Lamotrigine giving bad mood when treating epilepsy

CDC funded page

Not a CDC funded Page

Hy everyone, Not more than 2 weeks my husband was diagnosed with epilepsy / partial seizures. It's been bad since then. He experienced something that he called dizziness from 2008. it used to come once a year and lately maybe 3 times a week sometimes. It would come out of a sudden, he looks like trying to swallow something as his mouth felt dry, and the dizziness plus headaches after. There is no loss of conciousness but only he couldnt concentrate for a few seconds.This would only happend at home.,while driving he would be aware and pull the car on the side until he would be better(matter of seconds). Finally he went to the doctor, where he got an MRI and EEG,the MRI show nothing to worry tho the EEG shows abnormal activity in frontotemporal lobe. Considering the history and the result the diagnosis was sadly epilepsy and the treatment given is Lamictal, started with 25mg, now he is at 50. It was a struggle for him to accept the idea, we checked with one more neurologist, same diagnosis. Now he said because of the Lamictal he has horrible mood swings, his head is sometimes so busy with thoughts, other times calm. Luckily no seizures stopped. But tell me please did anyone go through this. Is it Lamictal giving this mood swings or just the idea of having this disease...? I feel useless because I don't know how to help him to go through this. If anyone experienced something like this please leave a comment. Thank you, Wish you all health

Comments

Miky Almost all seizure

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2014-11-15 - 10:15

Miky Almost all seizure medications can change somenes mood from time to time. It takes time for the body to get used to the medication and the dosage. Once the dosage is changed it takes a little time for it to adjust again. Understand that medications to stop seizures are not like taking a asperin. What works for one person may not work for the next and dosages are like that too. As for him accepting it it isn't easy as long as the stigma is there. He needs to look at the list of people who have been successful that had epilepsy. Ceaser. Alexander the greaat, Many others are on the list some were the smartest people of their time. Ask him what he would think if instead of epilepsy he was told he had a heart ailment. Or diagnosed with diabeties, Or any other ailment that can't be seen. I have had epilepsy for 50+ years. I have worked most of my life, Sales, customer service, warehousding,office manager, wearhouse manager, part owner of a small conpany. I have never driven. so If I can do this he can also.

At the age of 13 or 14 I was

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2014-11-18 - 10:31

At the age of 13 or 14 I was diagnosed with Grande Mal and Focal motor epilepsy. Back in 1963 or 64 there were no types of epilepsy not were there types of seizures. The doctors were talking to my mother. They never answered my question which was "What is epilepsy." I had lots of frinds who knew nothing about it. I also had friends who had other ailments. One of them died because of his diabeties. By not getting answers to my questions what was I supposed to do flop arround on the floor and not know the cause or why? In english class we were to write a essay on anything we wanted to. So I had the opportunity to find out about what Epilepsy was and I wrote the essay. I had to read it to 2 of my teachers classes. and that meant all of their classes. The vise princable wanted it read to the entire student body at an assembly. I knew it by heart and handed him the essay. It had information about 3 kinds of epilepsy. In my focal seizures I weent into convulsions which looke like a grande mal seizure. The main difference was I was fully concious. I saw, heard and knew what was going on arround me. I just couldnt do anything. I was the fear in my friends faces. I heard what they said. I heard some saying "OWwwww I don't want to be arround him any more" After that I avoided that person. If a person can't or doesn't want to take me say I am then thats their problem. So I was positive in teaching them what I have and what happens. That it hits me now and then but other then those times I can do anything they can do and in many cases better. One of those that didn't want to be arround me came up behind me and spun me arround wanting to know why I wouldn't talk to him or get in the group anymore. I told him about epilepsy and told he he can take me as I am or not it was up to him. I have been like that since back then. I was always in sports and wanted to be on the teams. Coaches knew it. Mom wouldn't let me play. I told her I wanted to be on the team and I would be on teh team. So I became a manager (the guy that has th medical stuff, takes care of the equipment, carries the towels. All the little stuff. While doing that I ran routs so the quarter backs who had been injured had someone to throw to. As a freshman I earned a senior letter. Back then you had to actually earn the letters and but a jacket to put it on. I never bought the jacket but I still have that letter.I had jobs after I was out of school.I built hovercraft. I worked in a company who took vans and changed them into a camper. I went about 8-10 months without a seizure of any kind. After doing that I decided to stop taking meds. I got home a few weeks later. Mom and Pete (step father) had decided to move back to Texas. Once here I had to find a neurologist. I found one and told him what had happened and he looed at the medicines I took. His first question was "How do you wake up in the morning" my answer was I set 2-3 alarms why. He informed me the ammount of phenobarb I took was enough to put the average man to sleep for 24 hours. That doesn't include the dilantin and tegratol. I have been with the same group of neurologists since then.I have never driven. I have always been to work a little early and would also stay late if needed. The types of work have varied. I worked in the warehouse pricing items and setting them up for the store. I worked in the store and was the assistant manager of 3 departments my senior year. Other jobs were in construction, sales, call center. I was part owner of a small business. So my work experiance varies. After living and dealing with epilepsy for 50+ years people can take me or leave me. Do I tell people about my epilepsy? No not now becasue I can have a seizure while standing next to them and they would know nothing about the seizure. If someone askes then yes I tell them. People can take me as I am if they are told they can do the same.. I watched out for James who sat behine me and I gave him some fruit from time to time. (diabetic) I know he checked on me from time to time because he asked if I had taken my meds when I was taking them at noon. I can do anything others can do and in some cases better

