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NEW TO EPILEPSY

Mon, 05/14/2007 - 12:04
HI EVERYONE, MY 8 YEAR OLD BOY GOT DIAGNOSED WITH E, THIS PAST DECEMBER, IT STARTED WITH THE PETIT MAL AND HE WAS PUT ON ZAROTIN WHICH ACTUALLY CONTROLLED AND STOPPED THE SZ. HOWEVER THIS PAST WEEK HE HAD THE GRAND MAL SZ, 3 TIMES IN A ROW AND NOW HE HAS BEEN PLACED ON DEPAKOTE & ATIVA. MY SON IS ZONED OUT, HAS TERRIBLE MOOD SWINGS, DEPRESSED, MAD AND VERY SENSITIVE, HE DOES HAVE SOME SLURRED SPEECH WHEN HE GETS EXCITED AND I AM TERRIBLY WORRIED. CAN SOMEONE TELL ME IF THIS IS NORMAL AND HOW LONG IT LAST, THE DR'S SAY HIS BODY WILL GET USED TO THE DRUG AND HE WILL BE OKAY BUT YOU KNOW YOU CAN NOT ALWAYS TRUST THESE DR'S.I NEED TO KNOW IF ANY MOM OUT THERE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS. HE WILL EVENTUALLY GET OFF THE ATIVAN AND WILL BE ON JUST THE DEPAKOTE & ZAROTIN. HELP.

Comments

Re: NEW TO EPILEPSY

Submitted by Mollysmama on Tue, 2007-05-15 - 11:55
Hi My daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago. She is now on a different med as she was having emotional and learning side effects and continuing to have break-through seizures. You are the MOM! Keep notes on your sons emotions, learning, activites, seizures & anything that just doesn't seem right. Discuss these with your sons doctor and let them know you are concerned and want to know if there are other options. My daughter only takes one med (Depakote 250 mg 3x daily). I will never give my daughter a generic of any medication. Please take the time to read the different posts on this website. And the other information that are located in the "Information about Epilepsy" sidebar to the left. I have learned so much, sometimes I've gotten overwhelmed, but I feel that the more I am learning, the better advocate I am becoming for my daughter. Best wishes to you an your son, d

Re: NEW TO EPILEPSY

Submitted by matthewsmommy on Fri, 2007-05-18 - 15:33
My son is only 3 and was recently diagnosed with generalized primary seizure disorder. When he first started Trileptal, it did seem to affect his behavior and his moods, as well as his memory and concentration. After a couple of weeks, he got much better. Then he had a few more seizures and they increased it, and we went through it all over again for a couple more weeks. Now he is doing much better. He is also taking phenobarbital, which doesn't seem to have much of an effect on him but has done a great job so far controlling his seizures. I agree with the other poster. If he doesn't get better within a couple of weeks, I'd let the neuro know and maybe he'll switch the meds.

Re: NEW TO EPILEPSY

Submitted by biogal on Fri, 2007-05-18 - 20:10
I have had E since I was 8 yrs and am now 29. Side effects can definitly be scary but it can take some time to become used to the drugs. I'm sure you've already looked into it but I would research the drug your child is taking. Make yourself an expert. That way it may be easier for you to spot an actual side effect and monitor how long he had them and how severe they are. With some drugs it can take quite a while for your body to adjust. If you go to your doctor informed and can provide some tangible information about your son's reactions you are more likely to get more productive feedback. I will tell you one thing though, I was on Zarotin for a period of 8 months and I was so moody, aggressive depressed etc...that they had to take me off it completely. Zarotin is well known for having those kinds of side effects. It took me about a month and a half to get back to "normal" after I stopped taking it.

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