Close family member with seizures, help?

My mother (whom I live with) has a seizure disorder. The doctor's have yet to figure out why, but they have her on Neuronten (sp) which is pretty much a downer that is also used to some pain. She has bad side effects from her medication, it's almost like she's sleep walking. She can't control most of her muscles, and she gets weak and limp, we've had to help feed her during these spells, and help her get to bed (a nap helps), she's told her neurologist about these, and he told her that she had to have a CAT Scan, and some other physical type test before he could change her medicine. Is this right? We are now in debt to a hospital for these tests that showed nothing, and he still didn't change her meds. Is Neuronten the most mild seizure medication she can have? Health rite (which helps pay for some procedures)doesn't want her to change doctors, but we might have to. I want to know, is he wrong?

I was running out of room before. She's had an EEG, and they can't find anything at all! Her first seizure was thought to be caused by diet pills (before they were ephedrine free), but they kept coming. It isn't epilepsy, at least that isn't the diagnosis. What we were told was just "We don't know why, but here, take these, no problem" Only, there is a problem. She may have been able to go back to work if her medication didn't cause such harsh side effects, and we're battling with social security right now. Thank you for the link. I'm frustrated because I've watched my mother deteriorate all through my preteen and beginning of teenage years (I'm now 16). The main question is, did they have to do those tests AGAIN to switch her meds?

Find a support group.....

You can check Meet-Up.com...They have all kinds of groups....

Do they know the cause of her seizures (epilepsy, etc.)? Has she had a EEG?

This is about Eplipesy -- but it talks about a lot of different meds.

"Definition
A seizure is a sudden disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity accompanied by altered consciousness and/or other neurological and behavioral manifestations. Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures that may include repetitive muscle jerking called convulsions.

Description
There are more than 20 different seizure disorders. One in ten Americans will have a seizure at some time, and at least 200,000 have at least one seizure a month.

Epilepsy affects 1-2% of the population of the United States. Although epilepsy is as common in adults over 60 as in children under 10, 25% of all cases develop before the age of five. One in every two cases develops before the age of 25. About 125,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year, and a significant number of children and adults that have not been diagnosed or treated have epilepsy."

*** (the article gives a list of types of seizures and possible triggers) ***

"Medication
A combination of drugs may be needed to control some symptoms, but most patients who have epilepsy take one of the following medications:

Dilantin (phenytoin)
Tegretol (carbamazepine)
Barbita (phenobarbital)
Mysoline (primidone)
Depakene (valproic acid, sodium valproate)
Klonopin (clonazepam)
Zarontin (ethosuximide).
Dilantin, Tegretol, Barbita, and Mysoline are used to manage or control generalized tonic-clonic and complex partial seizures. Depakene, Klonopin, and Zarontin are prescribed for patients who have absence seizures.

Neurontin (gabapentin), Lamictal (lamotrigine), and topiramate (Topamax) are among the medications more recently approved in the United States to treat adults who have partial seizures or partial and grand mal seizures. Another new medication called Levetiracetam (Keppra) has been approved and shows particularly good results in reducing partial seizures among elderly patients with few side effects. This is important, because elderly patients often have other conditions and must take other medications that might interact with seizure medications. In 2003, Keppra's manufacturer was working on a new antiepilectic drug from the same chemical family as Keppra that should be more potent and effective. Available medications frequently change, and it the physician will determine the best treatment for an individual patient. A 2003 report found that monotherapy, or using just one medication rather than a combination, works better for most patients. The less complicated the treatment, the more likely the patient will comply and better manager the seizure disorder.

Even a patient whose seizures are well controlled should have regular blood tests to measure levels of anti-seizure medication in his system and to check to see if the medication is causing any changes in his blood or liver. A doctor should be notified if any signs of drug toxicity appear, including uncontrolled eye movements; sluggishness, dizziness, or hyperactivity; inability to see clearly or speak distinctly; nausea or vomiting; or sleep problems.

Status epilepticus requires emergency treatment, usually with Valium (Ativan), Dilantin, or Barbita. An intravenous dextrose (sugar) solution is given to patients whose condition is due to low blood sugar, and a vitamin B1 preparation is administered intravenously when status epilepticus results from chronic alcohol withdrawal. Because dextrose and thiamine are essentially harmless and because delay in treatment can be disastrous, these medications are given routinely, as it is usually difficult to obtain an adequate history from a patient suffering from status epilepticus.

Intractable seizures are seizures that cannot be controlled with medication or without sedation or other unacceptable side effects. Surgery may be used to eliminate or control intractable seizures."