Epilepsy Community

kimt16,

Here are some words you said that I'm focusing my attention on. "very hostile . . . the rage . . . he has gotten physical with me . . . he doesn't know how to control this or bring it under control . . . suggested meditation and relaxation techniques but . . . they don't work"

I'm not a doctor, and I feel I don't necessarily need to be one to point you towards something that might match the symptoms your son has been experiencing. There's one type of seizure, which is the most common and the most difficult to control, is called the Complex Partial Seizure . Some people can have several seizures, not all occurring at the same time, but instead, one seizure occurring right after another seizure. So when a person is taking prescribed medication, like your son is taking Keppra, the medication might be preventing one seizure from occurring, but not necessarily all of the seizures. I use to have a simple partial seizure, followed by complex partial seizure, followed by what is called a "secondary generalized tonic clonic seizure" (old name "grand mal"). By the way, a tonic clonic seizure itself is 2 seizures, the tonic seizure followed by the clonic seizure. The medication I've been taking is keeping my partial seizures from advancing into generalized seizures.

What I'm wondering is if the medication your son is taking is controlling one type of seizure, is the medication not controlling another type of seizure your son could possibly be having?

My suggestion is to bring what you said to the doctor's attention.

To learn more about complex partial seizures, here are some links to several websites for more information about this type of seizure.

www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_complexpartial

www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/seizure_complexpartial

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_partial_seizure

www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/54456?verify=0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5GfbISQM_k

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPUp5LwtQ_k

Hello Kim,

How long has your son been on Keppra? Are you aware that a side effect of Keppra is 'mood swings'? You really need to contact his Neuro about this. Especially if he has been on Keppra longer then 6 weeks. Do you or your son keep a Journal? Please read Meetz's post to be sure you include all necessary info. Be sure his Neuro reads the Journal, too.

Love Candi

Thank you I will reserch this some more. and thank you all so much for this site could you also recomend a good support group for newbies like me

he has been on keppra since april 2009. he experssed the feeling of agitation about 3 months into it and his nero said he would only be on it for 6 months we al decided that we would tough it out in jan 2010 he weened off and 1 day after he had a large seizure in school so back on till we can get to the dr this time around he is more angry more out of control. his last fit came last sunday and it lasted 3 or 4 hours of this really pissed off teen I am thinking part of that was just from realizing he has epilepsy. (he is still in denial but trying to accept it) We will be going down to UCSF on monday and they are talking about putting him on another drug cuz this is long term. we are all seeing counselers and it helps most of the time. Im sorry to say this but sometime I think he is acting like a spoiled brat. again I am sorry for saying that but my emotions are very RAW right now with all this I am also graving for what he was and wish this haddent happend to him..

Hello Kim,

This IS a 'support group'. Just need more members to stick around to get support. And ALL support groups welcome 'newbies'.

There are some links posted in "Helpful Epilepsy Links' above to other support groups. But, I think this is one of the 'better' ones. Besides us, that is.

www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/

If your son would like to join his 'peers' online, the Epilepsy Foundation has a page/discussion/support group for him. I think epilepsy.com does, also. Both listed above. The EFA site can, also, lead you to 'live' support groups (if any) near you.

Love Candi

he has been on keppra since april 2009. he experssed the feeling of agitation about 3 months into it and his nero said he would only be on it for 6 months we al decided that we would tough it out in jan 2010 he weened off and 1 day after he had a large seizure in school so back on till we can get to the dr this time around he is more angry more out of control. his last fit came last sunday and it lasted 3 or 4 hours of this really pissed off teen I am thinking part of that was just from realizing he has epilepsy. (he is still in denial but trying to accept it) We will be going down to UCSF on monday and they are talking about putting him on another drug cuz this is long term. we are all seeing counselers and it helps most of the time. Im sorry to say this but sometime I think he is acting like a spoiled brat. again I am sorry for saying that but my emotions are very RAW right now with all this I am also graving for what he was and wish this haddent happend to him..

ok guys I cant spell today and thank you for this being a support group I will try and make it make every day . I have been sugesting to him to research some of this but he hasnt as of yet. he is a teen and as we all know they know everything

Hi Kim,

Well, I am here everyday. Have been 'for the most part' for 15 yrs. Don't worry about your spelling. We all have our days. Maybe, if he talks w/ some kids his own age online he will understand more. It's good you got him in counseling. Sometimes, it really helps. Another Mom said it made a big difference to her daughter. She became more proactive about her EP. It helped to relieve some of the anger & frustration. That & her Mom doing her own research & discussing what she had found. Education is a MAJOR key to 'coping' with EP!

It's hard for Most teens to adjust. But, they need to realize that although there are /will be a few restrictions, he can STILL lead a fairly 'normal' life. It's up to you to TRY to continue to treat him as "normal'.

My son is 21 now. But, he was dxed w/ Juvenile Emphysema 3 yrs ago. And still refuses to learn more about how he can improve 'qaulity of life'. But, he is 'coping'.

Old saying: (Mite have the ages wrong, but, it does hold true) Age 2 to 9, Mom & Dad know everything. From 9-14, we 'mite know a little'. 15- 21 We don't know nothing. From 21 -28 we mite know a little. 28 & on, well, maybe Mom & Dad knew what they were talking about. Hang in there, Mom.

