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Recently diagnosed with seizure disorder

Sat, 04/11/2015 - 20:48

Hello,

 

I am 36 years old and recently diagnosed with having a seizure disorder. A few weeks ago, I was watching a movie with my husband, then suddenly felt dizzy. I put my hands over my eyes and then apparently lost consciousness. Had an MRI and CT Scan. Both were normal. The EEG showed abnormal activity. My doctor started me on Keppra. I took it once a day for 7 days, now I'm up to 500 mg pills 2x a day. I've had some mild headaches, sleepiness, and drowsiness, but other than that, I'm fine. For those who have long term experience with this medication, is there anything that I should look out for in terms of side effects or any other info. you can share?

When I was about 5 years old, I was hit by a truck. I remember having what I now understand to be absence seizures when I was about 10. I also had an episode as a young child where I was in bed looking at my bedroom door. I remember seeing what appeared to be a scene from a zoo. It was like watching something on a film projector. As an adult, I remember sitting downstairs with my infant daughter, then "clearly" hearing a baby cry upstairs, so I ran up to "check on the baby" when I realized we didn't have a baby upstairs.

As I'm putting all of these things together, I'm thinking maybe I've had different types of "mild" seizures throughout my life without realizing it. I don't know, just trying to understand it all. Is there anyone out there who has had similar experiences? Thank you.

Comments

My experience with seizures

Submitted by lets_say_grace@hotmail.com on Sun, 2015-04-12 - 22:16
My experience with seizures isn't like yours, but I have had experience wit Keppra.  It hasn't stopped my seizures, but neither have any of the others I've tried over the past dozen yrs.  (drug resistant, due to an injury from fevers)  There is the normal as well as the extended release/XR.  Neither has given me any major trouble, but when I was taking the old-school keppra I gained a good bit of weight.  The doctor had me on a very, very high dose, so my being sluggish from that made weight gain more understandable/expected.  It was like he didn't want it to not work, and was certain that if he just kept pushing the dose up it would... I don't have that doctor anymore.I am on the extended release form of keppra at this time, and as far as I can tell am not having any problems from it.  I think my daily amount is 500mg.  (I was taking far more when I wound up gaining weight and being so tired all the time) One of the reasons my docs put me on keppra the first time was because it is one of the meds with fewer side effects than many others.And if you are having trouble with being tired, don't worry.  That's one of the MOST common of many epi. meds, and with me has lessened as I've adjusted to the medication over time.The little papers/warnings that lots of pharmacies give you with medicines can be VERY intimidating when you read all of the things that 'can' go wrong, but happen very seldom and are just a potential threat they are required to list to prevent lawsuits etc.Keep your chin up and hopes high!  I really hope your seizures can be controlled well/ended with meds.

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