At  the age of 13 or 14 I was diagnosed with Grande Mal and Focal motor epilepsy. Back in 1963 or 64 there were no types of epilepsy not were there types of seizures. The doctors were talking to my mother. They never answered my question which was "What is epilepsy." I had lots of frinds who knew nothing about it. I also had friends who had other ailments. One of them died because of his diabeties. By not getting answers to my questions what was I supposed to do flop arround on the floor and not know the cause or why? In english class we were to write a essay on anything we wanted to. So I had the opportunity to find out about what Epilepsy was and I wrote the essay. I had to read it to 2 of my teachers classes. and that meant all of their classes. The vise princable wanted it read to the entire student body at an assembly. I knew it by heart and handed him the essay. It had information about 3 kinds of epilepsy. In my focal seizures I weent into convulsions which looke like a grande mal seizure. The main difference was I was fully concious. I saw, heard and knew what was going on arround me. I just couldnt do anything. I was the fear in my friends faces. I heard what they said. I heard some saying "OWwwww I don't want to be arround him any  more" After that I avoided that person. If a person can't or doesn't want to take me say I am then thats their problem. So I was positive in teaching them what I have and what happens. That it hits me now and then but other then those times I can do anything they can do and in many cases better. One of those that didn't want to be arround me came up behind me and spun me arround wanting to know why I wouldn't talk to him or get in the group anymore. I told him about epilepsy and told he he can take me as I am or not it was up to him. I have been like that since back then. I was always in sports and wanted to be on the teams. Coaches knew it. Mom wouldn't let me play. I told her I wanted to be on the team and I would be on teh team. So I became a manager (the guy that has th medical stuff, takes care of the equipment, carries the towels. All the little stuff. While doing that I ran routs so the quarter backs who had been injured had someone to throw to. As a freshman I earned a senior letter. Back then you had to actually earn the letters and but a jacket to put it on. I never bought the jacket but I still have that letter.I had jobs after I was out of school.I built hovercraft. I worked in a company who took vans and changed them into a camper. I went  about 8-10 months without a seizure of any kind. After doing that I decided to stop taking meds. I got home a few weeks later. Mom and Pete (step father) had decided to move back to Texas. Once here I had to find a neurologist. I found one and told him what had happened and he looed at the medicines I took. His first question was "How do you wake up in the morning" my answer was I set 2-3 alarms why. He informed me the ammount of phenobarb I took was enough to put the average man to sleep for 24 hours. That doesn't include the dilantin and tegratol. I have been with the same group of neurologists since then.I have never driven. I have always been to work a little early and would also stay late if needed. The types of work have varied. I worked in the warehouse pricing items and setting them up for the store. I worked in the store and was the assistant manager of 3 departments my senior year. Other jobs were in construction, sales, call center. I was part owner of a small business. So my work experiance varies. After living and dealing with epilepsy for 50+ years people can take me or leave me. Do I tell people about my epilepsy? No not now becasue I can have a seizure while standing next to them and they would know nothing about the seizure. If someone askes then yes I tell them. People can take me as I am if they are told they can do the same.. I watched out for James who sat behine me and I gave him some fruit from time to time. (diabetic) I know he checked on me from time to time because he asked if I had taken my meds when I was taking them at noon. I can do anything others can do and in some cases better   

