developed muscle weakness after started on seizure medication, now cant walk.

[Bens Friend]

Ben is a young forty, strong, athletic, husband and father. A few years ago Ben started having unexplained seizures, after starting meds for them he developed muscal weakness first in his lower legs where he couldent kick out or lift his leg sideways, that progressed to him needing crutches to walk , now he has to use a walker, docters say he will be in a wheelchair soon, though they dont know what is wrong with him . His legs look like they are withering away. He has had many tests at Mayo Clinic and at Barrows Neurological . Ben had told me that if they take a muscle biopsy, it might tell them what it may be, but it also then destroys the muscle for good, so that was not an option yet. The muscal weakness seems to be moving up , it is now affecting Bens arms.

The muscles affected first in Ben's lower legs were the muscles that make him be able to kick out or lift his leg sideways. his sisters both have a form of disease called Charcot Marie Tooth, or degenerative Neuropothy. However Mayo clinic has pretty much said that is not it. We still wonder though.

We also thought that Ben's medication for seizures caused it, but researched the drug and could find no place or experience where others were affected in the way Ben has been .
They have done a Lou Gherig's disease test on him, but the test results will not be in until June or July. It takes 3 months to get them back. He is literally wasting away, his wife is numb from her loss, any advise or ideas would be appreciated.

[shakakhan]

I have a 5 yr old daughter who was born with seizures however she started a new seizure med and begin to have muscle weakness starting with her lower extremities and it is now affecting her lung muscle so she had to get a trach and her ability to eat so she has a G-Tube. The med she started was Lamictol but they still yet to diagnose her. We done the biopsy already and they still came back with nothing other than inflammation of the muscles. My blessings will be with the family.