new simple partial trigger

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Eric - 27 Sep 2004 19:28 GMT

I have had a recent increase of photosensitive seizures (simple
partials), triggered by sunlight, which is a new cause of them for me.
This occurs not only without sunglasses, but also without wearing a
hat in the bright sunlight. The lenses of the sunglasses I wear have
to be real dark now, about like those seen worn by ZZ Top. I have to
wear something similar to a boonie hat.

Does anyone have the same problem? I have these constantly and I try
to lay off of Lorazepam for fear of a building tolerance. I now have
to take 2mg of it instead of 1mg to get it under temporary control.
Is there any "take as needed" medicine besides Lorazepam for this?

E.

Reply to this Message

Dave ???? - 28 Sep 2004 00:42 GMT

Howdy!

Maybe it's not photosensative...

Maybe it's just because the sun is beating down on your head.

Does it happen with sunglasses and without a hat?
How about with a hat and without sunglasses?

Signature

Dave ????

http://www.howdydave.com

> I have had a recent increase of photosensitive seizures (simple
> partials), triggered by sunlight, which is a new cause of them for me.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> E.

Reply to this Message

Eric - 03 Oct 2004 23:20 GMT

"Dave ©¿©¬" <dave@_nospam_howdydave.com> wrote in message news:<Yz16d.7600$vJ2.7379@news02.roc.ny>...

> Howdy!
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Does it happen with sunglasses and without a hat?
> How about with a hat and without sunglasses?

I'm for sure its photosensitive. I can tell when it is triggered by
bright light in my eyes. I can tell what triggers my different
seizures after living with them 30 out of my 40 years. It has happened
with any combination, but only lately without a hat. It seems I need
the shade, since my head is reflecting more light from a receding
hairline (lol). It happens all of the time without sunglasses.
Having them without sunglasses has been a problem longer.

These come in clusters every week or so, the frequency like deja'vu
episodes that turned into petit or grand-mals that I haven't had for a
few years. When my neuro increases my regular 2 meds besides as-needed
Lorazepam, it only controls it temporarily. Then a tolerance to the
increase in meds just starts again. This is by mainly increasing
Keppra, which I am now past the maximum dosage listed in the PDR
anyway. Increasing Lamictal doesn't do anything but make my tremors
from it increase.

I am just asking if anyone knows if there is an alternative to
Lorazepam (Ativan) to control them, either as a supplement or a main
anti-seizure med to switch to.

Any more ideas?

Thanks,

E.

Reply to this Message

Daz_n_Pat - 04 Oct 2004 23:51 GMT

> "Dave ????" <dave@_nospam_howdydave.com> wrote in message

news:<Yz16d.7600$vJ2.7379@news02.roc.ny>...

> > Howdy!
> >
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
> E.

Is Lorazepam related to Clobazam (Frisium)???
I'm taking clobazam regularly now, but when the doc first prescribed it he
told me it could be taken as needed.
I'm similar to you Eric, I've been having seizures 30 of my 38 years. They
occasionally come in clusters of up to 30 in a row, but if my wife manages
to get about 20 or 30mg of clobazam into me, they settle down after about 20
minutes.....pretty fast working. (But if you don't swallow them fast enough
they dissolve in your mouth and taste like sh.t.....figuratively)
Even though I'm taking them regularly now (30mg a day) I still use an extra
20mg or so if I'm feeling a bit yuk or seem to be having more seizures than
I should. And they work absolutely brilliantly.
Ask your doc about Clobazam (Frisium)

Someone will probably inform me now that clobazam and lorazepam are the same
thing and I'll feel real stupid. :-)

All the best Eric.

Darryl.

Reply to this Message

gaross - 05 Oct 2004 00:06 GMT

> > "Dave ????" <dave@_nospam_howdydave.com> wrote in message
> news:<Yz16d.7600$vJ2.7379@news02.roc.ny>...
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
> All the best Eric.
> Darryl.

*** Sorry Can't help you with last part... Clobazam is an Add On Anti Ep
Medication, designed to be used with a Primary AED. I use it with
Tegretol CR in AM and alone at night. Once I reached the proper mgs. to
control Complex Partial Seizures AM and night, my seizures stopped.
Lorazepam (Ativan) is usually a Sublingual 'quick fix' tablet (at
least the one I have is) that goes under the tongue and dissolves into the
bloodstream. I used to use it to bring a seizure onset under control when
I got Auras just ahead of a C.P. seizure. During the 3-5 minutes I had the
aura, if I got the Lorazepam to start into my bloodstream, I could prevent
the rest of the seizure from generalizing and leading to loss of
consciousness. I haven't used one now since about 14 months ago. Before
I had the Tegretol and Frisium balanced out, I used to use 4-5 Ativan a
month. The Tegretol and Frisium are both Absorbed downstream of the
stomach, so would take 2-4? hours before they started to enter the
bloodstream. The Ativan, starts when it's placed under the tongue.
(There is another version, usually administered differently, and by someone
other than the patient.) G./

Reply to this Message

Daz_n_Pat - 05 Oct 2004 04:23 GMT

The Tegretol and Frisium are both Absorbed downstream of the

> stomach, so would take 2-4? hours before they started to enter the
> bloodstream. The Ativan, starts when it's placed under the tongue.
> (There is another version, usually administered differently, and by someone
> other than the patient.) G./

I've heard before that the frisium is supposed to be absorbed downstream,
but they do work very fast for me. The tablets I have are very small (10mg)
and as I said before, if not swallowed fast enough they dissolve on the
tongue and taste awful.
Whenever I have a cluster of seizures and my wife gives me frisium, it does
stop them within about 20 minutes or so. I'm no pharmacist, but it sure
seems to me that they're entering the bloodstream pretty darned fast. One
may make the assumption that it's all in my head (no pun intended) but as
you know, during a seizure one isn't thinking too much about what pills are
being put in ones mouth. All I know is that they work.

Cheers.
Darryl.

Reply to this Message

Eric - 16 Oct 2004 01:35 GMT

> The Tegretol and Frisium are both Absorbed downstream of the
> > stomach, so would take 2-4? hours before they started to enter the
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Cheers.
> Darryl.

Thanks for the info everybody. I'll ask my neuro about clobazam
(frisium). I did a couple hours housework today ~1-3pm and I'm having
these pesky simple-partials already this evening at 5pm. Just the
exertion, I've eaten 5 times today so I know it isn't low blood sugar.
I slept like a log on Ambien last night too. Its a constant battle,
yesterday attending a college business class, we met in a computer
lab. Instant simple-partials both from low blood sugar and later from
not putting on an eye-patch right away. I bet people thought I was
starting to dress for halloween.

Thanks again,
Eric

Reply to this Message