Hi everyone,
I had a craniotomy/bleeed 18 months ago, 3 months of anti seizure meds n no seizures. Then last week I had a grand mal seizure.
I am being weaned off Keppra and put on Topamax. I am exceedingly tired and severely depressed. Is it the seizure, the medication, or the knowledge that I now have to be medicated and have to deal with the effects of that the rest of my life causing the depression.
I have never felt this horrible in my life. I was finally feeling back to normal after the craniotomy. Now I can't drive for 6 months and I feel completely miserable. I can barely make it through the day. I am a teacher and I have no sick days left. I have 3 kids n 2 stepkids. I really need help cause I cannot go on like this.
Hi Kate,
Hope you are feeling better. I suspect the depression is the side-effect from the meds. asked your doc to see if they could change the med. Kate, don't be discourage. remember, you survived the craniotomy! Seizure is something can be controlled. Did your doc advise you to stay off from alochol? It triggers seizure.
Unlike you and Laura,
1) i don't have children to contend with
2) after 15months, my keppra dosage has been halved, and if i suffer no ill effects for two months, i shall be medication free in mid-July
My neuro team would normally put their patients on the anti-seizure meds anywhere from 2 yrs to life, so i'm feeling lucky. What prompted me to write is that the team suggested (and I only became aware of this a fortnight ago) that a combination of alcohol, fatigue and stress can bring on seizures. So we as individuals have to develop coping mechanisms. Only my suggestion, and not based on medical fact, but my coping mechs include meetings and phone hookups with other AVMers, writing and sending postcards to AVMers from all over the world - works well and keeps the depressing moments away too.
I wish you luck in finding the motivators to keep you going, Mary Kate. Not easy, I know, but keep your chin up. Tony
Hi Mary Kate. I have good friend of mine who has epilepsy…nothing to do with an AVM. She also takes Topamax. It helps control her migraines as well as seizures. When she was being weaned off dilantin and put on topamax…she was miserable. She thinks once your body adjust to the topamax that you will feel better. I will be praying for you!