Community Forum Archive

Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Mon, 10/28/2013 - 22:12
I am 29 years old and had my first grand mal seizure in May of this year, before my seizure I had "spells" where I would feel odd get very warm and nauseated, and they would go away. Sometime I will get an odd smell or taste in my mouth. I had these spells before I had a seizure and now that I have been diagnosed with a seizure disorder and am taking Keppra 500 mg twice a day I continue to have these spells randomly. Wondering if I should consider these Auras? If I am still having them should I talk to my neurologist about uping my dosage. Thanks for reading!

Comments

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2013-10-29 - 10:01

Jennay

By all means yes talk to youe neuro because you have a large range of dosages and even meds that will work with the keppra

It is highly possiable that those are auras. Auras are basically seizures in themselves. I had wierd feelings fro time to time. I wa also being written up for day dreaming when the testing showed I was among the highest in class. Those day dreams were absence seizures,SO yes what you have been experiancing are or could be auras.

The questions to ask now are How long have you been on keppra and when was the last time your dosage was increased. I am currently on keppra but I take 750 3 twice daily which is maximum dosage. I was still having more seizures and Doc was informed by the drug company that vimpat could work with the keppra and Doc added it the number of seizures has been reduced. Both Keppra and vimpat are made by UCB .

I would suggest you get the My Epilipsy Diary near the top of this page and use it. Write down anything that is different or a litte weird, listen to what you can do and use it because it can be sent to your doc or even printed.

Hope yu get the answers you need and get your seizures controlled

Joe

Jennay

By all means yes talk to youe neuro because you have a large range of dosages and even meds that will work with the keppra

It is highly possiable that those are auras. Auras are basically seizures in themselves. I had wierd feelings fro time to time. I wa also being written up for day dreaming when the testing showed I was among the highest in class. Those day dreams were absence seizures,SO yes what you have been experiancing are or could be auras.

The questions to ask now are How long have you been on keppra and when was the last time your dosage was increased. I am currently on keppra but I take 750 3 twice daily which is maximum dosage. I was still having more seizures and Doc was informed by the drug company that vimpat could work with the keppra and Doc added it the number of seizures has been reduced. Both Keppra and vimpat are made by UCB .

I would suggest you get the My Epilipsy Diary near the top of this page and use it. Write down anything that is different or a litte weird, listen to what you can do and use it because it can be sent to your doc or even printed.

Hope yu get the answers you need and get your seizures controlled

Joe

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by JennayB on Tue, 2013-10-29 - 10:22
Thanks for responding Joe, I have been on Keppra since the end of June. I haven't had a dosage increase at all because I knew it was going to take time for me to get used to the medication. Plus only have seen the Neuro twice now. Plan on calling him this week to discuss possible dosage increase.

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2013-10-29 - 17:34

Good

Keppra is one of the best medications I hve used and I have used AED' for 50+ years

Keppra has not only reduced the number of seizures I was having. It also reduced the time in the seizure and the time to focus (get back to normal). There are other medications that can be coupled with keppra which can also help.

Discuss an increase. I know it takes time to get used to meds but I also know that dosages can be increased and people can be seizure free. I was for over 3 years

I have been a very lucky person because I have been connected to the same group of neurologists since 1970. One woud retire I got his replacement he specialized and introduced me to the next who retired and introduced me to the next and the one I have now had seen my files periodically when one was away and I had questions. But Doc is great and we have had a good relationship.

Did I suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary which is near the top of the page? If not go look at it and watch what can be done with it. All the information that is put in it can and will be helpful to your neuro. If he uses the information he can see possiable triggers see other prcedures or medications that might help get yu seizure free

Good luck with the call

Joe

Good

Keppra is one of the best medications I hve used and I have used AED' for 50+ years

Keppra has not only reduced the number of seizures I was having. It also reduced the time in the seizure and the time to focus (get back to normal). There are other medications that can be coupled with keppra which can also help.

Discuss an increase. I know it takes time to get used to meds but I also know that dosages can be increased and people can be seizure free. I was for over 3 years

I have been a very lucky person because I have been connected to the same group of neurologists since 1970. One woud retire I got his replacement he specialized and introduced me to the next who retired and introduced me to the next and the one I have now had seen my files periodically when one was away and I had questions. But Doc is great and we have had a good relationship.

Did I suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary which is near the top of the page? If not go look at it and watch what can be done with it. All the information that is put in it can and will be helpful to your neuro. If he uses the information he can see possiable triggers see other prcedures or medications that might help get yu seizure free

Good luck with the call

Joe

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by tcameron on Wed, 2013-10-30 - 19:03

Jennay,

Absolutely, contact your neurologist.  He can't help you if he isn't aware something is wrong.  He's the one who can tell you if these are really auras.; which are Simple Partial seizures.  It seems like they are, but I'm not a medical professional.  He might be able to increase a dose, or change you to another AED.  Take good care of yourself,  T

Jennay,

Absolutely, contact your neurologist.  He can't help you if he isn't aware something is wrong.  He's the one who can tell you if these are really auras.; which are Simple Partial seizures.  It seems like they are, but I'm not a medical professional.  He might be able to increase a dose, or change you to another AED.  Take good care of yourself,  T

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by mereloaded on Thu, 2013-10-31 - 12:22
You are taking the minimum dose for an adult. Increasing meds is common , all it takes is a call to the neuro, they will evaluate the complaint/need and increase it over the phone. It takes time to get the correct dosage right. The nausea, the warm feeling, those are indeed partial seizures as you know now my son vomited randomly for years, I always thought it was food poisoning or whatever, it wasn't until he got diagnosed with epilepsy 8 months ago when I realized what was happening g to him.

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by JennayB on Fri, 2013-11-01 - 10:35
Thanks everyone for sharing your personal experiences with seizures. This has made me feel tons better and more educated about what is happening to me. I would have never thought what was happening to me was something as serious as a partial seizure. I called my neurologist and he was scheduled me for another EEG on Wednesday next week. I hope from this we can find a solution to having these partial seizures, because they have disrupted my day a few different times and have made me leave work and school because of them. Thanks again for all your kind words, and I will update everyone on what happens after the EEG. I guess I can go ahead and ask if everyone who had dealt with seizures, had everyone been able to find their triggering as to why they happen? That is something I would very much like to get to the bottom of.... Thanks-Jenny

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by Mrs.Norris on Wed, 2013-11-06 - 21:09
My comment is late here and I've not read the other comments.  I just want to say you are not alone.  I have had simple partial seizues fo 12 years and finally this year I've had 3 grand mal.  Just started the Keppra 500 mg twice daily on monday.  I'm praying for you and hope for the best!

Re: Newly diagnosed, auras? Need advice.

Submitted by mereloaded on Thu, 2013-11-07 - 07:23
Hi, about triggers, there are some common triggers. Lack of sleep and, stress are the two big ones. For Others, drinking alcohol, street drugs, some OTC meds, for others bright lights or 3d movies, video games, disruption/ change of sleeping pattern, hit to the head, for some too much caffeine, fatigue, extraneous excersise, fasting. Another big one is forgetting to take your medication. Good luck

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