Re: Keppra Wean Questions-

October 6, 2004

--how terrific--you must be thrilled! What was Noah's

dosage of Keppra and do you recall how much you weaned at a time.

Because is only on a 1/2 pill (125 mg), I'm wondering if we

should just pull it altogether in a couple weeks when we're done

monitoring for seizures since stopping depakote. Did you go slower

toward the end of the wean (ie. smaller doses removed at a time?)

How is Noah's development coming along? is doing incredibly

well--the diet has helped with her sensory processing issues as well

as her speech. She even became potty trained (still pullups at nite-

-I can live with that) within a week or two of starting the diet.

It's amazing what eliminating the " static " (ie. subclinical seizure

activity) does for a person. She started preschool this fall and is

sticking to the diet without too many problems (ie. she isn't asking

for other kids' food). So we remain extremely hopeful for her.

I hope your seeing many developmental strides for Noah as well!

Thanks for your message!

ne

>

> Hi all,

>

> Been monitoring the posts for awhile now when I can snatch a

> moment. Seems like anytime I post it's always with more questions

> so I just wanted to first say: To all that are experiencing great

> success with the diet both with seizure control and developmental

> strides for your kids--keep those wonderful stories coming! To

all

> those still working so hard to gain/keep seizure control for your

> kids--keep up the hard work, your kids are so worth the effort!

>

> Here's the background to the question:

> As for our daughter, (age 4 and 1st seizure on 12-6-04 and

> keto kid since 7-19-04 and seizure free since 7-1-04) we are still

> so excited to say that continues to do extremely well on the

> diet. started the diet on 2 meds--Depakote (1125mg/day) and

> Keppra (125mg/day). Keppra we had started just 2 weeks before the

> diet as our neuro was out of the country and had her longest

> T/C (7 minutes). As of yesterday (10-4-04) took her last

> depakote pill (pending a 2 week monitoring period); we had been

> lowering 125mg per week beginning on Day 2 of diet initiation and

> then for the last 375mg (ie last 3 pills) we weaned 125 mg per two

> week period (1 week to lower blood levels and 1 week for

> observation). Now we have the 125mg of Keppra to wean. Just

spoke

> with our neuro today who wants us to wait to wean the Keppra until

> our appointment and EEG on November 19th (ie 6 weeks). I of

course

> want to start the wean in about 2 weeks after we make sure she

> maintains seizure control with no depakote. The debate centers on

> whether her 2 weeks of being seizure free prior to diet initiation

> on July 19th was due to the addition of the 125 mg of keppra or

> whether it was because we had begun in earnest changing 's

diet

> to include only those foods on the diet (although not limiting her

> portions).

>

> Any advice, information on how your kids faired weaning off

keppra,

> or questions to consider given this brief overview would be very

> much appreciated.

>

> Thanks again!!

>

> ne and Mike

>

> " The Ketogenic Diet....a realistic treatment option, NOT just a

last resort! "

>

> List is for parent to parent support only.

> It is important to get medical advice from a

professional keto team!

> Subscribe: ketogenic-subscribe

> Unsubscribe: ketogenic-unsubscribe

>

October 6, 2004

You know I would hesitate to pull the next drug after only being two

weeks off the first. You could always compromise - give her a month to

stabilize, then start the wean. I don't know how slow you would need to

go with Keppra, but I wouldn't yank it all at once. I remember when jess

went on it she had a really rough time emotionally the first few days.

Why don't you aim for having just finished the wean by the time of your

Nov neuro appointment

Just my thoughts

, 's mom

smclague wrote:

>

> --how terrific--you must be thrilled! What was Noah's

> dosage of Keppra and do you recall how much you weaned at a time.

> Because is only on a 1/2 pill (125 mg), I'm wondering if we

> should just pull it altogether in a couple weeks when we're done

> monitoring for seizures since stopping depakote. Did you go slower

> toward the end of the wean (ie. smaller doses removed at a time?)

>

> How is Noah's development coming along? is doing incredibly

> well--the diet has helped with her sensory processing issues as well

> as her speech. She even became potty trained (still pullups at nite-

> -I can live with that) within a week or two of starting the diet.

> It's amazing what eliminating the " static " (ie. subclinical seizure

> activity) does for a person. She started preschool this fall and is

> sticking to the diet without too many problems (ie. she isn't asking

> for other kids' food). So we remain extremely hopeful for her.

>

> I hope your seeing many developmental strides for Noah as well!

>

> Thanks for your message!

>

> ne

>

> >

> > Hi all,

> >

> > Been monitoring the posts for awhile now when I can snatch a

> > moment. Seems like anytime I post it's always with more questions

> > so I just wanted to first say: To all that are experiencing great

> > success with the diet both with seizure control and developmental

> > strides for your kids--keep those wonderful stories coming! To

> all

> > those still working so hard to gain/keep seizure control for your

> > kids--keep up the hard work, your kids are so worth the effort!

> >

> > Here's the background to the question:

> > As for our daughter, (age 4 and 1st seizure on 12-6-04 and

> > keto kid since 7-19-04 and seizure free since 7-1-04) we are still

> > so excited to say that continues to do extremely well on the

> > diet. started the diet on 2 meds--Depakote (1125mg/day) and

> > Keppra (125mg/day). Keppra we had started just 2 weeks before the

> > diet as our neuro was out of the country and had her longest

> > T/C (7 minutes). As of yesterday (10-4-04) took her last

> > depakote pill (pending a 2 week monitoring period); we had been

> > lowering 125mg per week beginning on Day 2 of diet initiation and

> > then for the last 375mg (ie last 3 pills) we weaned 125 mg per two

> > week period (1 week to lower blood levels and 1 week for

> > observation). Now we have the 125mg of Keppra to wean. Just

> spoke

> > with our neuro today who wants us to wait to wean the Keppra until

> > our appointment and EEG on November 19th (ie 6 weeks). I of

> course

> > want to start the wean in about 2 weeks after we make sure she

> > maintains seizure control with no depakote. The debate centers on

> > whether her 2 weeks of being seizure free prior to diet initiation

> > on July 19th was due to the addition of the 125 mg of keppra or

> > whether it was because we had begun in earnest changing 's

> diet

> > to include only those foods on the diet (although not limiting her

> > portions).

> >

> > Any advice, information on how your kids faired weaning off

> keppra,

> > or questions to consider given this brief overview would be very

> > much appreciated.

> >

> > Thanks again!!

> >

> > ne and Mike

> >

> > " The Ketogenic Diet....a realistic treatment option, NOT just a

> last resort! "

> >

> > List is for parent to parent support only.

> > It is important to get medical advice from a

> professional keto team!

> > Subscribe: ketogenic-subscribe

> > Unsubscribe: ketogenic-unsubscribe

> >

October 6, 2004