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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Is there a relationship between bipolar disorder and seizure disorder?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Is there a relationship between bipolar disorder and seizure disorder?
by Ana, Mar 18, 2001 12:00AM
Hello, my name is Ana. I woul like to konw is there a relationship between seizure and bipolar. I am taking neurontin 600 mg bid. I have a very sencitive system. when I can tolerate Depakote, I usually can take it 250 bid with the neurotin, it seen to work best for my seizures and my mood swings. But lately depakote makes my stomage upset. My psychiatris toll me when I could not take the depakote to take instate klonopin .5 qd.
I have noticed when I have a seizures my moods tend to get out of control. For instance, I have an episode recently when I had a Partial complex seizure( I was told)for two hours I had the most dificult time. I could not remenber clearly who I was, I did not know where I was, I could not even recognized my best friend voice whne he call me on the phone. I became suicidal, I took a glass and cut my wrist. I still have the mark. I though that people were following me and therefore I was also hiting.I became agitated and I remenber felling fear. I had another episode where I faited and had an emesis. It was so violent that I had pain on my rib cage for a week. I had to call my psychatrist because my moods became so unstable that I almost got hospitalize.
I also noticed when I an depressed my seizure activity goes up. When I an manic my seizure tend to go up. I am not clear which one triger which. I notice when I am manic, I feel so good that there goes the medicine because I am cure and I don't have seizures. As it mather of fact the first incidence that I have menton I was manic before the seizure. I have rapid cyclin bipolar disorder. And the last time I was mixed. I am open to sugestion. I will apresiated your adviced. Thank you for everything.
I have noticed when I have a seizures my moods tend to get out of control. For instance, I have an episode recently when I had a Partial complex seizure( I was told)for two hours I had the most dificult time. I could not remenber clearly who I was, I did not know where I was, I could not even recognized my best friend voice whne he call me on the phone. I became suicidal, I took a glass and cut my wrist. I still have the mark. I though that people were following me and therefore I was also hiting.I became agitated and I remenber felling fear. I had another episode where I faited and had an emesis. It was so violent that I had pain on my rib cage for a week. I had to call my psychatrist because my moods became so unstable that I almost got hospitalize.
I also noticed when I an depressed my seizure activity goes up. When I an manic my seizure tend to go up. I am not clear which one triger which. I notice when I am manic, I feel so good that there goes the medicine because I am cure and I don't have seizures. As it mather of fact the first incidence that I have menton I was manic before the seizure. I have rapid cyclin bipolar disorder. And the last time I was mixed. I am open to sugestion. I will apresiated your adviced. Thank you for everything.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Mar 19, 2001 12:00AM
, Mar 19, 2001 12:00AM
Its too bad you are having trouble with the Depakote because it is an anticonvulsant as well as a mood stabilizer. I suggest you ask your psychiatrist about trying that again and see if you can handle the stomach problems. There is also Tegretol to try.
Your psychiatrist is the one to try these with you and determine the dose, but if you start out slow you might be able to avoid the stomach symptoms.
Your psychiatrist is the one to try these with you and determine the dose, but if you start out slow you might be able to avoid the stomach symptoms.
The tonic-clonic seizures are really like being under torture.
For those wondering what it might feel like, simply stand and hold onto a counter edge or table at waist level and then stiffen up all your muscles as hard as you can so that you are like a rock statue and do it tight enough that you shake all over. Try to hold it as long as you can and you will find not long. Then imagine going through a seizure like that for over 20 minutes and you cannot let go when the pain keeps getting worse and worse until you almost pass out from the pain if you haven't already gone out from the seizure. Partial seizures you remain half conscious and can feel the whole thing. It really sucks!!!!