Catamenial Epilespy

[eslucas]

I have PMS and 98% of my seizures occur at that time. Does anyone have Catamenial Epilepsy? Any tips on how to treat it? I take 300mg of Lamotrigine and my neurologist suggested I take 1/2 clobozam before and after my period. Thanks.
Esther

[RobinN]

A lot of my daughters seizures have been during this time of the month. What I have been working on is finding a way to improve her endocrine system, adrenal system. I am doing this with supplementation and making nutritional changes. She is med free.

There are many foods that are high is estrogen which excites the brain. Also an increase in sugars and refined carbs, if it burdens the liver, it is somehow not processed and is converted to estrogen. So you might consider looking into how your nutrition play a role in your episode.

Adrenal Fatigue
Liver Health

[Bernard]

You can also ask your doctor about the possibility of prescribing a natural progesterone cream to be used (topically) preceding the start of the cycle.

[Dutch mom]

Hello Esther,

I do know two teenage girls who both do have these period related seizures. They both got prescibed Clobazam to take only around their period. Clobazam can be a very effective benzo to control seizures but when used daily, the brain gets used to it and the effect disappears, more clobazam is needed to control the seizures again and again. It's very adicitive used in this way and weaning off clobazam can cause seizures (as it did to my son after 3 years of use.)
In cases of catamenialepilespy clobazam can help to control the seizures in the period in which they appear. By giving clobazam 2 weeks and 2 weeks not - the addictive effect can be avoided. It takes about 2-3 weeks for the brain to get used to the GABA increasement by the clobazam (meaning the body makes less natural GABA on it's own.)

[RobinN]

Rebecca is prescribed the bio-identical hormone. I do believe it helps to raise the threshold, but is also just one more method to treat the symptoms. There must be a reason that the hormones are out of sync. It is however, a better method in my mind than prescription meds.

[Junebug]

Hello Esther

I have catamenial epilepsy and take acetazolomide (generic for Diamox,) before my period and my ovulatory cycle too.

I am also taking Lamictal and KeppraXR but as soon as the new drug Vimpat, comes out this week my dr will be weaning me off of the Lamictal and putting me on the Vimpat along with the KeppraXR

My dr is also working with my OB as he has put me on OvCon 50 (*a birthcontrol pill, twice the dosage of the regular pill,) and take only the active pills and skip the placebo week pack. That has seemed to keep my seizures in line too.

*Most b/c pills only work 65% of the time when women who are on anti-epileptic drug's so it is necessary to 'up' the dosage.

[AnnL]

My 40 yr old daughter has had catamenial seizures since puberty, she was put on all the usual drugs of the time, but she still had seizures, so she decided to come off everything except birth control pills which help a lot.
I think now she is having changes to her hormones and finds once she is off the pill she is dizzy and feels a little slow.
Anyone here take the continuous birth control pills? If so do they help at all.