Juvenile epilepsy: Switching from Keppra to new med. Any experience?

He is tired of me asking if he is ok 🙂

I know the feeling, anytime there is a noise anywhere in the house or a phone call when my daughter isn't home my heart races. It's not easy!

Thank you for this! I was meant to see this comment today!

My 13-year-old had his first seizure 8/4 and a second 1 week later. We started on Keppra, then moved to ER Depakote. I am not doing well. I don't want to let him out of my site. Poor kid just wants his freedom back.

. Now he takes 1.5 pills; 1125mg am and pm, it was one 750 mg am and pm of keppra

@terin82
Would you mind sharing the previous and current dose?
Jake

Hi @terin82
I also started having seizures around the same age due to hormonal changes. I remember how distressed my mother became watching me have focal seizures (auras and some absences later), especially when she struggled to get proper care from the many doctors we consulted. This situation was certainly not easy for my mother to deal with, so I understand well how you feel.
Does he have tonic-clonic seizures immediately, or do those episodes start with some absence that evolves into a tonic-clonic seizure? What kind of tests has he already had, and what type of specialist is currently treating your son's epilepsy?
Please remember to take care of yourself too!
Chris

@terin82
All these suggestions may be long shots but they may be helpful.
Taking extended release, formulations of medication may be beneficial.
My seizures were uncontrolled until I started taking extended-release medication's.
My last Neurologist didn't believe in giving immediate release seizure medications to patients.
Whenever getting medication refilled if genetics are being used it is best to use the same manufacturer with every refill.
Take care,
Jake

We upped his med, I believe he didn’t have enough in him to make it to the night time med dose. He had a seizure at 845 and next dose wasn’t until 10. Hopefully med increase will help. 🤞

Hi Terin,

My son had his first seizure when he was 8. He had another shortly after that. He was put on Depakote. Everything was good so summer before 8th grade we decided to take him off of meds. First day of school had another. back on meds until he was 18. Decided once again to take him off thought maybe he had grown out of it at this point. Did an eeg after being off meds for 3 months and it showed seizure activity. Back on Depakote. Fast forward to today he is now 24 and doing well (knock on wood). I still worry about him every day, but a kind doctor once told me to just let him live his life. She never had any restrictions for him. He still sees his epileptologist once a year and gets blood work done to check liver and bone health because of the depakote. It was hard to face the reality that seizures were going to be a part of his life, but he has accepted it, takes his meds and lives his life to the fullest.

Hi, @terin82 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I wanted to let you know I moved your post here to where others were discussing juvenile epilepsy so you can meet others such as @royanthony @jakedduck1 @sg325 and @santosha @kymill. Hoping they will have some insights for you on how parents cope with their teens being diagnosed with epilepsy.

What is your son's doctor recommending as a next step now that he had a seizure after 5 weeks of levetiracetam (Keppra)?