Catamenial Epilepsy...

[Nutella]

Hello :hello:

I need some help. Currently I am on Lamotrigine and Tegretol. I also take Lorazepam when I have 3 or more seizures. I also take it on my ovulation days and days before and during my period. As I have cluster seizures.

This question is more for the ladies really most of my cluster seizures happen around ovulation and PMS time during those 10 days or so I can have up to 30 seizures. I tried Depo-Provera for a year and it didn't help.

I was wondering if I was to take combined contraceptive pill (I know that Tegretol would affect it) but if I took it as a medication type to prevent seizures rather than as a birth control form and have a backup birth control method such as condom. onder: have any of you used the combined contraceptive pill sort of like an antiepileptic drug?

 

[valeriedl]

I don't really know how much help I can give you on this one because since I've had epilepsy I've never had a period at the age of 27.

The only birth control med I had been on was Depo-Provera along with several other epilepsy meds through the years. The last ones I took with it were Depakote, Tegretol, Keppra and Lamictal. I had some spotting while I was on the Depo-Provera but never an actual period. I was still having seizures while I was taking it but they were spread out through the month pretty much like they are now.

I had a hysterectomy 4 years ago when I was 35. I decided that I didn't want to have children because I was afraid that things might happen to the baby or I'd have any problems if I'd have to go off of any of my meds or having seizures while I was pregnant. Things like this don't happen to everyone so don't think it could happen to you.

Even now since I've had the hysterectomy I'm still having seizures and I am taking meds. Some months the seizures are spread out and some months they might come in clusters.

It would be a good idea to have your neuro and gyno talk to each other to make sure a certain epilepsy med would interact with any type of birth control pill that you would take. My drs did this.

I know there are many women on here who have said that they have many/most of their seizures around the time that they are having their period.

 

[Nutella]

Thank you valeriedl. I'm sorry to hear you are still having so many seizures. I am also having so many clusters. I tried Depo-Provera in hope it would help but I had so many side effects that I had to come off it. When I was on Depo I used to have about 16 to 20 seizures at most every month but since I've been off it I am having 30+ so I believe it did help somewhat. That is why I feel like if I take combined pill (as Depo is not combined birth control) that I might see some difference. And yes I think my seizures are always around ovulation and period.

I am also afraid of having children I am going to be 27 in 5 days. I am kind of putting that thought on a hold at the moment I am trying to not think about the future of having children and all of that but sometimes it gets me down.

 

[Cint]

Nutella,

I have TLE and my seizures started when I was 22 years of age. I married and had two healthy, happy children while taking Dilantin. It was after the birth of my 2nd child that my seizures went haywire. Before that, I experienced catamenial seizures, so could sort of plan around "that time". I have never tried Depo-Provera because back in my day the silly docs said I couldn't take BC and said I needed an IUD instead. But my body said "no way" to that!
Now that I have gone thru menopause, unfortunately, I still suffer seizures once in a while.

Here is a good website about women's issues and E:
http://www.epilepsy.com/information/women/all-women/contraception
http://www.epilepsy.com/information/women/all-women/hormones-and-epilepsy