@kennethracey
First and most important I would like to thank you for your service to our awesome country.
Like Teresa, I’m curious to know if you had seizures prior to your sleep apnea? If you already had seizures sleep apnea can make them worse. However, there was a study done that showed a 50% decrease in the seizure activity with the use of a CPAP machine. Have you had any seizures since you began Keppra?
Are you having nocturnal generalized tonic clonic seizures, also known as grand mal seizures which is an older term. Have you had an EEG yet? Approximately 50% of the time when people have EEGs they are normal unless you are having seizure activity at the time of the test. A normal EEG doesn’t mean that you don’t have a seizure disorder.
There are some safety concerns that you should be aware of,
Don’t take a bath unless someone is with you.
Showers can be dangerous as well, there have been reports of people who have drowned in the shower and when people fall depending on the type of control you have they can push the lever to hot water and get burned. A shower chair is recommended or sitting on the floor to reduce injuries from falls.
I don’t know if you cook or not but that can be another danger. I always try to cook everything in the microwave to prevent burns. If you use the stove top you should use only the back burners.
Don’t lock the door in the bathroom. I’ve had many seizures there and fell against the door and my dad had to crawl through the window. Sharp corners are also a danger, I have fallen and cut my head more times than I can count not to mention multiple other injuries that required surgery. Another danger is the possibility of choking while eating if you have a seizure. Family and friends should be familiar with the Heimlich maneuver. Fireplaces can also be a hazard, we had ours removed.
There are lots of other safety concerns however you’re probably tired of reading about them by now.
If your only having nocturnal seizures you probably don’t need to be as concerned about these issues, however nobody knows when they’re going to have a seizure, you may have nocturnal seizures for 50 years and then have seizures during the day no one can predict them. Another safety precaution that you may want to consider would be he sees your pillow or an anti-suffocation pillow. You’re not the most comfortable but they have saved lives.
I asked the doctor what type of seizures your having and where they are originating known as the seizure focus. How many seizures have you had and have they all been nocturnal?
When you go to the doctor you should take someone with you, Preferably someone who has witnessed a seizure so they can explain exactly what happened. A video of a seizure is extremely helpful. Neurologist will want you to explain exactly what happened before during and after your seizure.
Be as thorough as you possibly can be and don’t leave out any detail no matter how insignificant you think it may be.
Are you having any side effects from your Keppra?
I’m not very familiar with the newest seizure medications but everyone I ever tried always made me sleepy and usually caused memory issues as well as balance problems. Probably the most distressing side effect of Keppra are the potential mood side effects like anger, irritability, aggression etc.
I hope your seizure disorder is controlled now, If it’s not how often do you have a seizure?
Take care,
Jake

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