Love Candi

Thank you Candi I too am a belivere that knolage is power and I am trying to get as much as I can Ive alos been educating his peers and the staff at school. we have another meeting today at school(we get together once a week right now) you know that somtimes you feel like you just cant do anymore or that you cant take any more Ive been there a couple of times and somehow god gives me the steanght to get through it all. I know he is greeving so am I he told me this morning when I asked him to please try the B6 with his keppra that I was anoying him and that is what is making him so mad. he is also frustrated with me cuz I am having the nightmares again you know the ones where he is not breathing I jump up out of bed and go check on him like he is a baby.. it buggs him. he seemed to understand that I am going though alot of emotional stuff too. thank you all soo much for letting me get this all off my chest and I am aware of 2 steps foward 3 back. I hope some of what they are going to talk to him about (they have already talked to me) he will listen to. he has come so very far since he got sick last april its amazing. he is a strong young man and can learn to get though this its just rough for all of us especially him.

Please don't treat him like he's a "spoiled brat" ! I had a tumor followed by epilepsy at the age of 10. My family was always on my case about making such a big deal over these 'mild' seizures...I'm still fighting the same problems at the age of 43. Anyone that -doesn't have it- will never know the real effects. Help at that younger age would have done wonders for me but I didn't get it. Good luck...

thank you mike I wasnt treying to offend you or anyone else with that comment on being a spoiled brat. my son targets me he demands I change, he demands I buy him things (like a dirt bike) when I tell him no his rage gets worse. I was just reading about rage seizures and am starting to think he has 2 kids of things going on along with denial and fear. I dont blame him I just want to know the best way to deal with him the right questions to ask . He has a long jouney ahead still and just want the best for him and or family this is affecting his younger brother also he is afraid of him. he gets violent. he has attacted everyone in the house. he has broken alot of stuff it as scary as the gran mal seizures.

hey kimt16,

would suggest that he does yoga, the one that relieves stress because i do yoga to calm down and it helps me so maybe it might help him so try that lemmie know how it works out

Monica

Kim,

I would ask the counselor about anger management class. But, also, TELL his Neuro! You are your son's best advocate at this point. Go armed w/ Journal & INSIST on another med. Have blood levels drawn to determine Keppra levels, also. There is NO reason for your son to be on Keppra if it affects him that badly. The med merrygoround isn't just about finding seizure control. It's about 'Quality of Life' for the patient & caretakers.

When was his last MRI? EEG? Was EEG in office or portable? Or both?

Love Candi

Hi Kim,

Welcome! I haven't been on here in a while. But, if you are looking for a support group, look no more, you have found the most wonderful people here. They will educated you and let you know just what you need to do. I first came here in Jan 06 seeking help.

I am glad to hear that your son has recovered from his surgery. Boys are a lot different from girls when it comes to moods.

I am the mother of an 18 yr old daughter that has ep. She has had it since she was 14, and is on Lamictal. She too had plenty of mood swings, denial, and some depression. Kids that age don't know how to handle it all. I believe one of the s/e of Keppra is mood swings. You may want to get his meds either adjusted or changed. Mood swings are part of being a teen, but a teen with ep is all together different. They are going through so much at that age, they are trying to fit in with everyone at school, they are trying to find their 'niche' in life. There are so many pressures that go on. Now throw in ep on top of all that and the meds with s/e and there you have so much pent up anger from them having ep, not understanding why they have it, being on meds that cause all kinds of s/e, and a mother that is always checking on them. I was the hovering mother, always checking on my daughter all the time. One day my daughter sat me down and we talked. She let me know that I was 'too much in her business'. I eventually learned to pull back and not jump and run at every noise. Now the denial part of it, and the 'why me'... I contacted a councelor that had experience with teens/kids with medical problems for her. Cat was not too thrilled about the fact of seeing a councelor, since she said she wasn't crazy. I knew she wasn't, but she was in need of some real help, help that I couldn't give her myself. I told her to try it for a month, if she wasn't happy with it, then she could stop. I wasn't about to cram therapy down her throat and cause more grief on her, she had it tough as it was. Cat agreed to go for a month, and that month lasted for more than a year. That all happened when she was 15. She got her confidence back, learned to accept her ep, and learn to control some of her mood swings. Now the meds cause some of them, but believe me, the counceling helped her a lot. She still doesn't do 'the support group thing'. Cat is very pro-active with her ep. Over the past 4 years she has educated many people that have been in her life. I just talked to Cat yesterday, she lives in CA, we have been keeping count of sz free days, she is now at 2 months, longest she has ever gone without a sz. This is a young lady that used to have sz on a weekly basis. She has some excellent drs in CA.

Is your son in counceling? If he is, does that dr work with kids that have medical problems? I found there are different types of therapy for different kinds of things. Who would have known? Since you live in a small town, I'm sure you are limited. Is there a big city near by that you could get to easily? I think the meditation and relaxation technique isn't working because he isn't ready, he is still 'new' to everything happening to him. I'm not trying to give excuses, but it wont work until he is ready for it to work. Treat your son just like you did before all this happened. If you treat him any differently he will know, and will not like it. Believe me, I've been there... Be there for him when he needs you and back away when he doesn't. It's very difficult to do being that you are a loving mother.

I feel for you going through all of this. It is the most difficult thing to go through and you feel entirely helpless because you can't do much at all. Get all the education you can on here, you will find that drs don't know much and you will have to educate them. If the drs don't do what you think is best for your son, find someone that will. This is why my daughter is in CA, I'm in TX.

running outa room! :