Comment from: chrissy stitches, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
I've had grand mal seizures since I was 4yrs.old. I've been put on Tegretol, Dilantin, Depakote, and so forth throughout my teenage years and none did much. "Tegretol" only increased my seizures to having it every 5 minutes. That took alot out of me. I'm now 35yrs.old and been taking Lamictal 300mg 2x daily at night for about 2yrs. Since i'm planning on having a baby, he suggested I take 100mg in the morning and 200mg at night. I told him that I was going to have seizures but he didn't listen to me. I've had atleast 4 seizures since. "NOT GOOD." I went back to my Neurologist only to tell him, "I told you". I laughed about it. I am now back to 300mg. all at night and now I'm ok. I have an app. with him again and am going to ask him about this KEPPRA thing I've heard so much good news about....For all of you, pay good attention to your seizures. Write it down, date and time and how your day is going so that you can find out what may trigger it, then report it to your doctor....Thanks for hearing me out.
Comment from: stubby, 13-18 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
When i was first diagnosed with epilepsy when i was 6 months old they told my parents i wasn't going to mature past the age of 6 years old, and that i wasn't going to be able to walk, talk, or even write and read. now i'm in highschool taking all acedemic coarses with an IEP. this is because i kept being given different med since i was a kid and finally i was goven divalproex and it's helped a bunch!
Comment from: celestemoi, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
I had 2 grand mall seizures (one at home in bed unaware of) drove myself to hospital unaware) about five years ago. Spent one week in the hospital intubated due to complications with asthma. Neourologist placed me on 100mg Lamictal twice a day and Carbatrol 300mg twice a day.Hospital had started Dilantin. Caused too many problem s My seizures now uncontrolled by lamictal carbatrol and Neuronten. Seizures are partial vision , /balance, Speech.unable to work.
Comment from: 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: April 15
I have epilepsy, and I was put on Keppra when my husband and I decided to have a baby. I am currently taking 1,000 mg twice a day and have been doing great. I had no problems while I was carrying my daughter, and she has shown no signs of having any side effects from me taking the Keppra.
Comment from: Missy, 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 5 and used epilim for most m life until I decided to hav a baby and was switched to Keppra which worked great, my baby thank god is healthy and no signs of health problems. I'm going through a lot of depression and I'm trying to help myself positively but I feel alone and worthless.
Comment from: gustav777, 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: October 07
i am a 45y/o male. i started having seizures about 20 years ago. i now take keppra and depakote er,these control my seizures better than any thing else i've taken. we don't know the cause of my seizures. i want to tell all of you first if you are taking dylantin and feel weak,or have red rash talk to your doctor now! i must get my,sleep limit my computer time,cannot miss,or mistime my meds,and i learned on this website about large crowds. twice i,ve had petit mals at a casino...no more crowds for me thank you whoever you were.
Comment from: 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: August 26
I was hit in the head with scaffolding two years ago and suffered 6 subsequent seizures over a period of about a year. The doctor started me on Lamictal but I felt completely drunk on it and stopped immediately. I have been taking Topamax 200mg twice daily for about a year. I haven't had a seizure since Thanksgiving. So I feel this medication is working for me, as I would still like to have another child someday. I just know I need plenty of rest each night and must avoid bust and loud crowds. At first I thought I was handed a death sentence but I am managing well and the torn tissue in my brain in healing. I have read all your stories and can empathize with each of you. No one really understands unless you've been there. It's incredibly frightening to wake up and not know where you are or what happened or where your kids are etc. etc. We will make it through this. We all have our cross to bear. I wish you all the luck in the world and of your medication isn't working for your ask your doctor about Topamax.
Good luck to all of you and feel free to send me a message.
Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on MedicineNet. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. MedicineNet does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Suggested Reading on Seizure (Epilepsy) by Our Doctors
A brain tumor can be either benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), primary, or secondary. Causes and risk factors include age, gender, family history, and exposure to chemicals. Symptoms range from headaches, leg and feet numbness to seizures. Treatment is dependant upon the type and location of the brain tumor.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of body tissues caused by autoimmune disease. Lupus can cause disease of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous
system. When only the skin is involved, the condition is called discoid lupus.
