Bill,
Never had prob with insomnia until July stroke. Then horrible problems,
which have improved a great deal. My GP thinks that is more consistent
with stroke. At time of stroke I was on 100 mg. Lamictal t.i.d. with fair
control. Nothing has ever given me much control except tegretol. After
many years it began giving me a seizure which mimicked Menniere's disease.
Ain't this seizure life grand! At stroke neuro added topamax, working up to
200 mg t.i.d. and weaning off the Lamictal. At present, I am down to 100.
mg. daily of Lamictal. Post surgery, who knows what they'll prescribe. For
awhile it looked like success with this regimen, but last week I had a
cluster of 3 or 4 seizures. after a clean 6 weeks.

*** Did they ever do tests like a sleep deprived eeg or even altering some
of the meds. (below) to see if you were having minor seizures during the
night, so waking you up?  That doesn't have to be e.g. a Brain Tumor or
other things causing the szrs. but our guards are down during night and my
Dr. said if I was prone (to a seizure), there's more chance of it happening
then than when I'm alert.
  (I wondered if the multi years you described were because of nocturnal
seizures that were undetected all that time.) /

*G*  Did they tell you which area of brain the mark is on?  Often the area
that might be affected will produce a particular seizure type.  If you know
the name of that, it saves time if you're searching through First Aid links
or other sites for information specific to your type. /

*** ???  Increased exercise will increase your blood flow, so the rate the
medication gets purged from your blood.  The Dr. should have known *that.
I don't know how e.g. changes in blood pressure etc. would affect some of
the anti-ep meds.   I was only able to use Dilantin for about 8 months as it
didn't produce reliable seizure control for Complex Partial type (Temporal
lobe) seizures.    It was developed in ~1930s, and for those that can use it
is the cheapest, as the research costs were recovered long ago.
  I've seen others 'here' who've used or are using Keppra,  but I never
have for above CP Seizures.  Perhaps one of them will tell us which seizure
types it's used for.
  Many of the medications might need to be taken twice a day or another
rate to keep a level in blood that works.  Many of us use Controlled Release
types that will keep that blood level stable over longer periods.

 Some medications will reach a Plateau where they'll give stable control
for 6-12-18 months, then might need a slight adjustment or possibly a second
med. added.   Last adjustment I've needed for above CP Seizures was 1996.
Last seizure I had was June 98.   (That only matters since the Neuro told me
in 1993 to hope for 1-2 seizures per month as a hoped-for target, based on
MRIs and EEGs they had run. )  G. /

definitely

if

itself..nothing

**G* I don't have Bill's older post still up on my reader.   There are
several of us with Right T.Lobe seizures.  I was able to control mine with
medications.   Not all of us need surgery to get full control.   That would
depend on the seizure type and cause.  Your's sound more organic (tumor?)
based, while mine were from Encephalitis damage to Rt. T.Lobe. /G.