Topomax... Depression... seeing a seizure... you name it!

I used to visit a site like this years ago. I visited it every day, made friends. I even found out about Topomax on the site and got my neurologist to put me on it. But about 5 years ago I just got sick of it. i got tired of always talking about epilepsy. Tired of defining my life by my condition and left the site. I don't know what happened to it or my friends there. Can't remember the name of it because... hey! I'm epileptic!

Today I cam here and I am enjoying it. So great to once again read notes from people who are experiencing some of the same things I am.

But this morning I have admitted something to myself. I'm depressed. I have been for years. Mildly depressed? maybe worse than that. I only really leave the house to go to work and I have lost my connection to all my friends, losing my connection to my family. Depression is something I have never experienced before. I was strong and positive. I always looked forward. Now... I can barely cook meals or keep my house clean. I don't want to get up from the sofa to answer the phone and I justify it all be saying "this is the way I like to live"

I think it's the Topomax? I was told a side effect might be depression. But I don't want to give it up. I can't give it up. It has brought me so much control. I take it in conjunction with Tegretol. I have less auras, less GM's. I need this.

I want to find a way to get this under some sort of control without medication. I want to get my life back, just a bit. Just so I can keep my house cleaner and be nicer to my family. But I don't want any more pills. I am so tired of pills.

my other topic.... Seeing a seizure. I have never seen anyone have a seizure. I know what the begining and the end of a seizure feels like.... But I have never seen one. My children have, my co-workers have. Does anyone else feel this way? Here is something that happens to us all the time, defines us... but we don't know what it looks like. I mean other than fake ones on TV shows.

That's very kind

Hhhmmm... have you been on the Topomax for the 5 years too? Maybe it is a combination of all of it? Menopause, the divorce, the medicine... just too much at once? Ok, I need to look some stuff up... and I'll et back with ya... :)

Hi I am a 29 year old girl and have never been on any of these kinds of sites before. I was diagnosed with epilepsy 13 years ago the day of my 17th birthday! Happy Birthday huh? I have burried my head in the sand reguarding my epilepsy, I have ignored it in the hopes it would go away or I would try and pretended it was happening to someone else.

I currently take Topamax with a mix of other drugs and have also taken Tegretol in the past. Tegretol was an awful experience for me it changed my whole personality and I couldn't stop it. Normally I am a peaceful calm non aggresive person but Tegretol changed all that! I became angry aggresive and then one day exploded and I hit my Mum so hard I gave her a black eye (not my proudest moment) I didn't even know I had done it. I was very quickly removed from those drugs. I am currently on a mix of Topamax, Keppra & Zonisamide. Before I was put on the mix I was put on Topamax as the sole medication to try and control me but I suffered from sleepiness and depression so the dosage was reduced and other drugs added in. I still have very blue days but now they aren't as severe now the dosage has been reduced. I am still not controlled but I feel so much better in myself on a cocktail than a when I was on the max dose of Topamax. My specialist was talking about putting me on a low dose of anti depressents but I have decided to try and fight it myself and I now make more of an effort not to stay curled up on the sofa reading or watching TV and go out and see friends and family and I have to say it has worked for me. However we are not all the same so I wish you good luck and hope you find what works for you.

I was wondering, I haven't felt any side effects really. But I do feel like Im loosing my memory. Im only fifteen and it really effecting me, school and test, family and I can't name any more but my memory is just shot. Could this be Topomax?

hey there dinger57, so what are you on now since you're not on the Topamax?

I'm so sorry to hear about the depression. It can really put a mar on your life. I battle it quiet a bit. I'm not epileptic but am blessed with bi-polar and lupus. Sometimes, when I'm in a depression, I do have to force myself to get out and do things. And I mean force, and each time I do it, it helps a little. I know you said you didn't want to take any more meds, but I would like to mention some over the counter meds that have helped people I know, and me before I went on my mood medication. First, a Bcomplex vitamin can help. Also, there is Happy Camper (Yes that is the actual name of it!!!) and Sam-E. They can be found at places like drug emporium and are homeopathic/all natural. My son uses the Happy Camper when he's heading down. My son was just diagnosed epileptic. I posted here after his first seizure while we were waiting to go to the Neuro this last week. Tyler did not have another seizure for almost two weeks. But the little booger had one halfway between Amarillo and Lubbock on the way to the neuro. Talk about timing!! And frantic! Trying to get pulled over and keep him safe (the back seat of a truck is not a good place for a GM) and then calling 911 because he was 6 minutes into it. The seizure lasted a total of 16 mintues and the neuro met us at the hosptial in Lubbock. He put Ty on Topamax. There was another he considered, but because Tyler is prone to depression did not feel it would be a good idea. Felt we would have a better shot with the Topamax. This was on Tuesday, so we'll have to see how he does. The major thing he warned us about is that it could "dull" a person. If a person was pretty intelligent, they could start not performing as well. So we were cautioned to watch his school work and activity closely for this side effect.