When internal organs are involved, the condition is called systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE).
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
Hypoglycemia is a syndrome caused by low blood sugar. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include palpitations, trembling, intense hunger, sweating, nervousness, and weakness. Consuming lifesavers, table sugar, soda, and juice are good treatment options for hypoglycemia.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Group B strep are bacteria called Streptococcus agalactiae that may sometimes cause infections both in a pregnant woman and her newborn. Symptoms include fever, seizures, heart rate abnormalities, breathing problems, and fussiness. Intravenous antibiotics are used to treat group B strep infections.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. There are an estimated 300,000 plus deaths annually from whooping cough (pertussis). Whopping cough commonly affects infants and young children, but can be prevented with immunization with the vaccine. First stage whooping cough symptoms are a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, a mild cough with the cough gradually becoming more severe. After one to two weeks, the second stage of whooping cough begins.
Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Symptoms of malaria include chills, pain, fever, and sweating. Though mild cases of malaria can be treated with oral medication, severe cases require intravenous drug treatment and fluids.
Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include severe burns, muscle trauma, coma, seizures, electrolyte imbalance, medications (statins), viruses, bacteria. Treatment of rhabdomyolysis depends on the cause.
Hydrocephalus is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. The fluid is often under increased pressure and can compress and damage the brain. Symptoms of hydrocephalus vary with age, progression of the disease, and individual tolerance to the condition. Hydrocephalus is most often treated by surgery in which a shunt system is inserted.
Huntington's disease is the result of degeneration of neurons in areas of the brain. Huntington's disease is an inherited disorder. Early symptoms include mood swings, apathy, depression, and anger uncharacteristic of the individual. Judgement, memory, and other cognitive functions may become impaired. Presymptomatic testing is available for individuals who have a family history of Huntington's disease. Treatment includes medication and therapy for symptoms.
Pulmonary edema (swelling or fluid in the lungs) can either be caused by cardiogenic causes (congestive heart failure, heart attacks, abnormal heart valves) or noncardiogenic causes such as ARDS, kidney failure, high altitude, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, aspirin overdose, pulmonary embolism, and infections. The treatment of pulmonary edema depends on the cause of the condition.
Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Other symptoms include lethargy, dementia, seizures, tremors, and coma. Treatment of encephalopathy depends on the type of encephalopathy (anoxia, diabetic, Hashimoto's, hepatic, hyper - hypotensive, infectious, metabolic, infections, uremic, or Wernicke's) are examples of types of encephalopathy.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
Concussion is a short-lived loss of brain function that is due to head trauma. There are two types of concussion, simple and complex. Symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, dizziness, dazed feeling, irritability, visual symptoms. Physical signs include poor concentration, emotional changes, slurred speech, and personality changes. Concussion is diagnosed with physical examination and testing. Treatment for concussion in general are treatment for control of the symptoms, and time.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Listeriosis symptoms include diarrhea, nausea and fever. Pregnant women are 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis. Listeria infection is treated with antibiotics.
Cancers that form from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors. Brain tumors may be malignant (brain cancer) or benign. Certain risk factors, such as working in an oil refinery, as a chemist, or embalmer, increase the likelihood of developing brain cancer. Symptoms include headaches, weakness, seizures, difficulty walking, blurry vision, nausea and vomiting, and changes in speech, memory, or personality. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
Toxoplasmosis (toxo) is a parasitic infection that causes flulike symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle aches and pains that may last from a few days to several weeks. Toxoplasmosis can be contracted by touching the hands to the mouth after gardening, cleaning a cat's litter box, or anything that came into contact with cat feces. Toxoplasmosis can also be contracted by eating raw or partly cooked meat, especially pork or lamb, or touching the hands to the mouth after contact with raw or undercooked meat.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function and postural tone acquired at an early age (even before birth). Cerebral palsy is generally caused by brain trauma. Types of cerebral palsy include: spastic, choreoathetoid, and hypotonic. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and treatment is generally managing the symptoms of the condition.
