My name is Jennifer, and my daughter 6 year old daughter, Natalie, was diagnosed with epilepsy last April (2006). If only I knew then what I know now! I had NO idea that sometimes meds don't work to control seizures, and I had no idea of the rocky road that we were about to ride on. This is what has happened so far.............

March 2006: we started noticing Natalie starring a lot, just acting a bit spacey. She said she was just daydreaming, and that made sense, so we dismissed it for a week or two. The starring spells were happening more and more. I was getting a bit concerned, and made an appt with the pediatrician. After talking with friends, we were all begining to think that she was having seizures. The ped. decides to schedule her for an EEG, but it would take 6 weeks to get in to have it done. During those 6 weeks, her episodes are becoming more and more frequent (30 to 40 per day). The day after the EEG, a ped Nuero calls and says that he needs to see us the next day. At the appointment, we are told that she is having absence seizures, and that we can treat them with medication, and after a few years seizure free with the meds, we will wean her off, and she will be done with it. In other words, she should grow out of it, and it will be over. We started her on lamictal slowly, and after a few weeks, we saw improvements. We figured that she was fine. Her seizures started again a few months into the lamictal, they would increase the dose, she would be tired for a while, but the meds would work, then after 3 or 4 weeks, she would seize again, and we would increase the dose, and repeat the process. She had her first grand mal in November of 2006. My husband wasnt home, just our 3 year old daughter, Jessica, Natalie, and Jake, whom is 8. I called 911, and off we went in the ambulance. They gave us a prescription for diastat in case she has another grand mal, and sent us on our way. She started having myoclonic seizures in December 2006. Another grand mal in Feb 2007. Absence and myoclonic seizures were breaking through all of the time (many in a day, easily more than 20). They put her on Keppra with the lamictal, and she is completely wiped out. Again, we start the process of increasing doses, they work for a week or two, (never 100% seizure control, but down to only 5 or so per day), then need to increase the dose again. June of 2007, we add Depakote, and remove the lamictal, and ween her off of the keppra. Her energy comes back! We didnt realize how much the meds were affecting her until she was off of the lamictal and Keppra. The depakote seems to be working pretty well, but we are still seeing some seizures. We add on Keppra, no luck. Currently, we are weening her off of the Keppra, and adding on Zarontin. Hopefully this combo will be the one! Please pray for our little Natalie, and that these meds will work, while not affecting her cognitively. She starts first grade in a few weeks, and I want it to be a great year for her. She is the sweetest little girl ever, and never complains, although I know that it is rough for her.