Please keep Bear in your thoughts

Dunno what your vet considers clusters, but ours always considered more than one in 24 hours a cluster.  We never used valium, but once had to take her in for a large dose of pheno since her cluster turned into status pretty much (seizures every 5-10 mins non stop for an hour).

To me it sounds like you just haven't quite found the right combination of everything - Oreo had clusters of 4-6 seizures in 24-36 hours every 4-6 weeks for about 2 years before we hit on the right combination of stuff and she's been "s" free for about 4 years now...

Have you looked at when you might be dosing flea or heartworm preventative?  oreo had seizures after heartguard dosing so we switched to interceptor and that trigger was eliminated.  Stress was another biggie for her as well.

Stardog, my vet considers clusters one seizure after the next, not coming out of one before going into another.  I don't use any flea meds, use Interceptor 8 months out of year, the last of which he received 2 weeks ago.

I honestly don't know if I can handle 2 more years of this for him to stabilize.  What kind of life is that for him?

sharismom

It's just plain hard...I'm very sad...it's not fair.  I try to be a good owner...

Tina, you ARE a GREAT owner.  You are doing everything possible for Bear. 

    I hope that bear feels alot better soon!!!! 

Tina - I remember feeling as down as you are a few times and the only thing that consoled me was knowing that I was doing everything I possibly could. You are too and there's no doubt that you love Bear dearly. He's so lucky to have you.

sharismom

my vet considers clusters one seizure after the next, not coming out of one before going into another

That's what clustering is... anyone who's gone through it knows it's terrifying. Heidi clustered 11 times on the way to the e-vet in one night, and I got there in 10 minutes. The ice pack worked for a single seizure, but it didn't work when she would cluster.

Janice makes a great point about the LED lights....

Hmm...that's good to know.  I don't even know what kind of lights I have.  The ones in my window, I had up last year and this year, no problems.  Have the exact same ones on my tree which I just put up Saturday night - though this is the first time in two years I even put up a tree (it's artificial).  I guess I won't plug them in.

No TV either.  Good thing I like to read...

 I'm so sorry Tina; I'll be sending healing thoughts for Bear.

Hmmm I've only ever heard of the continuous seizure thing being called status epilepticus.  When I was on a k9 epi list they referred to clusters as multiple seizures in 24 hours, same as the info on the Canine Epilepsy Network. They really stressed that clusters can build on each other, so control was very important, but Oreo showed few side effects from her bouts for those first two years.  It was tough at times, but we kept seeing little improvements in frequency, severity, and recovery time as we fiddled with meds.

You might want to look into a neuro consult if you haven't already - they'd have more experience with the little details of seizure disorders and might have access to more complete information regarding new developments.

sharismom

It's just plain hard...I'm very sad...it's not fair.  I try to be a good owner...

Tina, I know what it's like to feel this way.  You are a GREAT owner.  You are doing the best you can.  You've got to just take one day at a time--sometimes I'm taking one hour at a time with Willow. 

Hoping Bear is feeling better already. 

Lori

willowchow

sharismom

It's just plain hard...I'm very sad...it's not fair.  I try to be a good owner...

Tina you are an awesome owner and doing all that you can for poor Bear!  We are sending our strongest healingest vibes to you and Bear.  Come on Bear we want you stable!

Thanks everyone for the kind words. 

I suppose regardless of what the definitions of clusters and status epilepticus are and how different sources use them (and I've done a ton of research), the basic issue is that Bear is having multiple seizure episodes and we are trying to get them to stop.  He had at least one at the vet's yesterday while under observation.  The valium injection he had didn't affect him at all.  We are going to increase his dose of phenobarbital, which is fine, except the double-dose I gave him when we got home had no effect.  He was even more agitated and had another seizure.  After that, I gave him 10mg of diazepam, which did nothing but agitate him.   Maybe he doesn't know he's having seizures, but the seizures do a little damage to his body every time he has one.  As does the medication.

I'm not stupid enough to think that all this will be fixed overnight, but at what point is enough enough?  I am barely hanging on financially as it is. MRIs cost a lot of money, continual trips to the vet cost a lot of money.  I've never been one to give up easily, but what about his quality of life?  What about mine?    Okay, live with the seizures, not for them, but if every noise, light, sound, thought, and scent can trigger one, what am I supposed to do - live in a cave?   I don't have much of a life, I am a home-body so that's not the problem.    I do have to come to work 5 days/week and at least grocery shop once a week - and I cannot just dismiss him from my mind when I can't be at home.   These are the issues I'm struggling with.  And I really feel like I'm failing him...and I feel horribly guilty having these thoughts at all.

Honestly Tina, only you can say when enough is enough and trust that if you do, it'll be because you've done everything you can. I know the financial burden it can be. It's not just the one or two visits to the vet, it's the numerous visits and the medications and the tests and it really adds up. I also know how the daily worrying can wear you down too. If anyone understands, it's the folks on this forum who've been in similar positions. I'm really sorry you're going thru this and wish there were more I could do or say to help, but I just want you to know I understand how you're feeling.