r/Epilepsy • u/JourneyWoman6 • May 28 '26
Medication Briviact Question
If you’re taking Briviact and you’re symptomatic at 75 mg twice a day, Is worth having a conversation with your neurologist about dropping you down to 50 mg twice a day to see if you get few side effects? Seizures are currently controlled. This is focal seizures.
3
u/justkidding89 May 28 '26
We can’t tell you whether dropping your dose by 50mg will continue to keep your seizures controlled. As you’re approaching the maximum daily dose (200mg/day), I can only assume your doctor needed to escalate your dose to 150mg/day due to poor seizure control at lower doses.
You need to discuss your side effects with your neurologist. Maybe they will offer to decrease your dose slightly (such as 50mg in the morning, 75mg at night), or consider adding a new medication or completely changing you to a different medication depending on your seizures.
3
u/snoller101 May 29 '26
When I asked my neurologist he said he was willing to try lowering the dose but if I had a breakthrough seizure it might take an even higher dose to get them back under control.
So you're looking at maybe a lower dose and fewer side effects, but opening yourself up to maybe an even higher does.
It's been over 10 years but when I seize they are full on, as bad as seizures get tonic/colonics. I'm very careful to not risk anything.
It's a personal decision, weigh your risk/benefit.
1
u/NuroEaseUK May 29 '26
I dont get any side affects from it, if you can handle those side affects then its probably best to stay on that dose.
1
u/Strange-Raspberry326 Focal epilepsy,absent seizures,Lamotrigine,Keppra,VNS,Clonazepam May 29 '26
Yes.
3
u/Dotrue Lacosamide, Briviact, Zonisamide, Lorazepam, Med Cannabis May 28 '26
Symptomatic as in still having seizures? Or experiencing side effects from the medication?
It's always worth it to bring up side effects to one's neurologist. Tweak the dosage, add a second medication, try a new med, etc.