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Daughter in college - medication error & multiple seizures

Mon, 11/13/2017 - 10:49
My daughter suffered a TBI when she was four years old. Seven years post TBI, she suffered her first seizure. Her neurologist said it was "puberty on top of old injury" and put her on Trileptal. She has had breakthrough seizures throughout the years, going often years in between, and the treatment was to up the medication due to her growth. Just before leaving to go off to college, we switched from her long time pediatric neurologist to the adult world. He wants to do a new MRI (been years since she had one) and EEG (it's been almost three years since the last). These are schedule for the Christmas break. He also switched her to Oxtellar XR, the extended release version of Tripletal, thinking it would be better for a college kid's schedule, since it is taken only once a day. Last week she mixed up her meds - and only took 150 of the 750 daily dosage for two days. What happened was she had run out of the medication, but had several 150MG pills left from samples he had given. She had filled her weekly pill planner with the other meds she takes - Omega 3, B Complex, probiotic, etc. She simply forgot to add the 600MG when she got it filled. A terrible error, because she had a seizure that evening, and two more during the night. When I got the phone call from her roommate, I drove to her college and picked her up and took her to see her neurologist that afternoon. She had another seizure in the car. She has NEVER had multiple seizures like that, and at the time, we didn't know about the medication error. He upped her meds to 900MG per day, and moved the MRI and EEG to this week. She is back at school, and has been sleeping more (which she needs to do) and has started to feel better, as the seizures took a great toll on her body. This morning when she woke she said she had a bad headache. Since the seizures, she has also had a tingling/numb feeling in her right arm. Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Is it just going to take her longer to physically recover from the trauma on her body? The numbness from the seizures or the medication being increased? It is so hard to let them go and live life, and heartbreaking when they make a mistake like this, but she probably learned much more from this than by me controlling everything. I'm certain it won't happen again.

Comments

I do not know about the new

Submitted by Amy Jo on Thu, 2017-11-16 - 13:27
I do not know about the new symptoms, whether that is just post ictal or medication side effects that might resolve over time. I do want you to know that this is a tough story to read, sounds like a rough experience that isn't quite over. I very much hope things get better. It sounds like your neurologist is thoughtful and responsive. And, as a life lesson, it sounds like it will have a lasting impact.

Same situation has happened

Submitted by Keldridge on Tue, 2017-12-05 - 19:35
Same situation has happened to by 23 year old daughter.  Ran out of 1 of her meds did not take for 2 days and ended up at the ER 4 days later after having at least 8 seizures, migraine and vomiting. You do have to try to let them live.  You'll always be the Mom and I totally empathize with you.  This is the hardest thing I've ever had to experience.  My heart is sad daily.  All you can do is just be there :) Positive thoughts your way to you both

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