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that causes sudden fever, vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck and back, drowsiness, and irritability. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck.
Coma is the inability to waken or react to the surrounding environment. The Glasgow Coma Scale is frequently used to measure the depth of coma. Causes of coma include trauma, bleeding, edema, lack of oxygen, poisoning, or hypoglycemia. Prognosis for a patient in a coma depends on the cause of the coma.
Autism in children and adults is a developmental disorder, characterized by impaired development in communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), which is part of a broad spectrum of developmental disorders affecting young children and adults. There are numerous theories and studies about the cause of autism. The treatment model for autism is an educational program that is suitable to an individual's developmental level of performance. There is no "cure" for autism.
A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke caused when an artery bursts in the brain, causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissue. Causes of brain hemorrhage include aneurysm, liver disease, brain tumor, head trauma, high blood pressure, and blood vessel abnormalities. Symptoms include sudden severe headache, nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, tingling, numbness, vision changes, loss of consciousness, and loss of fine motor skills. Treatment depends upon the cause, location, and size of the brain hemorrhage.
In the United States, head injuries are one of the most common causes of death and disability. Head injuries due to bleeding are generally classified by the location of the blood within the scull, these include: epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, subarachnoid bleed, intracranial bleed, sheer injury, edema, and skull fracture. Some common symptoms of a head injury include: vomiting, bleeding from the ear, speech difficulties, paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and body numbness. Treatment of a head injury depends on the type and severity of the injury.
Novel H1N1 influenza A virus infection (swine flu) is an infection that generally is transferred from an infected pig to a human, however there have been reported cases where infection has occured with no contact with infected pigs. Symptoms of swine flu are "flu-like" and include fever, cough, and sore throat. Treatment is generally with the antibiotics oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza).
Trichinosis is a food-borne disease caused by ingesting parasites (roundworms) in undercooked pork or wild-game meat. Symptoms of trichinosis include diarrhea, nausea, muscle aches, itching, fever, chills, and joint pains. Trichinosis usually resolves without treatment, but more severe cases are treated with thiabendazole, albendazole, or mebendazole.
Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called
Shigella. Most who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhea, fever, and
stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacteria. The
diarrhea is often bloody. Shigellosis usually resolves in 5 to 7 days. Persons
with shigellosis in the United States rarely require hospitalization. A severe
infection with high fever may be associated with seizures in children less than
2 years old. Some persons who are infected may have no symptoms at all, but may
still pass the Shigella bacteria to others.
What sort of germ is Shigella?
The Shigella germ is actually a family of bacteria that can cause diarrhea in
humans. They are microscopic living creatures that pass from person to person.
Shigella were discovered over 100 years ago by a Japanese scientist named Shiga,
for wh...
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Neurology RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the
I've had grand mal seizures since I was 4yrs.old. I've been put on Tegretol, Dilantin, Depakote, and so forth throughout my teenage years and none did much. "Tegretol" only increased my seizures to having it every 5 minutes. That took alot out of me. I'm now 35yrs.old and been taking Lamictal 300mg 2x daily at night for about 2yrs. Since i'm planning on having a baby, he suggested I take 100mg in the morning and 200mg at night. I told him that I was going to have seizures but he didn't listen to me. I've had atleast 4 seizures since. "NOT GOOD." I went back to my Neurologist only to tell him, "I told you". I laughed about it. I am now back to 300mg. all at night and now I'm ok. I have an app. with him again and am going to ask him about this KEPPRA thing I've heard so much good news about....For all of you, pay good attention to your seizures. Write it down, date and time and how your day is going so that you can find out what may trigger it, then report it to your doctor....Thanks for hearing me out.