Thank you all for your prayers im sorry i havent been on much latley.Just trying to deal with the stress of it all and the recovery process.I got my EEG and MRI report yesterday and they came back good and going to start weaning me off the meds.SHould i try to wean completely off the meds?Taking 2000mg Keppra and 500 mg dilantin. Only had a seizure right after the surgery. If im on the medication isnt the EEG supposed to come back normal or how does that work? thank you all
Hi Kevin,
Yes, it’s possible that the EEG is normal because the meds are keeping it that way. But it’s also possible that the seizure after the surgery was a one-time thing, caused by swelling and irritation of the brain. The only way to find out is to try to wean off the meds! If your doctor suggests it, it’s worth a try.
Even if you find out that you do still need them, you might be able to lower the dosage or drop one of the meds. So it might make sense to wean off one first, and THEN the other, instead of both at once. Your doctor could advise you about that.
Make sure you follow the schedule your doctor recommends, because there can be withdrawal symptoms if you lower the dose too quickly.
Be careful with yourself, just in case it turns out you do need them. You want to be protected in case you have a seizure. If you can get rides instead of driving, the next few weeks could be a good time to make that choice, just to be safe.
I hope you find out you’re seizure-free!
Hi Kevin. I would think the EEG would be abnormal if you were having major problems. Definitely let your doctor make the decision about how to wean you off the meds. Good Luck!
Kevin, PLEASE…Have your doctor wean you off the seizure med. I tried to do it myself and had a seizure. I’ll never try that again…
Hi Kevin,
I’m glad to hear that you only had one seizure. I looked at your profile and it looks like your neurosurgeon is directing your treatment. Out of bitter experience I found out that my neurosurgeon was not really up to date (this is putting it lightly) with the seizure meds and how to stop taking them. He told me to stop all at once, which caused a seizure right away. Another neurosurgeon told me to double my dosage after I had one seizure, and then I ended up in the ER with toxic levels of meds in my blood. They know their job, which is surgery, but they aren’t the best doctors for seizures.
So I suggest that you consult an epileptologist – a neurologist specialized in seizure disorders – before weaning off your medication. This doctor can recommend the best way of tapering off your meds, and you can trust that they will be the best person to read the EEGs you’ll have during or after the weaning. You can find an epileptologist by contacting the local branch of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/).
I have been on 2000 mg of Keppra since November of 2007. I always wonder myself if should try to be weaned off. I have talked to a couple of neurologists and both of their opinions were if I’m not having a problem with the Keppra to stay on it. I was told the EEG will never be normal because of having had brain surgery, don’t know if this is true or not. I only had seizures when I was in the hospital three years ago although I do notice that I have what I’m told are partial seizures, the ones where you or anyone else may not even realize that’s what they are. Where I live, if you change seizure meds at all then you must give up your drivers license for a year and then prove you have not had a seizure for that year before you can get it back (I understand why this is necessary). I worry about staying on meds but I worry more about coming off of them and having a problem. I’m always looking for information myself. Sorry I don’t have anything better to add.
HI, KEVIN I WAS ON THE KEPPRA AS WELL LOST ALL MY HAIR BECAUSE OF IT BUT AFTER I HAD MY EEG AND IT CAN BACK NORMAL THEN I WAS WEANED OFF OF THEM. THE MEDS ARE TO JUST HELP CONTROL THE SEIZURE BUT NOT STOP THEM FROM COMIN SO IF YOUR EEG WAS NORMAL YOU HAVINT BEEN HAVIN THEM. I AM SURE YOUR DOC. WILL START TO TAKE YOU OFF OF THEM THAT’S JUST WHAT HE WANTED TO SEE THAT IT WAS NORMAL. BE BLESSED
You can have a normal EEG and still have epileptic tendencies. They look at how the brain waves react to different stimulus (the flashing lights ect) and unless you have a seizure during the test the results can be normal. This link helps explain a little more http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/eeg_normal . If you still want to know more give Google a quick look.