First, I want to thank all of you for your prayers. It was quite a trip to see Abby get her EEG. She had 24 electrodes attached to her head…each measuring a different section of the brain…amazing. I never thought Abby could fall asleep on command, but she did (of course it helped that she was sleep deprived and in a big, comfy recliner). They really need to measure, both the sleep and wake modes to get good readings. After the test, the doctor talked to us. He said the readings confirmed what he suspected right away…that she has been having “absence seizures”. He said they are "generalized" seizures, which means they affect the whole brain, not just part. Absence seizures have a "heavy genetic influence". Which means it was inherited in the genes. Ted did have seizures between the ages of 10 and 12. He only had five and eventually grew out of them. My mom had them also, but they were because of a brain tumor, not epilepsy. Absence seizures are the most mild form of seizure and most treatable.
He prescribed Lamictal for her. It needs to start out very slowly because of the possible side effects of a rash. We gradually build the number of pills a day to 3, and then after 6 weeks, once we’re sure there is no reaction, we ramp up to 100 mg a day (from 6 mg!). After 6 months we assess the effectiveness of the medicine. It should stop the seizures. If it does the job, she will stay on the same medication for 2 years. At that point, we will try to take her off the medication. Often, the seizures should be gone permanently, at that point. The part that worried me is that he said he also wanted to do an MRI to rule out anything more serious (infection, congenital disease, tumor, etc). I couldn’t let go of this thought. Why an MRI? I thought he just diagnosed it! I was quite worried. But it comforted me later when I remembered that I had many people praying for an accurate diagnosis. I need to have faith in these prayers. We are still hoping to get this MRI scheduled right away to get it over with and dispel our fears. It’s just a little rattling to have all this happen so close to her First Communion. It’s hard for me to keep focus on the big, family party this weekend. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
He prescribed Lamictal for her. It needs to start out very slowly because of the possible side effects of a rash. We gradually build the number of pills a day to 3, and then after 6 weeks, once we’re sure there is no reaction, we ramp up to 100 mg a day (from 6 mg!). After 6 months we assess the effectiveness of the medicine. It should stop the seizures. If it does the job, she will stay on the same medication for 2 years. At that point, we will try to take her off the medication. Often, the seizures should be gone permanently, at that point. The part that worried me is that he said he also wanted to do an MRI to rule out anything more serious (infection, congenital disease, tumor, etc). I couldn’t let go of this thought. Why an MRI? I thought he just diagnosed it! I was quite worried. But it comforted me later when I remembered that I had many people praying for an accurate diagnosis. I need to have faith in these prayers. We are still hoping to get this MRI scheduled right away to get it over with and dispel our fears. It’s just a little rattling to have all this happen so close to her First Communion. It’s hard for me to keep focus on the big, family party this weekend. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
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