Myoclonic jerks symptoms and conditions

I am on 75mg in the morning and 50mg in the evening (125mg/day total), for my seizure disorder. If I could get off of it I would because I know how bad psychiatric drugs are. I used to be on various antidepressants for about 4 or so years, until I learned that "mood disorders" are all a crock, and drug companies are making a killing off of all the psychiatric drugs. Did you know that it has never been proven that depression or bipolar or whatever is caused by chemical imbalances?? It has been proven, however, that psychiatric drugs mess up the brain. Do some research on this. Go to the sight ****** I am so thankful I am off antidepressants but my life will never be as good as it was before I ever put the first one in my mouth. I would encourage everybody who has been diagnosed with "bipolar" to slowly and gradually withdraw from your medication and don't give up until 6 months have past. It takes a very long time for the drugs to get out of your system and you will feel like you are going through hell as you withdraw but in the end it is all worth it. Back to the Lamictal, I have now been on it for about 4 years. It does not control my myoclonic jerks completely (I have Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy) but controls my grand mal seizures as long as I take care of myself. I have pretty much no side effects, except for possibly poor memory/forgetfullness/can't find the word I'm looking for/etc, and possibly some slight "ocd" tendencies. It is hard to distinguish from the leftover effects of being on antidepressants (which caused me a lot of anxiety, panic attacks, depression, etc), because I do have some mild anxiety left over from them, but has drastically improved. The man problem I am suffering now from the Lamictal is feeling the effects of it wearing off in the evenings. In the last few months I have been feeling that feeling on and off throughout the whole day!! And my myoclonic jerks are increasing. I really don't want to go up on my dosage due to the brain damage psychiatric drugs cause and all the bad side effects I could experience, but neither do I want to change medications because I am at a very stressful time in my life where I am already going through a lot of changes. No idea what to do. Just wish that God would heal me of my seizure disorder!!! (it is a kind I am told I will never grow out of) Even if I had to go through the withdrawal from the Lamictal it would be worth it! If only...

In reference to my Sept. 20th posting, I have been asked to describe the
"warning signs" of oncoming seizures that I have. To review, I was struck by lightning while serving in the Marine Corp in 1977 and have had seizure disorder and myoclonic jerks and inner ear problems since that time. As I stated in the post on the 20th, I have been tried on "all" of the seizures control medications and they all make it difficult to function as an educational administrator. The best medical advice I ever received was to keep a diary of everything I could remember leading up to a seizure. This included any activities I had been doing, what I had eaten, what time of day it was, any stress or problems that I was having. We are all different and probable all have different triggers. In my case, I learned that as a seizure approached, I would become more light headed or dizzy (I have inner ear problems all of the time secondary to being struck by lightning, I just recognize when they are getting worse) The ringing in my ears increases, (I also have tinnitus all of the time also from the lightning, and over time you get use to it, but I can notice when it increases) When these signs start, I stop what I am doing regardless of what I am doing, If I am in a meeting, I take a break, if I am driving (I drive locally or with someone with me) I get off the road. (In 30 years, I have never had a seizure while driving and actually have never had a traffic ticket in that period, I try to be very carefully with what driving I do, knowing that one occurrence will cost me my licenses.) I try to rest and be quiet, if the dizziness and tinnitus continue, I take two ten Mg Valium tables and lay down. If I am by myself, I will call some and let them know where I am and how I am doing. The valium probable stops the seizures about half of the time and I believe that it always make them less sevier. I have warning signs once or twice per week, and have to take valium on the average of once per week, and will have a gran mal seizure once or twice per month. With Lamictal, I believe the seizures are less frequent and less sevier as long as I keep the dosage low enough to not block my warning signs. I believe everyone's seizure disorder is different and some may be like mine and be able to learn warning signs by keeping good records of what you can remember leading up to the seizure. Always do everything under the direction of a Dr. that you trust and have faith in. The more information you can give your Dr. the better your individual treatment can be developed. If you can develop warning signs, the seizures are much easier controlled and you can live a much better quality of live.

Gran-Mal Seizures and myoclonic jerks for over 30 years as a result of being struck by lightning while serving in the Marine Corp. Have tried "all" of the medications and most made it difficult to do my civilian job. (School Administrator) The best advice I every received was to keep a diary and record everything I could remember happening to me before a seizure. By doing this I have been able to develop a warning system of oncoming seizures. (Same think as most people saying they can feel a headache coming on,) I can live with the myoclonic jerks as they only occur once or twice per day. The seizures while at work or driving are a different matter. (I have warning signs for seizures on the average of once or twice per week, and around one per month goes into a seizure.) Most of the medications other than Lamictal cover up my warning signs and I simply refuse to take them. I work very close with my family Dr. who understands my case better then most Neurologist I have ever had. Neurologist want to give any drug at a strength that will stop all seizures and that can and often does result in side effects that prevent normal live. Lamictal in low dosage, 25mg twice per day may make my seizures less sevier. Any higher dosages causes many of the side effects others have described on this site, but for me the biggest problem is that it blocks my warning signs of oncoming seizure. I get 20 to 30 minutes warning of oncoming seizures and many times can avoid a seizure by just stop doing what I am working on and taking a break and resting. If that does not work, I take two 10 Mg Valium and find a soft place to lay down, the valium will stop or lessen my seizure and I will sleep for one or two hours, and wake up. Sometimes I will have a seizure after taking the valium, but I am in bed or resting and usually under observation. My key has been to learning the warning signs of an oncoming seizure in time to get to a safe place and by always having the valium with me. We are all different individuals and our medical problems are different. Share everything you can remember with a Dr. you trust and attempt to develop warning signs of an oncoming seizure is the best advice I can give after over 30 years of living with a seizure disorder.

