** Do you know if you had all the szr. types listed above for the full 20
years?  Hopefully the current Doctor you see might know that, if they have
older med. history.   I don't know anything about treatment of Grand Mals,
but others around here might comment later.
   Tegretol is used to control Complex Partial seizures (like mine), and
possibly the absences are a milder form of seizures, often grouped under
Simple Partial types on some websites.   The U.S. Ep. Foundation site might
have more detail on symptoms of the various types.  It's at http://efa.org 
.
   If you see posts by Howdy Dave or Julie Walton around the history or on
group posts currently visible where you are, they've each developed their
own sites specific to their experiences or for the Idaho State Website,
respectively./

I take 1200mg Tegratol

*********************************

****   There are several types of Tegretol, but the most common one used in
North America? is a Time Released version where the dose can be taken twice
a day and keep a stable level in the bloodstream between doses.   In the UK
that's usually Tegretol Retard?  while in North America it would be Tegretol
CR (Controlled Release)  or Tegretol XR (Extended Release).
   Are your's like that?  If they're not, you could ask the Dr. why you
don't use the Extended Release types,  to see if those would control the
blood levels better over a longer time and keep your seizure control better?
   If your's are not currently Controlled Release, you could ask them (if
you're not now)  about taking the doses 2 or 3x a day, rather than all in
one dose, as that should also level your blood levels better.
   (If you saw a post I did about 3 days ago, don't use Grapefruit with
Tegretol and preferably not Alcohol too, as both interfere with its
operation, and just produce more trouble than they're worth.)

** Above -- what are the side effects you are having, that I put ***s under?
Some of us have little or not side effects, others aren't able to use it.
But without more information on the side effects you experience,  we can't
always give you input whether *that problem might be a true side effect of
the Tegretol (or any med. )  or is an effect caused by the particular
seizure type.
  (Some of the auras or other feelings that someone having Grand Mals (I
don't have experience with),   Simple Partials or Complex Partials (I've
had),  will be different and unique to the seizure type.   And some symptoms
might be due to the particular type of szr. more than the particular pill
you're currently using.   Without more information,  it may be hard for
others to comment.)

   *My opinion is that 5 Grand Mals from April to October (one a month?)
might be a lot, and the complex partial ones often end in loss of awareness
or consciousness, so potentially could be dangerous if not controlled or if
you work around areas that requires attention or operating heavy equipment
etc.  But, since we're each different in how many we have and *types, due to
differences in the types of brain damage or operation that is producing the
seizures, it would be hard for anyone here to say that 'that's a lot of
seizures',   since for some people with extreme seizure problems or damage,
for their case that might be a Good Outcome....
  (*I was told in 1993 to hope for 2-3 szrs. a month based on MRIs and EEGs
I had at the time.   Last 2 I had were December 97 and June 1998 -- 7 years
ago...) /

  What you could ask the Doctors is whether reducing the Tegretol (assuming
you're already using a Controlled Release type I mentioned at top),  but
adding some Second medication together with it might help the type of
seizures you are having.   What might be added likely would depend on where
your seizures are happening (the 'seizure focus' ), and your own medical
conditions.  For Complex Partial types,  I had Clobazam (Frisium) added, but
that is specific to CP type seizures, and might be Totally useless for Grand
Mal ones.   But I'd expect there might be other pills that could be used
with the (reduce) Tegretol for your particular szr. type.
  Tegretol dose changes should be spelled out by the Doctor, as reducing it
should be spaced over 1 to several weeks (mine was about 8 weeks because of
dose size), to prevent problems with rapid withdrawal of the Tegretol, while
we added the other (2nd) pill.

   Most of us here can just give comments based on our own history or
experiences, and while a particular 'second medication' or other treatment
might work for some types of szrs.  they shouldn't be expected to work for
all types.   There are just some types or some People who have unique
conditions that might be different from your's --  a kind of weak analogy->
if you e.g. drove a Ford and when you stepped on the brakes the steering
pulled to the Left -- asking all Car Drivers if their cars pulled the same
way, wouldn't address what's causing your 'steering condition'.  If *all
people with a 1993 xx model of a car had that problem, *that might be
something that would matter or be statistically important.   But all
problems with Steering of cars, wouldn't have the same solution.
    (I don't know if that made sense, but I tried to....  :-<  )   G./

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Howdy Ross!

"A lot" is a relative term.

Some people have 30 or 40 seizures PER DAY and just take it for granted...
Others get frantic if they have 2 seizures in a month.