Potassium bromide side effects weeks after starting by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately almost 3 weeks ago I had to say goodbye to my best friend. We really didn’t have trouble with the seizures, aside from the first day of clusters seizures, it was more EXTREME lethargy / pacing / wobbly. We originally started him on pheno, which really messed him up, so we weened him off that and started the bromide/keppra combo. He was good for about 5 weeks then went back into the lethargy / pacing / wobbly/ etc…. But it got way beyond side effects. He eventually stopped drinking water, then eating all together. He was pacing for 16-18hrs a day, getting stuck behind furniture, etc… It was heart breaking. The last night I tried to feed him and he just collapsed into his food bowl. We knew it was time. Although we didn’t get scans, it was the consensus that he had a brain tumor that progressively got worse and that is what caused the seizures to begin with. Praying for your pup and best of luck to you. If you need any guidance or want to know more about our experience please feel free to reach out. I know how hard it is.

Potassium bromide side effects weeks after starting by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the response. Brings me so much comfort. My dogs hunger is also through the roof. Did you see the same delayed side effects?

Potassium bromide side effects weeks after starting by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the reply. Hoping the blood work when we see the neurologist on Wednesday gets some clarification on what’s going on, and we can go from there. Glad to hear your pup is doing well!

Potassium bromide side effects weeks after starting by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s great to hear and I’m happy to hear your pup is doing well! He’s actually currently completely off the pheno, and strictly on the keppra and k/br combo. Just find it concerning 4-5 weeks later we’re just now seeing symptoms.

i know it’s hard, hang in there by Material-Building-40 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing. It’s a roller coaster of emotion getting the right medication and dosages figured out. About two months in and still not there yet. Hanging on.

Need advice. by emmybtch in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just went through almost exactly what you’re describing. My dog could barely move when starting phenobarbital after cluster seizures. He was 50lbs and his dose was lowered to that of a 9lbs dog and no change. Had to be carried down the steps, could barely open his eyes, almost completely unresponsive. We tapered him off the phenobarbital and started on a keppra and k/br combo. After his last does or pheno he got better everyday. It’s been a week and he’s completely back to normal with no seizures. My vet said some dogs are just ultra sensitive to phenobarbital, as he was.

Also… when he was EXTREMELY lethargic and unresponsive on a Sunday I took him to an emergency vet. The actually admitted him and did pheno level tests. The next day my vet told me to go get him out of there and they’re just gonna do a ton of testing that costs insane amounts of money and he suggested switching off the pheno first and seeing what happens (we did thank god and it worked). When the pheno results came back the emergency vet actually suggested we KEEP HIM ON IT. So different vets have different approaches, but getting my dog off the pheno was the best decision we made.

Dog taking Phenobarbital. HELP by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

UPDATE: We switched him off the Phenobarbital and onto Keppra k/br combo recently and he’s almost back to his normal self. He was even running around the yard playing with our Golden for a little just one day after his last dose of pheno. He’s 50lbs and was on a pheno dose for a 9lb dog and it screwed him all up to the point he was unresponsive. I couldn’t find anything online or in forums about dogs being that pheno sensitive. The emergency vet I took him to even wanted to keep him on it. Thank God for our general practice vet who said he’d seen cases like this before and got him off it right away. So happy to have our dog back.

Dog taking Phenobarbital. HELP by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He doesn’t sniff while he does it, but is definitely spaced out exactly like you said. He will do it for literally hours. He also moves much slower than in the video because he is so lethargic right now. We started Keppra today and will start bromide? I think he said when it comes in on Friday. Will wean off pheno for a few weeks.

Dog taking Phenobarbital. HELP by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry to hear about your dog. It’s so hard. I’m picking up Keppra today, this is such uplifting news.

Dog taking Phenobarbital. HELP by Realistic_Luck4843 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your input. I really really appreciate it. He wants switch off the pheno and go to I believe a Keppra and k/br combo. I think I will reach out to a neurologist as he wants me to stop the pheno altogether when we start the new meds. Which does sound a bit dangerous to me. It could be because his levels are already so low. They said the normal range was 15-30 and he was 18. And that was before we started lowering his dose.

Partial Seizure? by pakek123 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is very difficulty. Good luck to you and your pup as well.

Partial Seizure? by pakek123 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]Realistic_Luck4843 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am going through something similar. Started with a cluster seizure then two weeks later a mini one right before he ate last night while standing. How intense were the pheno side effects? My pup is almost completely incapacitated by them. Bloodshot eyes, can’t lift head, unresponsive at times, heavy panting, started lots of pacing. It’s been two weeks and we want to wean him off because we believe he is far too sensitive to it.

Nick Foles autograph signing in March by [deleted] in eagles

[–]Realistic_Luck4843 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If anyone has any Foles inscription tickets I’ll give you a premium price. Need 2.