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New

Mon, 09/04/2006 - 18:40
Hello This is my first time here. I have a 4 yr old boy, he is on Keppra. We just tried trileptal, that DID NOT work. Now we are looking at a possible surgery. Iam so scared.

Comments

Re: New

Submitted by GodivaGirl on Mon, 2006-09-04 - 20:18
Hi There, First off. Welcome. There are lots of posts in here on Keppra, I think. Everyone has their own views. For me (I've been on it almost 3 months) and take 500mg 2 x day, it's one of 2 that if I heard a 4 yr old on it I'd be telling a parent - RUN! Go back to a doctor and ask, what else is there to try? Trileptal & Keppra are not the only 2 meds out there. I'm 32. Diagnosed at age 5. Now have a university education in sociology/criminal justice, work in Information Technology. Thing is at age 5 I took phenobarb & zarontin until I was 12. Bit of a break....until 16 when I was put back on meds. Since then I've been on a variety of combinations. In the mix have been: - Lamictal (age 22) - Tegretol CR / XR (age 16-26) - Topomax (age 27 - may go off, still on it) - Clobazam (age 22 - stil on it) - Valproic Acid (age 20 - 22) - Keppra (age 32 -- ?? want off, who knows) In addition I take birth control pills for hormonal seizures. Right now, incase it doesn't add up I'm on Keppra 500mg 2 xday, Topoamx 100mg 2 x day, Clobazam 10mg @ night, and the pill (with back up in place...I'm common law) Still have the odd seizure in there. The most beneficial things in all honesty - my stress mgmt counsellor, leading a routine life, when I get gym memberships as I can afford them, figuring out too much caffeine & any aspartame at all triggers seizures....things like that. Don't give up and resort to surgery after trying only 2 drugs. One word of caution though. I'm biased based on my opinion though - take a look at the threads on Keppra in the "medication issues here". All I'll say really, is if it's been a nightmare for me, I'd really monitor agression, sadness and mood swings in a 4 yr old. Again, welcome here & hope things work out well for your little guy. Erin

Re: Re: New

Submitted by Raiann on Mon, 2006-09-04 - 20:42
Thank You!!!! I will be having a discussion with my son's dr soon. alot to think about and look at. I have gone to the threads on "medication issues" and i was very surprised and informed. Again Thank You.

Re: Re: Re: New

Submitted by solis on Mon, 2006-09-04 - 21:08
Hello & welcome ! Surgery is being discussed after trying only 2 meds? I wouldn't be so fast to jump to surgery as NO neurosurgery is guaraneteed. (That is one thing you MUST be prepared for when you make that decision; plus, surgery has risks.) Are you sure you want to jump on that 'possibility' before you have even tried more meds? I have had E since I was three and just had surgery last January. As it happened, during the surgery itself they discovered I had a slow growing, benign tumor (where my seizures originated from) and it was completely removed. While I'm not yet ready to celebrate, I did have an EEG this summer... the first normal one I've had in my entire life. If all continues the plan is now that I'll go off meds next January .. (50 years on meds is quite enough). My first advice to anyone coping with E, is to see an epileptologist (a neurologist that specializes in, and thus is more informed about, epilepsy). Plus, try to keep in mind that the majority of people with E (75%) are completely controlled via meds. (And it sometimes takes time to find the correct med and proper dosage) wishing you the best, ~sol

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