At the age of 13 or 14 I was diagnosed with Grande Mal and Focal motor epilepsy. Back in 1963 or 64 there were no types of epilepsy not were there types of seizures. The doctors were talking to my mother. They never answered my question which was "What is epilepsy." I had lots of frinds who knew nothing about it. I also had friends who had other ailments. One of them died because of his diabeties. By not getting answers to my questions what was I supposed to do flop arround on the floor and not know the cause or why? In english class we were to write a essay on anything we wanted to. So I had the opportunity to find out about what Epilepsy was and I wrote the essay. I had to read it to 2 of my teachers classes. and that meant all of their classes. The vise princable wanted it read to the entire student body at an assembly. I knew it by heart and handed him the essay. It had information about 3 kinds of epilepsy. In my focal seizures I weent into convulsions which looke like a grande mal seizure. The main difference was I was fully concious. I saw, heard and knew what was going on arround me. I just couldnt do anything. I was the fear in my friends faces. I heard what they said. I heard some saying "OWwwww I don't want to be arround him any more" After that I avoided that person. If a person can't or doesn't want to take me say I am then thats their problem. So I was positive in teaching them what I have and what happens. That it hits me now and then but other then those times I can do anything they can do and in many cases better. One of those that didn't want to be arround me came up behind me and spun me arround wanting to know why I wouldn't talk to him or get in the group anymore. I told him about epilepsy and told he he can take me as I am or not it was up to him. I have been like that since back then. I was always in sports and wanted to be on the teams. Coaches knew it. Mom wouldn't let me play. I told her I wanted to be on the team and I would be on teh team. So I became a manager (the guy that has th medical stuff, takes care of the equipment, carries the towels. All the little stuff. While doing that I ran routs so the quarter backs who had been injured had someone to throw to. As a freshman I earned a senior letter. Back then you had to actually earn the letters and but a jacket to put it on. I never bought the jacket but I still have that letter.I had jobs after I was out of school.I built hovercraft. I worked in a company who took vans and changed them into a camper. I went about 8-10 months without a seizure of any kind. After doing that I decided to stop taking meds. I got home a few weeks later. Mom and Pete (step father) had decided to move back to Texas. Once here I had to find a neurologist. I found one and told him what had happened and he looed at the medicines I took. His first question was "How do you wake up in the morning" my answer was I set 2-3 alarms why. He informed me the ammount of phenobarb I took was enough to put the average man to sleep for 24 hours. That doesn't include the dilantin and tegratol. I have been with the same group of neurologists since then.I have never driven. I have always been to work a little early and would also stay late if needed. The types of work have varied. I worked in the warehouse pricing items and setting them up for the store. I worked in the store and was the assistant manager of 3 departments my senior year. Other jobs were in construction, sales, call center. I was part owner of a small business. So my work experiance varies. After living and dealing with epilepsy for 50+ years people can take me or leave me. Do I tell people about my epilepsy? No not now becasue I can have a seizure while standing next to them and they would know nothing about the seizure. If someone askes then yes I tell them. People can take me as I am if they are told they can do the same.. I watched out for James who sat behine me and I gave him some fruit from time to time. (diabetic) I know he checked on me from time to time because he asked if I had taken my meds when I was taking them at noon. I can do anything others can do and in some cases better