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@downsynsz

@1710dave, after my brother's EEG at the hospital did not reveal what lobe area of the brain might be the origination point for the seizures, I researched and came across the website Epilepsy Society where they list 16-classes of anti-epileptic-drugs (AED's). There appears to be a variety of AED's, each class seems to have a different mechanism of action, effect on the brain, metabolism in the body, and some with similar side-effects. My brother has been on Keppra since 2014 and the therapeutic level (trough) for his 750mg BID is supposed to be between 4.0 - 24.0 mcg/mL. His blood tests have shown values of ~14.0 mcg/mL. The meds make him very drowsy and limits what we're able to do with him (physical/speech therapy, ROM, appts), even while bed-ridden. Because he cannot speak/communicate with us, we've read his facial and audible queues to try to gauge whether the meds make him feel very negatively. I expect the meds make him feel much like many others I've heard describe their experiences with Keppra. After the EEG at the hospital, the doctor prescribed an adjunct AED, zonisamide (100mg, 1X-eve). When we introduced the CBD oil earlier this year and lowered the dose of zonisamide to 50mg, he had a couple of grand mall seizures in one afternoon. This led us to think the zonisamide might be have a more significant role in control of seizures. We will re-visit the lower dose of zonisamide as we increase the CBD oil to determine if the oil side-effects he experienced can be managed. Our thoughts at this point are the CBD oil likely has less negative impact/damage on the body, short-term and long-term, than any of the AED's.

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Replies to "@1710Dave, after my brother's EEG at the hospital did not reveal what lobe area of the..."

I have been on zonisamide (zonegram) for over 13 years along with CBD/THC not one seizure. I take 100mg Z in am and 100mg Z around 10pm. Sleep like a baby. Sometimes a nap but I am 67! I had gammaknife in 2008 to fix an AVM but I will not chance another seizure.