Epileptics on stimulants?

[LaSemeuse]

Have any epileptics found a stimulant medication that works for ADHD without increasing the frequency of seizures? I just got put on long-release Concerta, but it doesn't seem to be doing much so far. I'm on Lamictal for the seizures, which controls them pretty well.

[BlessedLady]

Talk with your pharmacist and your doctor.

[LaSemeuse in reply to BlessedLady]

A lot of doctors refused to put me on medication for ADHD because of the seizures, but I haven't asked my neuro about what could be safe--that's a good idea. Thanks!

[Gettingittogether]

I just glanced at some studies to learn a bit more on the topic and the research I saw sees no connection that stimulants increase seizures ... But oddly enough people with ADHD (with no history of seizures or epilepsy) are themselves at higher risk of seizures. Seizers are higher among ADHD but lower among ADHD people taking stimulants, according to one study.

Conclusions Results reaffirm that patients with ADHD are at higher risk of seizures. However, ADHD medication was associated with lower risk of seizures within individuals while they were dispensed medication, which is not consistent with the hypothesis that ADHD medication increases risk of seizures.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Here is an article from the site of an international epilepsy study group:

ilae.org/journals/epigraph/...

Here's the general rule about ADHD meds. EVERYBODY knows about them. Every specialty knows about them. Pharmacists know about these meds. Side note: I went to see a cardiologist not too long ago about blood pressure (which turned out to be fine). He saw that I was on a stimulant and he knew off the top of his head the increased risk I was running for heart problems for stimulant use--and the risk was very low ... an increase over not taking a stimulant yes, but very low.

And ... he understood that one reason I was at his office, on time and had taken the initiative to schedule a meeting with him with no emergency issue at stake ... the reason I could do that was partly because of the stimulant! Cardiologist guy (young guy) totally knew this stuff. Side note: ADHD people have significantly lower life expectancies. One reason why? It's really hard to as we age focus on detailed health treatment and care and appointments--and that's in addition to the higher level of accidents and falls and higher rates of depression and anxiety and the much higher rates of drug addiction among people with ADHD.

These stimulants have been used for over 50 years and I think longer. They are not a secret. Among medical folks stimulants are extremely well known. They're not known well (in an informed way) by the general public, but doctors know these meds well!

Therefore, negative effects of these meds aren't going to sneak by pharmacists and providers. Stimulants are not obscure. They have been studied for a long time!

So yes, you want to ask your provider about this ... and the pharmacist if you like. The benefit of asking your provider is that it's good to hear and read the body language of someone saying these meds are safe. Hearing and seeing the way the young sharp cardiologist I visited--the way he thought about the meds, so helpful!

And you can make a quick call to your neurologist about this--or a visit! Isn't neurology the specialty that treats epilepsy and seizures?

[LaSemeuse in reply to Gettingittogether]

I've done some research myself (I read a LOT of scholarly articles when I was getting ready to advocate for stimulants), and the comorbidity between ADHD and epilepsy is so interesting! What I found is that Ritalin has been shown to slightly decrease the risk of seizures, but Adderall slightly increased it. I was just hoping to talk to people with lived experience.

[Gettingittogether]

Can I get personal? You are worried about seizures? It's great to get personal stories on ADHD. Great ... but in my view--except for on medications! Medications vary so much that one individual's story or ten individuals' stories simply don't say much about how the med will affect you.

It gets wilder ... I've been on Adderall twice ... the first time it affected me one way ... the second time ... maybe 10 years later ... affected me differently. Our bodies change. Other meds we take change.

Wellbutrin revolutionized my lap. Yanked me out of a low grade depression, gave me energy, confidence, quiet brain and on and on ... I once stopped a representative of GlaxoSmithKline (now GSK) and told her that drug had given me a new energy of life and hope. It also helped with my ADHD..

My brother suffered depression and had undiagnosed ADHD. He took Wellbutrin. Nothing! Zip. Zero. Didn't feel a thing, no improvement. Blood brother. Medicine the opposite effect as on me.

Can I ask: who is it that you don't trust in this process? Who is your prescribing provider (by specialty not name) that you don't apparently trust?

[LaSemeuse in reply to Gettingittogether]

I don't really feel like getting into all this. I already have a therapist, and I was specifically looking for responses from other epileptics.

[Gettingittogether]

Yes of course, hopefully some will weigh in here!

[Snith]

Hello! I am an epileptic who has successfully taken Ritalin. I have simple partial seizures.

When I was first diagnosed with epilepsy, I was taking Wellbutrin for depression, which was immediately yanked because of effect on seizure threshold. I was sad, because it was the best I've ever felt mood wise. I didn't have ADHD diagnosis at the time, but it explains why Wellbutrin worked so well for me.

My neurologist works with me on the Ritalin. I'm not sure what type of epilepsy you have, or if that makes a difference, but definitely talk to your neurologist.

[LaSemeuse in reply to Snith]

Brains are so fun, right? It's like, can they just pick one thing to mess up instead of a whole bunch?

[Snith]

Sigh. I am also taking lamotrigine, plus gabapentin for seizures. They work well, but if I miss a dose, or get off schedule, I'll have a seizure. I have Ativan to take when I have a seizure, to avoid a cluster.

Here's to finding the right potluck of meds!