Generic Name: Aptiom for Seizures (eslicarbazepine)
Aptiom for Seizures Reviews
"This medicine works well. I think it works better as an add-on, though, than by itself. I took it by itself, 600 mg, and it completely got rid of my seizures. I had some bad side effects, though, which included terrible headaches and lots of sweating. It was unbearable. I went down to 200 mg with another seizure medication (Lamictal) and am currently seizure-free and doing much better. The side effects from Aptiom have completely gone away. If this drug gives you side effects at a high dose, try it as an add-on therapy with a low dose of another medication. Being on two medications, both at low doses, will probably give you fewer side effects. Also, it is very expensive. You can get a little help from the company, though, if you call them."
"I have been taking 600 mg Aptiom for 3 months, and I cannot function! Dizzy, nervous, and unable to consistently function. I am tired and never want to go anywhere. Now I'm starting Keppra and Aptiom low doses and will see how that works. I'm miserable... Unhappy... and NOT MYSELF! Will keep you posted... 11/1/2016 (in the hospital)"
"I have been taking Aptiom 800 mg once daily for 2 months. So far, I experience headaches and dizziness, but I know it's the medicine, so I live with it for now, hoping that will all go away. I also take Vimpat 150 mg twice daily, with other problems that may or may not be associated with that medicine. Aptiom is great so far. It controls my Grand Mal seizures better than anything has in 35 years. My family tells me I have turned into Mr. Nice Guy overnight. I'm having a good experience so far."
"I have been on Aptiom for 8 months now and it hasn't been a good experience. The neurologist didn't tell me this medication could lower my thyroid. I have hypothyroidism and this drug has dropped my thyroid levels to an unbelievable level. My thyroid medication was upped and I had to drop the aptiom to 400 mg a day. No seizures yet. Another thing I would like to mention is this drug does not mix with a lot of different antiobiotics. I am going to ask my neurologist to put me on something different."
"I also have been on Aptiom for 2 years for partial seizures. It has been horrible. Beside playing around with my thyroid it blurs my vision along with extreme insomnia. That's not good for a person who is also bipolar to go with no sleep as I also suffer with mild psychosis. My doctor has added Epival to control the moods. Time to get of Aptiom. This drug is a person's worst nightmare."
"I was placed on this medication due to my epilepsy. At first I didn't notice anything huge, other than I was stuttering more and "losing words". Then the intense dizziness and vertigo was hitting me every day. I'd randomly feel like I was under water and someone was spinning me. Once I made sure my balance was ok, I would have a very difficult time with my thought processes or communicating. This would last a while after the dizzy incidents. I was only on 200mg once a day. After I spoke with my neurologist, they stated that other patients on this medication have been reporting the same things. I was removed from it immediately. That was about a month and a half ago. The dizzy spells STILL happen a couple times a week."
"In about five days I started feeling like a cloud lifted and clear thinking rolled in. I'm very happy with the Aptiom (800mg is my dose). So glad I have it. Wish the ACA insurance paid more, as I'm paying $622/ 90 day supply. Otherwise, it's very effective."
"I was on Aptiom 800 mg once a day for Partial motor seizures. Price was astronomical !My co-pay was over $600 a month. Luckily I was given 3 months worth of samples for free. I changed Doctors and was told that oxcarbazepine was basically the same as this drug (eslicarbazepine)and my copay was $2.85. I was a little ticked when I was told this.Yes it is the newest drug on the market, but is it really new? Be sure to ask questions of your Doctor. It may save you lots of money.Oh....the initial days I was sick, but after I took it a while I felt better. No Seizures in the 3 months I was on it."
"I have been on Aptiom for 2 years now. The worst thing for me is it causes insomnia badly. Sometimes I don't sleep more than 2 hours a night if that. My doctors have put me on various meds to help with this but they are only work for about a week and then they stop. I have had 2 seizures in the last month and I hadn't had any in 13 years. This drug is a nightmare for me."
"I take Aptiom as a 2nd-line med, along with Vimpat. I started aptiom with 400mg. Side effects of dizziness and loss of balance were fairly bad. After a week, the doctor had me go up to 600mg. I did that for just 2 days because I could hardly stand up due to the dizziness and loss of balance. Short-term memory problems developed also. I called the doctor and told him how bad I felt, and he moved me down to just 300mg/day along with Vimpat 800mg/day. After a couple days for the meds to adjust, my seizures went away! I've had seizures for over 45 years, but with Aptiom and Vimpat I've had no seizures for 56 days! That's a record for me. The doctor had me scheduled to go up to 800mg/day eventually, but he decided 300mg is ok."
"My son has been struggling with complex seizures for 3 years. Being on Lamicatal was causing seizures with severe psychosis afterwards. He has 22q11 (deletion of a small piece of chromosome 22) and is very drug sensitive. After getting off that Lamictal he was but on brivlere which was no better if not worse. Dr. Changed it to Aptiom. He is now happy and not tired all the time. This is a great drug with minimal side effects and no more seizures and psychosis. I hope when upped tomorrow to 400 mg that he will still not have any side effects."
