taking two epilepsy meds

[salamander160]

Hi, I have epilepsy, I am taking lamotrigine and my epilepsy is well controlled. I have had an amputation and my Gp and the hospital has put me on pregaboline, i am on 300 mg a day, 150 a.m. amd 150 p.m. Is it ok to take two similar meds like this? I am extremely drousy in the evening and cannot stay awake. I also go into a deep sleep and cannot be woken up sometimes, i have been like this a long time but it is getting worse.

[Leaf100]

Hi SYour best bet is to talk to your local pharmacist - you can also ask if a pharmacist in town is really in to your situation - some work closely with certain types of docs, or have a relative with a similar situation. The pharmacists know more about medications than the docs do.

Having all your medications at the same pharmacy with a well informed and compassionate pharmacist can make all the difference - they will keep track of what you tried and what didn't work and why etc etc and be able to speak to the doc and make suggestions. (Of course you have to tell them and they make notes in your file.). They will even check new rx and contact the doc if they think there is a problem.

My pharmacist caught a couple of potentially dangerous situations. She also tracks my medication usage and makes sure if there are shorts her regulars (like me) don't run out. And, she also got the doc to say no substitution on one thing because the generic just doesn't work as well.

So, go to the expert to get this question answered - your pharmacist. Often the ones in the smaller pharmacies are more willing to do this than the ones in the big box stores, like Costco - I am in Canada and maybe you don't have pharmacies (chemists) within big box stores, and that bit made no sense.

Anyway I would talk to the pharmaist right away, cause you don't need an appointment, and then also make a doc appointment.

You can also call Headway, though this sounds like a pharmacists input is needed right away. (Or maybe you call them chemist's?)

Leaf

[salamander160 in reply to Leaf100]

Hi, i have spoken to an out of hours gp, she has sent info to my surgery, i have also just spoken to them myself and have told them that I am decreasing the pregaboline as i am far too drowsy, i don't feel safe, if I fall asleep, I could fall out of my wheelchair. Yes the pharmacists here in the uk are pretty good, I can get advice from them but it is my gp who has to prescribe the meds.

[Leaf100 in reply to salamander160]

Yes, it is the same here - and the pharmacists do consult with the docs.Keep it in mind for future reference.

You do have to do what you are foing and be your own advocate as well, no one knows what the medications are doing but you in some level.

[APAscot]

hi Salamander

I’m sorry to read your bio and all the problems you have.

Just thought I would let you know I also have epilepsy caused by an arterio venous malformation in the head. My epilepsy is also now under control although it took a while and a bad medical situation. I am currently taking two anti epilepsy drugs, Lamotrigine and Keppra, but was until fairly recently also taking Phenytoin. I was on the Phenytoin for 6 years and have been on the other drugs for approximately 13 years. These were all prescribed by my neurologist, a lovely, caring and thorough man. So, yes you can take more than one anti epilepsy drug. Hope this helps. Are you seeing a neurologist as you mentioned that your GP had prescribed your meds which I would have thought would have been prescribed by a neurologist.

[salamander160 in reply to APAscot]

Hi, nice to hear from you. I had my brain injury in 1975, it is obviously an on going problem for me. The epilepsy is well controlled, haven't had a seizure since 1997 but I won't mess with the lamotrigine as it is controlling the epilepsy but I feel too drowsy to be safe. Yes the lamotrigine was prescribed by the neurologist but the pregaboline was prescribed by the consultant who operated on my foot but my gp has increased the dose at my request but it is far too much. I have never been so drowsy. I am sorry to hear about your situation, it is very hard to get the dose right. I was on tegretol for 31 years, in 2014 even after so long I was still getting break through seizures, they put me on keppra but the two meds were stopping me fighting infections, being on tegretol for so long, you apparantly develop more symptoms.

[sashaming1]

To prevent seisures I take Vimpat FYI.

[APAscot]

hi again, Just tried to respond to your reply but managed to erase it, I think! Surely if you requested the increase in pregaboline you can reduce it to the level where it suits you and doesn’t make you so drowsy.

[salamander160 in reply to APAscot]

Yes, my gp reduced the pregaboline to my original dose, i feel a lot better, obviously I know my own body. The only downfall, the pain is woorse but can't win.

[Kirsty360]

Hi, I am an amputee and also have epilepsy. As mentioned in the replies I have in the past taken more than one AED which was for both epilepsy and phantom pains. Glad to hear that reducing your dose has made you feel yourself again. Did the hospital give you any desensitisation techniques to deal with phantom pain?

[salamander160 in reply to Kirsty360]

I haven't seen anyone at the hospital regarding the pain, i have a review this Thursday, i'll be mentioning it all. I have also been referred to the pain clinic, they put a clean bandage on Friday and i had to remove the top layer because they had done it far too tight, unnecessary pain.

[Kirsty360 in reply to salamander160]

Are you under a limb centre yet, they will be the team to ask if you get nowhere Thursday. Best of luck 🤞🏻

[salamander160 in reply to Kirsty360]

I am seeing a consultant, I need to ask a few questions, keep getting different people telling me different things, I need somebody to help me sort out the pain mediation as i take a lot of different things, perhaps too much. watch this space.

[Mikesghost]

I would think you need your meds adjusted, have you seen your gp?

[salamander160 in reply to Mikesghost]

Hi, I haven't spoken to Gp yet but the nerve pain is awful, spasms in foot, a bit of swelling or it feels like that, I think it is the nerves. I need to speak to Gp because pain seems to be almost uncontrolable. I am taking naproxin, pregabalin, codeine, paracetamol, oramorph when i need it, Because i have epilepsy even though it is controlled, taking lamotrigin and pregabalin is I thin slowing me right down and making me very drowsy. I need to speak to neurologist as may have to change to one or the other, only neurologist can change epilepsy medication, I thinktaking both is too much for me. Am having to rest with my legs up to try and control pain.