Epilepsy

[jket]

I have recently been diagnosed by a Neurologist as having Epilepsy (or Migraine) due to my reporting to him that I have seizure like symptoms. I can't really explain how it feels when the 'spell' comes on but it comes on fast and completely overwhelms me. I do not black out, get dizzy or sick in any way but for a brief time I am completely absorbed in the occurance. I may have one to four of these in a given day. At it's worst I will get very confused and lose recent memory. Within about a half hour about 95% of the memory loss comes back and within 12 hours about 99% is back. I have pre-feelings of these spells for about 3-4 days before they strike and for 2-3 days afterward I have post-feelings or some uneasiness. The weird thing is that the spells occur amost exactly every two weeks. I have kept close track of these on a calendar but cannot get anyone, including a prior Neurologist who performed a stationary and then an ambulatory EEG with negative results, to explain why the regularity. Recent MRI's are negative as to cause as well. Are Epilepsy spells sometimes regularly recurring....like every two weeks give or take a day or so? I'm male, 66 yrs old and retired two years. This has been a problem to me since March. I am now taking Depakote ER (500mg) and due to conditions continuing am now prescribed two times the above.
perplexed!

[halmanza]

I feel your frustration. I'm a 32 year old woman who has been having epidsodes for approx. 4 years. I'm experiences are very different. I don't space out and I'm alway concious when they happen but it is a very strange sensation in my teeth. Some cases my tongue with move around and back in forth in my mouth. I have been taking Dilantin since March 08 and my doctor has just switched me to Keprra. I know your story is different but I just wanted you to know that i feel for you and I wish there was someone that new the answers.

[jket]

Hi - thank you very for your reply. Do your episodes occur with any regularity......such as evenly spaced out between them? Also, do you notice any improvement with the new medication? I have just had my med increased from 500mg to 1000mg of Depakote each day. It is too early to determine any results though. Hope you are trying to reuce stress though since sometimes they say that has an impact.

[halmanza]

My episodes before meds happened everyday 1 to 5 times. I really couldn't figure out a consistant pattern just that they would happen. Duing the last 4 weeks since i have been in the process of changing the medication i have been tracking and i have had about 7. I have increased the new medication again today to 2000mg a day 1000 in the morning and 1000 at night.

Reduce Stress....that would be nice. I have 2 small children, husband, work full time and run a household. I was excerising last year and even though it didn't really help change the episodes i just felt better. I will be starting that up again soon.

I am leaving work now and will be back on Monday..it was nice to talk to you and i hope to chat again. Best of luck.

Have a great weekend.

[jket]

I will stay in touch. It helps because sometimes I think the doctors are not willing to listen and have their minds made up. It does seem that the new medicine is reducing the number of incidents of your attacks. That is good and hopefully that trend will continue in the right direction.

[jket]

At your last post you said that you had recently changed meds to Keppra. Has it helped in reducing the incidents?