So we've had Z on Topamax for two full days now, and Drew and I both agree that we have a different child, although the jury's still out on whether that's a good thing or not. Bad things: the side effects. Namely, drowsiness and something else, which I haven't pinpointed yet except that generally she doesn't feel good. Dr A called this afternoon to see how we were doing and whether or not I've seen any seizures. (There was one for a fraction of a second, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind, yesterday in the early afternoon.) He reassured me that the side effects should only last about a week until her body can get used to the medication, and hopefully reach that happy place called seizure-free. (Else, they have to up the dosage.)
Good things: When she's not in her purple haze of drowsiness, Z has been amazing active and alert. I could swear she picked up ten new words just in the span of the first day. And there's this fire in her eyes, a brightness, that I haven't seen in a long while – I didn't even realize I had missed it. Contrast that with the more lightning-quick irritability and I suppose we have something closer to the "normal" 2-year-old behavior that we marveled at not having before.
Anyway since neither Drew nor I have any family history of seizures, Dr A wanted to rule out head trauma and brain lesions, so he ordered an MRI for us, which I managed to get scheduled for next Tuesday. (Might as well do something while I'm waiting around for the arrival of #4.) Unfortunately, it'll require sedation, so we saw the pediatrician yesterday for a pre-op physical.
