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Recently diagnosed with seizure disorder
Thu, 04/09/2015 - 19:26Hello,
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.
Welcome to the club The EEG
Submitted by just_joe on Sun, 2015-04-12 - 22:15
Welcome to the club The EEG showed abnormal activity. My doctor started me on Keppra. Ok abnormalities on your EEG showed where i your brain that activity came from so I think the neurologists will look closer in that area of your brain in the MRI. As for Keppra it is becomming the go to medication for seizure control. I ihave been using it for 10+ years. It not only reduced the number of seizures I was having but it also shortened the time in them. Side effects do happen and I do know you will find all kinds of posts regarding side effects. I won't deny that side effects do happen but I also kow how those get put on the list. I have been in many drug studies for new medications. We were given diarys in which we had to note anything different that day especially if we had a seizure. I have talked with the people doing those tests and My neurologists works with them. There are 5-8% of the people taking the medication that will have a side effect and those will be the posts on how it didn't work. Now if someone is taking that medication will they come in here and post if they aren't having issues and it is helping control their seizures?? Nope they won't So you will not see posts from the 92-95% of the people using it that like how it is working for them. A person can have more then 1 type of seizure. Because of when I was diagnosed I have 3 different kinds of epilepsy .Which ment more then 1 type of seizure. I hope this helps Joe