seizures out of control, help!!!

[eileen]

I am very concerned. I am having alot of seizures as of late. I thought it was generic keppra, but now I am back on the keppra and it is still the same. I was well controlled on Keppra for years.

I got pregnant about 3 months ago and they admitted me to the hospital for tests(because I had an avm, not supposed to get pregnant). I was having an increase in seizures so they tripled my dose. After my release it was decreased to double. Sadly, I had a hidden miscarriage at about 10 weeks. I went for d&c next day. That was the 15th of december. Couple days after that I received generic in my refill at the pharmacy. My seizures got even worse!

Here is my trouble. Because of the many changes i can not figure what increased my seizures. Is it hormones from pregnancy, the generic keppra, the Zoloft I am taking just to be able to cope, or can you get an increase from too much meds. Hell, maybe it is the anesthesia!

And no, I am not heartless, it is just too soon for me to even question what the chances that I could have aided in my baby's passing. As i am writing this I was seeing many mistakes that the doctors and I could have made. If it were not for Zoloft I would still be in the pit of post natal depression and it also allowed me to join this site on the 14 year anniversary of my last brain surgery. For now I am just very sad and it is an appropriate sadness.

I just realized that this is actually not just a question that i am looking for an answer to. I think I needed to talk to someone who would understand and not judge. Maybe I am looking to find other people who are told all too often that they are so strong and can face anything head on. Maybe this was a break from carrying the world on my shoulders with a smile on my face.

I wonder how many of you feel like me sometimes, like taking a break from being the strongest one in the room .....Anyways, thanks for your time. God bless.

[RobinN]

I had a miscarriage between my first and second child. It was one of the lowest times of my life. The sudden loss and change in hormones made my emotions crash.

Slowly life returned to normal for me.
I hope you get there too.

[brain]

Elieen:

You "might" have had

Eclampsia - from Wiki...

Eclampsia, an acute and life-threatening complication of pregnancy, is characterized by the appearance of tonic-clonic seizures in a patient who had developed preeclampsia; rarely does eclampsia occur without preceding preeclamptic symptoms. Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and toxemia of pregnancy are terms used to encompass both preeclampsia and eclampsia.

And here's some more information on this
from the Epilepsy Foundation:

Preeclampsia


And here's another one of more information of
other problematic issues:

Women & Pregnancy - Epilepsy.com

I have had 11 pregnancies, and only
1 live birth; so that means I have had
10 miscarriages and only 1 full term
birth but even that one was extremely
risky, for my son even knows we both
nearly died.



It is also DANGEROUS for many reasons,
ranging from eclampsia to infections to
much more. It also increases your chances
of having tubal pregnancy as well (as my
Gynecologist warned me of this, but lucky
me, I never had it!).

However, if you sustain chronic ovarian
cysts, and other female issues - those things
are quite common with Women with Epilepsy.

Epilepsy Foundation has a special section for
WOMEN'S ISSUES
and there's a lot of reading in there!

[Nancy]

((( Eileen))) - avm, miscarriage and seizures.....That's a load...a staggering load.

I hope you are getting some *professional* help - someone to talk to.

I've gone through so much less but I sort of understand what you mean when you say,
"Maybe I am looking to find other people who are told all too often that they are so strong and can face anything head on."

I'm not supposed to never even mention my surgeries .... I'm supposed to just forget them and move ahead .... smile, keep quiet and never try to get any attention..... and especially remember that I'm too brain damaged to make a decision.

I hope and pray you're in an area where you can find some good, qualified professional help -

[Bernard]

... I got pregnant about 3 months ago ... Because of the many changes i can not figure what increased my seizures. Is it hormones from pregnancy, the generic keppra, the Zoloft I am taking just to be able to cope, or can you get an increase from too much meds. Hell, maybe it is the anesthesia! ...

I would guess the following order of likelyhood:

1. Zoloft (you didn't state when you started taking it in relation to the seizure activity)
2. pregnancy
3. too much meds
4. generic Keppra
5. anesthesia

Zoloft is an SSRI and generally contraindicated for epilepsy.

If you are experiencing strong moodiness, it might be a side effect from the Keppra (whether generic or brand). I would suggest trying a vitamin B6 supplement to help mitigate that known Keppra side effect.

[Cint]

Hi Eileen,

I'm so sorry to hear of your miscarriage. And of your avm. You certainly have every right to be depressed after going thru hell!

