Hi peterpan,

I was on keppra for my complex partial and absence sz. and it only made things worse because in some cases it can increase sz. for a person and I know that it caused insomnia terribly for me to the point where I would be awake most of the night and then I was exhausted during the day and that caused more sz. for me. If I were in your place I would request that a DNA test be done on your daughter to find out what sz. med would work the best for her with the least side effects. A lot of Drs. don't like doing this because they are making money from the company who makes the drug and they often push the newer drug. I know that keppra has been put on report with the FDA drug watch because many people have had an increase of sz. while on the drug. I even filled out a report on the drug because it messed me up terribly. Many sz. meds can cause a person to have suicidal thoughts because it's a depressant and also the area of a persons brain that's triggering
the sz. may also have an affect as to why the person feels this way. It's happened to me I thought about it but I fought the feeling and never did anything like that.

I'm sorry to say but complex partial sz. are one of the hardest types of sz. to control because the sz. is happening in more than one area of the brain. I just started the drug vimpat this past August and since I've been on that drug I haven't had a single complex partial sz. it's been working great for me. The bad part is that the drug can cause dizziness for a few seconds, blury vision, and it can effect the liver so you have to have a lot of blood tests done to watch the liver.

I know that if I were in your place I would have your daughter see an Epileptologist since they know much more about epilepsy and how to treat it. Especially at your daughters age where her hormones are changing so much now since she's going through puberty. Whatever you do try vitamin B12 you can buy it over the counter and it won't hurt her at all. The B12 calms the nervous system down. Here's wishing you and your daughter the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue