It's Time...

for another Austin update.

Austin's follow-up appointment with his neurologist (saying that is weird) was on Thursday. Since his first visit, they put him on Trileptal. Trileptal is an anti-convulsant and he is on a really low dose as of now (we'll have to increase it a bit when he gains another 2-3 pounds).

Austin had an MRI and we were supposed to talk about that at his appointment. His medication had been put to the test at the beginning of October, with a late night flight and 2 more late nights when we travelled back to Missouri for my brother's wedding.

At the appointment, they seemed happy that his seizures weren't happening with the low dose that he's on. However, they seemed surprised by the increase in moodiness and behavior changes that he seems to be exhibiting (since it's also a mood stabilizer that can be used to treat Bi-Polar Disorder). From what I've read on the internet, there's quite a few parents who deal with the same thing. Every anti-convulsant medication have side effects and some of the worse than others. This one seems like the best of them, so unless this behavior starts to interfere with our family or they see it a lot in school, we'll just stick with this medicine and deal with the behaviors like any other parents deal with them! :-)

The MRI results were not what we wanted to hear. It's not extreme. It's not awful. His brain is actually very healthy. There are just these rare spots on one side of his brain that they think is what is causing his epilepsy. While he could still grow out of the seizures, these spots make it more unlikely since it seems like it could be a physical cause instead of just a developmental one. Only time will tell and for now, the plan is just to keep him on the Trileptal for 1-2 years before we discuss anything else (however, I was told not to try and push it at 1 year since he does have the spots).

While the behavior is frustrating at times, we can handle it. We are glad that it's not bleeding into his school day and causing problems for him there. Austin continues to be a bright boy who loves his friends, family and sometimes school. :-)

Austin's next appointment is in 3 months.