@A MyEpilepsyTeam Member Spike in stress level can cause seizures regardless of what medication you are on. The key to any medical "cure" or control of seizures is an adjustment by you to control your stress and depression levels. Just yesterday, I actually felt an aura (simple partial seizure) coming on that was stopped at the very beginning because I was having a good stress day.

I am not on Keppra. I have been on Carbamazepine since I first started with a neurologist in 1997. My second neurologist, later on, added Lamotrigine, and he recently increased the dosage (last desperate action which if it does not work then I am off to a seizure center at one of the Boston hospitals for study to determine the next step). Since the increase a month ago, I have not had a complex partial or full seizure. It is thus enough of additional medicine to counter my shooting up to a very high-stress level since 2014 (with depression also increasing such that I will probably need an increase in antidepressant soon too).

NOTE: Never forget that you have to do your part (if you can) in finding a way to preventing any increase (and better yet decreasing) your stress level, otherwise no level of medication will keep your seizures in check.

On a day of frustration a few years ago, my current neurologist bluntly told me that I am a failure because I cannot achieve any long seizure-free period (my longest was a year without complex partial or full seizures back in 2002-May 2003 before my life had the major changes because of the series of errors. Hopefully, you can do a much better job than I have ever managed to do except for that brief period prior to May 2003. Since I was not officially diagnosed until 1997, I have no idea of the longest period without a complex partial seizure between 1980 and 1997. Spike in stress when going into high school and a spike in stress 4 years later going into college and at other times after that.

I'm on keppra. It stops me from even having grand mal. I only having complex partials now. Not too often.

I have tonic-clonic grand mals and high dose keppra helped with that. I also have myoclonic seizures but so far topiramate and fycompa is what has helped them and I haven't been able to stay on enough of either with really bad side effects.

How wonderful for you if Keppra is working to control your seizures!

I’m on it now and for a year it did control mine but I’ve had mine start back. I’ve heard others call it a miracle for them. I was hoping the same. I pray for you it is.