life. Yes! Some people outgrow their seizures or just have one and never have another one again. If you go to the top tab in epilepsy 101 on the part that says "will I ever have seizures" it will give you the stats, I can't remember the numbers, but it shows a good portion of people actually beat epilepsy, that gives us hope, your story gives me hope! It depends of your type of epilepsy. Good luck with your results! Best wishes to a life seizure free. Don't be afraid! You are doing just fine. Only the very best, P

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