Hello doctor, I am writing to get a second opinion for my relative. He is a 19 year old male. He had a seizure last year and the second seizure was on last week. His EEG was normal and also had an MRI. The doctors said that he has chronic sinusitis with thickened mucosa and they started giving him antibiotics. I want to know whether the seizure is related to the sinusitis. If yes, does that mean he might have a brain complication? I want a medical advice whether there is a need to start with Tegretol. My blood test showed high levels of WBCs. Currently, the doctor has given Keppra. Should he start it? Please guide.
Hi. We usually recommend antiepileptic if someone has two seizures within 24 hours. In approximately 70% cases, we may not be able to identify any specific cause for seizures, for example - infection, stroke, focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and tumor, as in your case. Sinusitis is an incidental finding and at present it seems to be unrelated to epilepsy. You should complete antibiotic course as prescribed for its coverage. For epilepsy, he will need antiepileptic drugs (AED). There are many AED to choose from, but once you have been given Keppra (Levetiracetam) you can continue the same, as it is a new generation drug with minimal side effects and drug interaction. With the limited information I have, I would recommend starting it to prevent future seizures. Your neurologist can provide you with its optimal dosing. High white blood cell (WBC) could be related to sinusitis or as a transient rise from seizure itself. It should come down by itself. It would be good to know how long his seizure was and what he did during his seizure. Did he passed urine, stool or bite his tongue during the episode? Revert back with the asked details to a neurologist online -->