Tim,
In an earlier post, I thought I read it didnt matter how much you weight and your meds would still be ok? Im not sure I agree with that, because when I loose weight they change my meds, mabe not everytime, but when I loose enough of my weight and it doesnt match up to the meds, they then change it.
Deb from texas
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From: TIMOTHY BALDWIN <tbb1@prodigy.
To: epilepsy@yahoogroup
Sent: Wed, May 5, 2010 8:26:06 PM
Subject: Re: [epilepsy] medicine levels question
Liz,
In '89, I was in Kernan hospital to replace my r.knee's ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). Their lab found a toxic level of dilantin. Therepeutic level of that drug is written as 10-20mgs. per once of blood, Toxic zone is supposed to be anything above 20. No doctor looked at me for any sign of toxicity, they didn't give me any of it for to three-four days I was there. I asked them at Kernen to call my nuerologist, they never did. The day just after being released within 10-20mins, I had a seizure due to my low level that medicine both me and my girl friend at that time who'd tried to stick hand into my mouth were taken to a hospital in Columbia, MD. Her hand was stitched up and my blood level was measured to be non-therapeutic at 3mgs per once. It dropped straight down from 22 to 3 in a few days but went up at a slight angle over 70 days. I told them at Kernan to call my neurologist; but, they never did. Kernan is also part of the University of
Maryland Medical System, my doctor works at another place, Univ. of MD hospital he'd kept at 22mgs per once to make it theraputic. Then I sued them and settled,also my ACL was free.
Timothy Baldwin
____________ _________ _________ __
From: Liz Welker <lizard110366@ yahoo.com>
To: epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com
Sent: Wed, May 5, 2010 10:09:44 PM
Subject: Re: [epilepsy] medicine levels question
Too much med can lead to toxic effects, which can be very dangerous, but too little, for many, can mean a higher likelihood of szs. For me, a "therapeutic level" usually is MUCH lower than the "standard" dose. In fact, the dose I have been told nearly all my life--no matter what med--was what I had to take to be "in therapeutic range" ALWAYS (and I do mean ALWAYS) fried my brain beyond belief and left me with other potentially deadly effects. For this reason, I will never see another neurologist again. I'm very, very fortunate that only a minute dose of Keppra (250 mg a day) shuts my epi up entirely. If a neuro were overseeing my care, and not my neurosurgeon, who's known me my whole life, I would have either died from the effects or committed suicide. It was THAT bad, no matter what med, and I have been on phenobarbital, Tegretol, Ativan, and now Keppra. Neuros have a pathetic way of refusing to think outside the box. Therefore, I no longer see them.
Moral: If a smaller dose works well for you, stick with it!
LIZARD, list mod, living with epi 43 years :)
--- On Wed, 5/5/10, pierce407720032003 <sacornelius@ msn.com> wrote:
From: pierce407720032003 <sacornelius@ msn.com>
Subject: [epilepsy] medicine levels question
To: epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com
Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 9:23 PM
What exactly does medicine levels mean? If a dose works then why bother changing because of what a blood test says the medicine levels are?
I had a blood test last week and today came home to find a message from my doctor's office saying to call them. The dose I take now is fine. Is there a reason to change it if the blood test says I have too much or little in my system?
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