CBI,
You are right. Dilantin and Phenabarb are 2 of the oldest meds
for EP. Because of that --they are not very expensive.
I have a Lady Dr. friend who told me that she starts out with
Keppra now when she has a new EP patient.
You mentioned that you thought my med schedule is difficult to
follow. It helps that I have a round container where I can put
all the meds that I take per day for a week. Sometimes I think--
"I ought to take my meds". Sometimes I go and do it and sometimes
I don't. When I think of it the next time I go according to how many
Dilantin are in the container for that day. Since all the pills
are different shapes -- I can tell if I've taken my morning or
evening pill.
Millie
Millie
> Wow, That's a tough meds schedule to keep up with. I'm glad you can
> keep it straight. I know it would be a challenge for me. You are
> also fortunate to not have a seizure for more than a year. I would
> love to reach that point again. The breakthrough seizures I have are
> frustrating but I am learning to live with them. I need to ask my
> doctor, and I have a new neurologist because my previous one retired.
> I want to learn more about the different medications we all take. The
> first question I have is which ones are new to the market. I have read
> there are many that are just being made available and I don't know
> their differences. Dilantin and Phenabarb have been around for many
> years. Carbatrol has been around for some time also. If anyone is
> using on of the new medications, how much success are they having? Any
> side effects?
> Thanks everyone for your support. I'm learning a lot about how we each
> deal with this.
>
>
> CBI
>
> --- On Tue, 4/28/09, mylmy@bnin.net <mylmy@bnin.net> wrote:
> From: mylmy@bnin.net <mylmy@bnin.net>
> Subject: Re: [epilepsy] Taking more than one medication
> To: epilepsy@yahoogroup
> Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 1:16 AM
>
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> CBI,
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> For me it was up to the Dr. I have nothing to do with it.
>
> I was taking 4 brand name Dilantin and the blood level
>
> told him that was too much. So I take 3 Dilantin Mon, Wed
>
> and Fri and 4 the other days.I also take 4- 30 mg phenabarb
>
> a day. I have my blood levels checked twice a year and again
>
> if I have a sz. I have a physical once a year and a check up
>
> 6 months later. I have been on this for over 20 years. He
>
> also has my liver, kidneys, sugar etc. checked.(blood test)
>
>
>
> I take 2 Dilantin ,2 phenabarb and an Evista (osteoporosis)
>
> in the AM and on Mon, Wed, and Fri I take 1 Dilantin, 2 phenabarb
>
> and aspirin. The other days I take 2 Dilantin, 2 phenabarb and
>
> an aspirin at night.
>
>
>
> My last sz was 2 years ago and before that it was 4 years.
>
>
>
> I used to have grand mal szs but now they are more like complex
>
> partials. My girls say my brain is scrambled for about 2 days.
>
> I don't pass out but I also am not my normal self. I don't smile,
>
> act like I don't hear you, don't ask questions and then can't
>
> answer questions.
>
>
>
> Millie
>
>
>
>> The only time I've taken more than one medication was when I switched
>
>> from Dilantin to Tegretal. This was a phase out phase in approach and it
>
>> worked for me, no seizures during the transition. I had been on dilantin
>
>> so long that I had conficence even though it didn't completely stop my
>
>> seizures. I was not as sure with tegretal at first only because I was
>
>> not familiar with it. At first I thought while still taking Dilantin,
>
>> at a lower dose and taking Tegretal, why not stay on those dosages. It
>
>> was not my doctor's decision nor intent.
>
>>
>
>> What I'm not sure about is when is the decision made to take more
>> than
>
>> one medication?
>
>>
>
>> How long have members taken two or more typed of medications? The
>
>> one negative effect is the strain it places on your liver or other
>
>> organs. How do you manage that?
>
>>
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>> Are there long lasting effects that raise concerns?
>
>>
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>> How do you manage the medication blood levels to keep control?
>
>>
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>> How do you tell when to increase one medication and not another?
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>> Any experiences you have or and guidelines from your doctors would
>
>> help.
>
>>
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>> Do you take each medication at different times during a day?
>
>>
>
>> If you think of other information that would help understand how
>> this
>
>> is a benefit and positive or negative experience please include them.
>
>>
>
>> What about side effects. Can the two interfere with one another
>> and
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>> cause headaches or tremors? By all means if it results in months or
>
>> years of being seizure free, that would be great however the other
>
>> factors need to be considered especially side effects and strain on
>
>> other parts of the body. Thanks for your support.
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>> CBI
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