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What seizure meds are also anti-anxiety?

Mon, 11/08/2010 - 20:33

I don't know if I can take the extra anxiety from the lamictal for too much longer. I have to do so much and go to therapy to contain it. Otherwise my sense of awareness is so strong that I get adrenaline rushes from loud sounds or get nervous in a car ride. I have this constant neck tightness also from being nervous. I will talk to my Dr. soon to see if it's worth taking anymore because I also can't sleep without trazodone. 

 So what are my options for ant-anxiety anti-convulsants? I have JME or generalized ep.

Comments

What seizure meds are also anti-anxiety?

Submitted by tcameron on Mon, 2010-11-08 - 23:40

Revela...,

Several AED's are also anti-anxiety.   Lamotrigine (Lamictal) is known to cause: (Less common: anxiety, confusion, depression, irritability, and other mood/mental changes.) It can also cause: (Rare: Memory loss.)  Check w/ your doctor ASAP if you experience any of those symptoms.

I don't know much about these medications, but all anti seizure medications can cause thoughts of suicide.  It's obvious that these two disorders are overlapping in many ways.  One type of anti-anxiety drugs that are also antiseizure:  Benzodiazepines   Clonozapam (Klonopin, and Lorazepam (Ativan).  I take both Clonazepam (every day) and Lorazepam (after 1st seizure).   

Mood disorders often go hand in hand with epilepsy.  My sister-in-law has bipolar disorder and takes Lamictal for it.  She also takes other anti seizure medications.  It was  thought to be an emotional psycological disorder. It turns out to be a neurological disorder.  We're not sure how this happens, but apparently it affects the same part of the brain. 

I've been told (from several sources) that a lot more people who have epilepsy could also be bipoloar.  They haven't been diagnosed because they take the same medication, which controls it to a point where it isn't noticable.  A lot of anti seizure meds have anti-anxiety drugs mixed in.  Some can make the feelings better or worse.  Talk to your neurologist.  You might be able to be treated for both problems with the same pill.

Revela...,

Several AED's are also anti-anxiety.   Lamotrigine (Lamictal) is known to cause: (Less common: anxiety, confusion, depression, irritability, and other mood/mental changes.) It can also cause: (Rare: Memory loss.)  Check w/ your doctor ASAP if you experience any of those symptoms.

I don't know much about these medications, but all anti seizure medications can cause thoughts of suicide.  It's obvious that these two disorders are overlapping in many ways.  One type of anti-anxiety drugs that are also antiseizure:  Benzodiazepines   Clonozapam (Klonopin, and Lorazepam (Ativan).  I take both Clonazepam (every day) and Lorazepam (after 1st seizure).   

Mood disorders often go hand in hand with epilepsy.  My sister-in-law has bipolar disorder and takes Lamictal for it.  She also takes other anti seizure medications.  It was  thought to be an emotional psycological disorder. It turns out to be a neurological disorder.  We're not sure how this happens, but apparently it affects the same part of the brain. 

I've been told (from several sources) that a lot more people who have epilepsy could also be bipoloar.  They haven't been diagnosed because they take the same medication, which controls it to a point where it isn't noticable.  A lot of anti seizure meds have anti-anxiety drugs mixed in.  Some can make the feelings better or worse.  Talk to your neurologist.  You might be able to be treated for both problems with the same pill.

Re: What seizure meds are also anti-anxiety?

Submitted by Revelation 21.4 on Tue, 2010-11-09 - 09:26

I do get irritable, anxiety and have memory issues. But my old med zonegran made me more irritable, I thought about hurting people and suicide. That is the worst drug on earth! What's wierd is short-term memory used to be a problem. My long-term was solid. My long-term is getting bad. This may just be related to the condition though and not the medicine. Epileptics generally do not have great memories. I don't think Benzodiazepines are the answer. They are WAY too dependent and the effects decrease over time. I have lorazepam 2mg with my doctor gave me when I feel a aura. It hasn't worked so far though. I did have a panic attack and it helped. He also tried to give me 1mg for sleep every night but I'd wake up pretty fast during the night. He didn't want me to continue taking Trazodone but I told him it was the only thing that worked so he prescribed me more. It  generally will keep me asleep for 7-8 hours and feel good when I wake up. It doesn't really have any side effects besides some dizziness. I already have that from vertigo. lol. I'm definetly not bi-polar. My mood has always been either stable or depressed. Never have had or have highs. That would be a night mare to be bi-polar and epileptic.

 

 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" - Rev 21:4

I do get irritable, anxiety and have memory issues. But my old med zonegran made me more irritable, I thought about hurting people and suicide. That is the worst drug on earth! What's wierd is short-term memory used to be a problem. My long-term was solid. My long-term is getting bad. This may just be related to the condition though and not the medicine. Epileptics generally do not have great memories. I don't think Benzodiazepines are the answer. They are WAY too dependent and the effects decrease over time. I have lorazepam 2mg with my doctor gave me when I feel a aura. It hasn't worked so far though. I did have a panic attack and it helped. He also tried to give me 1mg for sleep every night but I'd wake up pretty fast during the night. He didn't want me to continue taking Trazodone but I told him it was the only thing that worked so he prescribed me more. It  generally will keep me asleep for 7-8 hours and feel good when I wake up. It doesn't really have any side effects besides some dizziness. I already have that from vertigo. lol. I'm definetly not bi-polar. My mood has always been either stable or depressed. Never have had or have highs. That would be a night mare to be bi-polar and epileptic.

 

 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" - Rev 21:4

Epi-help & Webmaster: Why Are There So Many Duplicate Comments?

Submitted by zealot on Wed, 2010-11-10 - 18:07
Epi-help and Webmaster, What's going on? I'm not the only one posting duplicate comments when I only click the control once. It's all over the site. Baruch Hashem. Hoshia na. Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help! Please read my blog. Thanks. P.S. Links to my latest posts

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