Hi Cassie,

Welcome to the forum! I'm sorry to hear that finace is having seizures that are lasting so long. I started having absence seizures when I was 10 yrs. old and they led to complex partial seizures. What you are describing sounds like absence status seizures and that means the seizure is lasting much longer than it should and there's a possibility that it can be causing more brain damage. If a person has a seizure of any type and it lasts for 15 min. or longer it is known as a status seizure. A few yrs. ago when I was put on neurontin it caused me to have absence status seizures where I would be out of it for 30 min. to 3 hrs. this caused me to have more brain damage.
I have taken tegretol and keppra and I found that the keppra increased my seizures. Your fiance should get of the anti depresent because it's going to mess up his tegretol and keppra and he needs to understand that depression is part of epilepsy and his seizure meds. I've found taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day a big help. to reduce my seizures.

Stress and lack of sleep are the 2 main things that can trigger seizures for a person because the stress effects the hormones which in turn will cause seizures. I've had many e.e.g's done along with cat scans, MRI's , Spect scans, angiograms, and Pet scans and the Drs. only found I had to many brain cells on the right temporal lobe but when I had surgery done to reduce my seizures they found more brain damage that was never shown on any of the tests because it was to deep in my brain and this could be the reason why the Dr. isn't getting the detail of what's going on with your fiance brain. If you haven't started get a calendar and keep track of all the seizures by writing down what time the seizure happened along with a description of the seizure. Take note if your fiance is sick with a cold or virus because that can always trigger more seizures and also take note of the weather and if there's a low pressure in the weather sometimes a person can have seizures when there's a low pressure. My best advice to you is to have your fiance go to an Epilepsy Center and see a Epileptologist (Dr. specializing in epilepsy) I've gotten the most help from an Epileptologist and I'm on fewer meds. I also found out to stay away from both nutra sweet and cell phones because both of these can cause more electrical activity in the brain and trigger seizures for some people.
I wish you and your fiance only the best of luck and don't give up on the relationship. I've been married for 24 yrs. now and my husband knew I had epilepsy before we got married.
Wishing the both of you the best of luck and May God Bless You Both!

Sue

Cassie,

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. I too have had seizures since I was 10. Up until the last few year I never had a doctor that would assist me in my epilepsy. Sue gave you a great deal of information to go by. Back when I would have a spell it would not last long, but sometimes I would lay down and sleep for a small amount of time, but it seem more to me. I too am on Keppra which really has not harm me, but we are all different. My neurologist sent me down to Dallas and I saw an Epileptologist who did some test and ending up have surgery on my brain, removing a scar mass off the left side of my brain. I was the answer for me in all these years. My neurologist is fixing to ease me off my meds, (Keppra & Lamital). Mostly what I had was petit-mal seizures, then I have also had grandmals some. When I was in a spell I could hear others talking to me asking questions and I had the answer, but I had the words formed to soeak to them but could not move my mouth.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Please keep us updated on the results.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene

Sue,

Thanks so much for the information. Will be doing some more research on the Vitamin B... he just had blood work done, so I'll be looking at the results and see what his Hcy was. I noticed you are in NY? Do you have any suggestions for an Epilepotologist? We will be going to Strong Hospital in Rochester NY to get his EEG done, and are trying to get into the center.

Again, I can't thank you enough for your kind words and encouragement. He is my whole world, and I guess that this is the 'better or worse, sickness and in health" part, right? Thank you, and I'll let you know what happens...

Cassie

Hi Cassie,

I can't believe that you are going to Strong Memorial Hospital because that's the same place that I go to and that's where I had my last surgery done. I had my first surgery done in Syracuse at the University hospital and I wasn't to pleased with them at all. You are going to a great place in Rochester I've been going there since I was 10 yrs. old and then I've tried different locations but I always end up going back to Strong Memorial.
Do me a favor and check your private messages in the top right hand corner of the screen. Here's wishing you and your fiance the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue