Epilepsy - Medicines And Alternative Therapies...

[whooliggen]

High All,

Here's hoping you are all having the type of year that the universe was invented for!!

I have recently been diagnosed with epilepsy (6 weeks now) and even though it has effected a massively positive change in my life and general wellbeing, there is one aspect of it that I am struggling with. The meds.

I was started on oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), but had to be taken off that as it was seriously wigging me out. Was then (1 month ago now) put on levetiracetam (Keppra) and am currently taking 1500mg/day. I have literally been infected with some infection or other since taking the Keppra (urinary tract infection now thick head flu for 2 weeks) and as normally I would consider myself fairly healthy (don't drink/smoke, am vegetarian, exercise regularly etc), I can't help but think that the meds are so screwing up my body's inner balance. Have read on numerous sites that one of the primary side-effects of taking Keppra can be infections, so I don't think I need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the meds aren't exactly being well appreciated by my body

So here's my questions:

1) Has anyone else had similar experiences with AED meds and if so, how long did it take for your body to balance out?

2) Is anyone currently pursuing alternative therapies for epilepsy treatment here in Bangkok (naturopath, acupuncturist etc etc)? If so, any info (whether positive or negative) would be greatly appreciated.

3) I am currently seeing Dr. Yothin at Bangkok Hospital (not out of choice, it just happened to be where I was taken after my first (and only thankfully) tonic/clonic seizure. He is a nice guy and I feel confident in his abilities, he is just rather reluctant to discuss conjunctive (a little early to discuss alternative therapies with him I feel) therapies that I could try. Has anyone any first hand experience of this doctor or would care to relate of their experiences with doctors here that they would recommend? I would be particularly interested to hear from anyone who is currently being treated by a "western" (for want of a better word) trained doctor, that is open to discussing conjunctive/alternative therapies (my poor mother in the uk would have a stroke if i dropped the meds before at least giving them a fair trial for 3 months ).

Thank you for getting this far and for any help/advice you may be able to offer..Simultaneously, if I can be of any assistance to any other epileptics out there, then please do drop me a line as I too would be happy to help where I can.

All my best,

W.