Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Should I permanently be on seizure medication?

Sat, 11/25/2006 - 19:53
Hi. I had been diagnosed in 2001 with a hemangioma (vascular malformation) on my right temporal lobe after a getting an MRI for chronic headaches. It turns out I had a bleed which caused the headaches. I never had much problem and did not take any meds until June 2006 when I had a grand mal siezure which the doctors said was caused by another bleed. Interestingly, this came within 3 weeks after restarting the birth control pill, which I believe was probably the root cause of the bleed. I obviously stopped the birth control pill immediately. Anyway since then I have been on 300 - 400 mg of Dilantin and have had some side effects like joint pain and strange visual problems (objects would appear to shake) that caused me to start ramping up on Zonegran, while still on Dilantin. This hasn't been a picnic either, because I continue to have similar symptoms. If I have had only 1 grand mal seizure do I really need to permanently be on a seizure medication? Thanks for your time! :)

Comments

Hi, Let me use

Submitted by solis on Sun, 2006-11-26 - 01:31
Hi, Let me use www.epilepsy.com sites to explain an opinion I share. "Epilepsy is a neurological condition, which affects the nervous system. Epilepsy is also known as a seizure disorder. It is usually diagnosed after a person has had at least TWO seizures that were not caused by some known medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar" http://www.epilepsy.com/101/ep101_epilepsy.html http://www.epilepsy.com/101/ep101_who.html If you did not have more than one seizure, I would not conclude you need medication as MANY people have just one seizure in their lives..and are NOT epileptic. Know I wish you the best of luck in whatever route you decide to follow. ~sol

Re: Hi, Let me use

Submitted by bnewright on Sun, 2006-11-26 - 10:34
Thanks so much for you opinion. I get so frusterated when the Neurologist and Neurosurgeon keep saying I have epilepsy. After being on this site and reading some of the information I just can't understand why they think that. All my EEG's have been normal with the exception of the one in June(after the seizure) that showed a little slowing. Anyway hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Again thanks.

Re: Re: Hi, Let me use

Submitted by Seruzies on Tue, 2007-08-21 - 23:40
Denial isn't just a river in Egypt either. /sarcasm I say that because I've been in denial of my epilepsy for years. It was only until a recent BAD seizure did I start to take it seriously.

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.