Welcome to the Epilepsy & Seizures Group on Connect — so glad you found your way here, even if the path that brought you has been a tough one, as it has been for many of us, myself included.
I'm truly sorry to hear about everything you've been through with Depakote and, more recently, Briviact. I understand you well, as my own first two to three years of epilepsy treatment were a real struggle with the different AEDs I was prescribed. Looking back, part of the problem was that I was being treated first by a psychiatrist, and later by neurologists without specialization in epilepsy, who applied standard dosages to my type of epilepsy — temporal lobe with mesial sclerosis — that brought me more harm than benefit. Everything changed when I finally switched to a neurologist with deep expertise in epilepsy.
My current doctor often reminds me that every patient is unique, even two people with the same type of epilepsy can respond very differently to the same medication. Finding the right AED at the right dosage can take time and patience, as my own journey has shown me.
I've been on Keppra since December 2024, a medication I was very resistant to starting, given all the negative things I'd read about it. The first few months were indeed tough, but my doctor gradually adjusted the dosage to one I could tolerate well. It's now bringing me far more benefits than harm and has kept me seizure-free for the longest stretch I've ever experienced.
How long have you been on Briviact? Have you had the chance to speak with your doctor about the side effects you're experiencing, so that adjustments can be explored? And would you mind sharing what type of epilepsy you have? It'd really help us support you better.
The journey to finding the right AED and dosage can be long and demanding — physically and emotionally — but please don't give up.
Wishing you a brighter treatment journey ahead!
Chris