"I am 63 and started having seizures a couple years ago. I was afraid to take medication because of the side effects. Once I started taking Aptiom 600mg, my seizures stopped. I seem to have short term memory loss, but not sure if that is the medication. The seizures caused memory loss and I do feel better now. I am starting to wake up around 5:30 am. I'm going to try a lower dosage to see if that helps."
"I'm very new to seizures so don't know what symptoms were seizure-related and which symptoms were medicine-related. I do know that my seizures were mostly focal aware but I was having dozens a day. They significantly fewer by the time I titrated to 600mg. By 800 milligrams I am nearly seizure-free and am feeling great again!"
"Been taking it about a week, I was on Oxcarbazepine before and Lamictal, but I pretty much hit the dosage ceiling. Alright folks Oxcarbazepine and Aptiom are very similar in mechanism of action in the brain, but my doctor explained (after I brought it up) how he has seen improvements when people switched to Aptiom. He assumes that this is because the half life of oxcarbazepine is quite short and aptiom maintains a much more even plasma concentration. And btw, oxy has all the same side effects, except twice as bad. My current meds: Lamictal: 500mg Aptiom: 800mg"
"I've been on many seizure meds and aptiom is a combo along with my keppra and vimpat. Side effects have been minimal like dizziness and nausea at first, but it goes away. Now that I'm on 800 mg. my seizures have stopped. Only been a week, but for me that's a great sign!!"
"My 16 year old son takes Aptiom for epilepsy. Aptiom doesn't seem to help at all. In fact, his seizures have gotten more frequent since he's been on it. Absolutely no side effects but why even take it if it doesn't help him? (if ANYTHING, it shortened the convulsion part of his seizures but not enough of a difference to say for sure)"
"I have stroke induced epilepsy. Many of the medications controlled the seizures in the required dosages but the side effects on my stroke side frequently left me nearly non-functional. I was 68 when my neurologist suggested Aptiom as an add-on to Lactimal. The combo still has side effects relating to aphasia and balance but, with consistent effort, I function really well. I’ve been taking Lactimal 200 mg/Aptiom 400 mg and am still seizure-free after 18 months. I'm on Medicare (think "doughnut hole") and do not qualify for additional assistance."
"It's been 5 years since I've had a seizure. I was on aptiom before and it made me feel WONDERFUL but I'm not feeling like myself now. I feel constantly nauseous have a constant headache. However I did find this grant that will help with payment of aptiom if you meet the financial requirements check it out online"
"I was using 800mg Aptiom samples for about two months and they worked great. Pros: no seizures or auras, less side affects and once a day tablets. Cons: Way to expensive!! ($500 a month) and nausea...but only lasted a month. Wish my neurologist told me the cost before getting off keppra and getting my hopes up with aptiom. Doesn’t make sense. Next, oxcarbazepine."
"I have medication resistant epilepsy and Aptiom was the medication that worked for the longest time. It was expensive, but insurance was willing to cover it. It made me tired, which was rough since I had to take it twice daily. It was also the medication I was on the longest before the resistance kicked in."
"I’ve been on Aptiom 800mg for around 2 months now. Previously was on lamotrigine which caused daily headaches, weekly migraines, skin irritation, haziness and troubles sleeping. Switching to aptiom has definitely helped with the decrease of side affects which have been around weekly headaches and trouble sleeping. I also should note that I do not get my period anymore. I am a 21 year old who has never missed a period before taking this drug. I have confirmed through urine tests at my GP and on my own that I am not pregnant. So, I am currently waiting to see my neurologist to talk about these issues. Just figured I should put this out there in case others were thinking of taking this drug. It is also SUPER expensive costing me around 350$ a month in Canada, luckily I have private insurance through work so they cover 80%. I have been seizure free since going on any anti-seizure medication so I can’t really compare the drugs I’ve tried to that."
"Taking aptiome, dilantin and quetiapine. Nocturnal seizures due to Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). Difficult to control seizures with any meds. I think aptiome helps most of the time, but may have several seizures suddenly for 5+ days in a stretch...then nothing for a couple of weeks. Feel very on edge and am severely thirsty especially after bathing. Doctor doesn't respond to my concerns as he seems challenged by my situation. Hope to get referral to a Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) clinic close to home hoping to find other meds."
"1200 mg at night has helped my nocturnal seizures greatly from happening."
"been on aptiom for about a year at a dose of 800mg . I had 2 seizures in a year on a a dose 800mg a day. It is very expensive ,doc bumped up to 1000mg day now. new doc and will be leaving aptiom ."
"I’m about to start taking Aptiom 200mg! I read so many reviews on this medication and hoping it will help with my seizures! "
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