Bone Density, Teeth, and AED's

[Endless]

I had my bone density tested today. One of the questions on the questionnaire was if I was on anti-epileptic drug's, and if so, which one(s) and for how long.

Are anti-epileptic drug's bad for bone health?

I also saw people say in a few posts they thought that Topamax had been hard on their teeth.

Is extra calcium a good idea for people who are taking anti-epileptic drug's? Or just certain ones?

[RanMan]

Hi everyone,
I know about all the side effects of anti-epileptic drugs as I have most of them.
The one that really bothers me the most is that after long term use (29yrs in my case) it causes a severe decrease in bone density. The dilantin eats up all the calcium in your bones.

I also have Ulcerative Colitis which I also take meds for,and I can't consume dairy products,
Dilantin is the only proven medication so far that does not have a negative reaction with my UC meds (Mesasal) therefore I have taken vitamine C, D and calcium vitamins for two years now to help combat osteoperosis.

Randy

diagnosed with epilepsy and Ulcerative Colitis in 1979
- current meds are:

[Meetz1064]

a number of side effects to all anti-epileptic drug's. Dilantin is well-known for the side effect of bone-density loss. Like Randy, I've been on it for many years--over 35. I can't eat dairy either, I have to manage my diet carefully.

Topomax has not done anything to my teeth that I'm aware of--that was another side effect of Dilantin.

Mmmmmmm. Yes, taking extra calcium is a great idea. You will want to talk to your pharmacist/doctor about the timing of it though, as sometimes taking it can affect the effectiveness of the anti-epileptic drugs.

Personally, I talk to my pharmacist about ALL the anti-epileptic drugs. They're an overflowing resource for me. They've been taking care of me for a very verrryyy long time now. Balancing the side effects hasn't been easy, but they've made it easier...

[Nakamova]

All the anti-epileptic drugs run the risk of causing bone density issues and osteoporosis over time, although Dilantin is particularly known for that (in part because it's been around longer, so its long-term side effects are well-documented). It's a good idea to take a Cal-Mag-D supplement . If you're sensitive to small variations in your anti-epileptic drug dosage, doublecheck with your doctor since calcium can affect or block absorption for some of the meds.

And it's a good idea to have regular dental check-ups so if there is gum overgrowth occurring, your dentist can spot it. Basically the gums start to overgrow the teeth and then the teeth fall out more easily.

[Rae1889]

A great! I am now on Dilantin.
I dont want osteoperosis. nor do I wanna break any more bones!
Fudgeicles.

[donding]

I never associated the two. I had receding gums and lose teeth on dilantin, but I never thought of the bone density problem. I had a bone density test years ago and they said I was pre osteoporosis. I can't remember if I was on dialntin at the time. The gynecologist told me it was because I wasn't on estrogen, which I didn't realize I had to be on it...long story. Anyway I never associated the two.

[Bernard]

As has been mentioned, Dilantin is infamous for problems in this area. Some good info has been posted in these threads:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/...eoporosis.html