I had a left temporal lobectomy 18 years ago and it wasn't successful for me, so I can relate to how it feels in meds working for a while, then trying another one and another.........I also take Zoloft for depression.
I, too, had a miscarriage years ago.

It sounds like the stress of the pregnancy, the hormones, the generic Keppra, and maybe the Zoloft could have caused the increase in seizures. I sure hope you find a professional you can confide in during this difficult time.

Cindy

[joan]

Hang in there. You are not alone and yes it ok to be unhappy now and then. You have alot on your plate. Were here to listen.
joan*

[LuvMyTwins]

Hi---
I've had many miscarriages due to my epilepsy. My seizures are completely hormonal and work directly with the usual triggers (stress, lack of sleep, food, etc.). I have to agree with Bernard that the use of more medication can also be a trigger.
I've found that the best remedy is to keep a journal and really assess what is happening, what you've eaten, etc. You are your best advocate. Only you can positively tell the doctor what's going on.
Good luck and hang in there. Epilepsy is a challenge, but I've gone through a pregnancy where I have a beautiful set of twins. I'm praying for you.

Hugs----
Luv

[eileen]

Robin, Thanks for the support, and i am so sorry for you also. And I actually looked up the symptoms of preeclampsia, and I matched it to a tee.. except for the high blood pressure. I actually have very low, but thank you.

Nancy, I hear you! All to often I feel like I am automatically the loser of an arguement because the brain surgery card is pulled.... "I' m not the one with brain damage" or "You know you have memory problems". How can you argue with that, really!

Bernard, I started taking zoloft the same time as the generic Keppra refill. Today I actually cut my dose in half, to where i was controlled before becoming pregnant.

Cindy, thank you for sharing your experience. I'm very sorry for your loss. But I just wonder if it is the imbalance caused by brain surgery or the hormones of the pregnancy that caused us both to need Zoloft. I think it is probably a mix.

It's great to have support, Joan. It took me a long time to put myself out there! And Luv, that is a good idea. I never considered a journal. But to be perfectly honest, I can't even keep up with the mail. Your twins give me hope! Hugs and blessings for all of you!

Eileen

[brain]

Bernard, I started taking zoloft the same time as the generic Keppra refill. Today I actually cut my dose in half, to where i was controlled before becoming pregnant.


Eileen

YOU should NEVER cut or stop any medications
on your own and without your Doctor's advisories,
it can be a very dangerous situation for you. If
the Doctor ordered it to be in half dosage, then
so be it ----> but whatever you do, NEVER EVER
stop any prescription medications on your own
without the Doctors advisories (I know I am
repeating myself)!

[Bernard]

I would recommend that you talk to all your doctors (and your pharmacist) about all the medications you are taking. Make sure they are all on the same page.

[drarvindr]

Hi
Let me start by saying that i am very sorry for your miscarriage. Women with epilepsy do tend to have bad obstetric histories , although that must come as no comfort at all to you.
SSRIs ( drugs of the class that zoloft and prozac belong to ) have been known to cause seizures and aggravate them in epileptics. Although there are many conflicting studies , there is no clear consensus as to whether these drugs are safe in epileptics.
Pregnancy causes no change in seizure activity in 50% of women , increases it in 20-30% and reduces it in the remaining.
As for preeclampsia , it is very very very rare to have it without hypertension. The main presenting symptom is high blood pressure , from which stems all the other symptoms.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you wish to plan for another child:
1) talk to your neurologist and see that the drugs you take do not affect your baby
2) start taking high doses of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects in your baby
3) If you feel you are prredisposed to preeclampsia , watch for these tell tale signs:
-feeling bloated
-rapid weight gain (more than is usual in pregnancy , look for any increase greater than 10-15lbs a month)
-tightening of your ring on your finger
-swelling in your legs
-easy bruising without any trauma
-blurring of vision (DO NOT IGNORE THIS THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGH RISK SYMPTOMS)
4) Talk to your psychiatrist and see if you can change from zoloft to another drug , perhaps safer in seizure disorders

I hope i've been of help and wish you all the best in your recovery and again express my regret for your loss
Sincerely , Arvind

[stilldancing_98]

I did have it. eclampsia. My blood pressure was so high.I had more seizures during my pregnancy. Alex's b-day is this thursday. He was due Feb. 14th. Em. C-cection for me.My b/p was like 200/100and something.You have the right to feel the way you do. With or with out being on meds this would bring anybody down. You are facing it well. And I think you will be ok in time. But counseling has helped me if it is one of your choices. Teresa