Medication questions

[BerlinWill]

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend was diagnosed with epilepsy (aged 30) in April 2007. She is very reluctant to take medication due to the potential side effects and also possible problems this may cause if she were to get pregnant. Therefore so far we've tried to deal with it without medication but adjusting our lifestyle (regular sleeping patterns, sport etc.) instead.

Currently she has approx. 1 seizure every 1-2 months (about 7 last year), but sometimes also has auras.

I'd be very grateful if anyone has any advice, or perhaps info on any medication they have found has fewer side effects, or is safest during pregnancy. I know most doctors/pharmacists insist that medication is essential, but any first-hand information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks and all the best. :-)

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

There's an article about Anti-Epilepsy Drugs and Their Side-Effects that you might find helpful. Click on: http://epilepsytalk.com/2010/01/30/a...-side-effects/

[BerlinWill]

Thank you, Phylis! This article is very helpful indeed and provides us with some much-needed information.

[Nakamova]

Hi BerlinWill --

Your girlfriend's OB/GYN should be able to help with some advice regarding meds, or be able to refer you to a GYN who is familiar with epilepsy. The decision to go with meds is a risk assessment taking into account kinds of seizures she's having, and weighing the risk to the baby from side effects versus the overall risk of injury if a seizure were to occur during the pregnancy. There are folks here on CWE who have had successful pregnancies on meds, and the newer generation of anti-epileptic drugs (such as Lamictal and Neurontin) have good track records. Changing estrogen levels can lower seizure threshold and also affect absorption of meds, so close monitoring during pregnancy is the norm for someone with epilepsy.

Either way, meds or not, it's very important that your girlfriend take a folic acid supplement if she is considering pregnancy. In addition, it's a good idea for her to pay attention to her diet, making sure it is balanced and healthy.

Best,
Nakamova

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

OMG, I almost forgot to tell you -- Depakote can impair your baby's intellligence...

According to the HealthDay News — When a pregnant woman takes the epilepsy medication valproate (Depakote), her child’s intelligence may be lowered for at least three years, and possibly beyond, a new study suggests.

Reporting in the April 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that when tested at age 3, children who were exposed to valproate (Fepakote), in the womb had IQ scores up to nine points lower than children exposed to other epilepsy medications in utero.

http://epilepsytalk.com/2009/10/09/d...-intelligence/

[skillefer]

Hi BW! Welcome to CWE. I just had a happy healthy baby 8 months ago. I was on depakote at the beginning of my pregnancy and switched to Dilantin after the 1st trimester. Before I got pregnant my neurologist told me to take 800 mcg. folic acid every day. Even if I wasn't pregnant. Also...I looked for an ob/gyn that had experience working with women with epilepsy. Yes, I had a few seizures...they happened when I had fluctuation in hormones...but the baby came out fine.