I have a seizure disorder (Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy) that started in 2000. I was on Valporic Acid till 2005 at which time I gradually switched over to Lamotrigine (Lamictal). My reason for switching to Lamictal is because it is a lot safer for an unborn baby than Valporic Acid and I got married in 2005 so just wanted to be safe just in case. Valporic Acid controlled both my myoclonic jerks and my grand mal seizures. I was on 1500mg a day (6 x 250mg). With the Lamictal I started at 100mg/day and now am on 125mg/day (5 x 25mg). I take 3 in the morning and 2 in the evening, exactly 12 hours apart. If I take my doses longer than 12 hours apart, I start feeling the withdrawal. My body just starts feeling strange. At first I thought this way I felt meant I was going to start having myoclonus jerks or a seizure but I now realize that it is withdrawal I am feeling. I hate how my body, my life, is controlled by the Lamictal. I hate the withdrawal feeling I feel almost every evening, and it goes away once I take my evening dose. Other than that I don't really know of any side effects I have. I know I am on a really low dose compared to a lot of people. My neurologist and family doctor want me to go up on my dosage to control my myoclonus jerks better but I keep refusing because I HATE HATE HATE being on any psychiatric medication. I have been on antidepressants in the past (Paxil, Effexor, Remeron, Cipralex at different times over 4 years) and I have been through withdrawal from them. I am so glad to be free from those drugs but I tell you the withdrawal is HELL. But if it wasn't for my seizure disorder, I would GLADLY go through hell again to be off of Lamictal. Recently I tried lowering my Lamictal dosage in hopes I could be on a lower dose. I cut one of my 5 pills in half which took me from 125mg to 112.5 mg. The first 7 weeks were fine - some minor hardly noticeable side effects. But then the withdrawal hit hard - panic attacks and extreme nausea being the worst, but also very weak/no strength, anxiety, trembling, etc. After 4 days of that I went back up to 125mg and after about 3 weeks was back to normal. The only reason I did not stick it out was because my myoclonus jerks were increasing and I did not want to seizure. I have stuck out half a year of antidepressant withdrawal torture and I would've stuck out the Lamictal withdrawal if it wasn't for my seizure disorder. Great book that really helped me if you want to go off Lamictal is Your Drug May Be Your Problem - How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications by Peter R. Breggin MD and David Cohen MD. This book really helped me during my antidepressant withdrawal. Dr. Breggin also has a website which is ****** I do have some mild problems with anxiety and I have become a little OCD but I think that is left over from my years of antidepressant use as they both seem to gradually get better over time (I have been free from the death grip of antidepressants for 2 years now). If you decide to withdraw from Lamictal please do it SAFELY. Have strong support. Do it very gradually. Know the risks. I for one may have to be on this for life which is discouraging. After I am done having kids (I'm a 26 year old female, been married for 4 years, hoping to start a family soon) maybe I will switch back over to Valproic Acid.....it would control my jerks better but who knows if it would bring on a whole 'nother set of problems, right?

I took my first Cymbalta this am and it is like nightmare starting all over again. I took Wellbutrin for about 6 years and several times a week, when I tried to go to sleep, my hips, feet and legs would begin to hurt. Then every time about 3 seconds after I'd actually fall asleep I would have a severe myoclonic jerk and scream out. This showed up on a sleep study. The doctor showed me and my husband the video. He said it was the strangest thing he'd ever seen and planned to take the video to the next conference he went to. Everyone, pharmacists, doctors and neurologist said it couldn't be coming from medication. The sleep doctor put me on Ambien CR, but after almost pulling out in front of a car that I swear wasn't there a split second ago, no more ambien. Another doctor put me on Clonopin which has helped. After going on Lacmictal as a hormone/mood stabilizer and tapering off Wellbutrin, after almost instantly six the myoclonic jerks totally stopped. Was doing well until increased the dose of Lamictal from 100 to 200mg. Followed package increased as instructed. At 200mg felt like ants were crawling all over me. Immediately came back down to 100, then to 50 then to 25mg. No lunch. Stayed off of Lamicatal for about a month, and tried 50 mgs. Still itching almost as soon as I took it. Am doing pretty good on Clonopin for complex PTSD and Concerta for ADD but still have depression severe mood swings. My new Doctor insisted Cymbalta was exactly what I needed. After just one dose the myoclonic jerks started again. Had 5 in about 30 minutes, again, 3 to 4 seconds after I go sleep. And my feet, legs and hips hurt again, every time I lay down. Is there no end to this misery? It seems you just cannot win. I just need to vent and find another sympathetic soul who has been there. I think my husband has had about all he can take, and I can't say as I blame him. Thanks for letting me express my frustration.

Okay, this is the comprehensive list
memory loss, cognitive damage, exhaustion, mood swings, suicidal ideation, paranoid ideation, auditory hallucinations, depression, daily weeping.

Dry mouth, enamel stripped off teeth, no sweating, constipation and resulting hemorrhoids, loss of appetite and extreme weight loss, tingling in extremities, trembling hands, twitching eye muscles, myoclonic jerks