absence seizures?

[lucycherish]

Ok so I had been seizure free since may 2010 but I no longer think so, I just came home and was outside discussing epilepsy strangely enough! When the person pointed out that my eyes had just been 'fluttering very quickly' which was what my neurologist described as something like mini fits and somethin else, may of been absence or partial, sorry I just can't find the right words at the minute anyway I brushed that one off, got into the house with my daughter and felt my eyes go funny an a sharp pain in my head! Didn't lose conciousness or fall to ground I just feel very shaky and have a really sore head any advice? What am I supposed to do now? Obviously not book my driving test like I was going to sorry this probably doesn't even make sense...

 

[lucycherish]

Oh and a nurse also changed my contraceptive pill despite me expressing concerns over slight medication changes. Went from microgynon to levest

 

[lucycherish]

Anyone got any advice at all?? I'm really at a loss here as to what to do next? Discontinue my pill? Notify my neurologist?

 

[lucycherish]

Great! Head aches are back! Feel like I'm being stabbed in the head! Looks like its definately back to square one for me! Don't know why I'm bothering to post seeing as I'm talking to myself...

 

[chmmr]

Hi Lucy, I'm so sorry you haven't been answered sooner. I don't have a lot of advice as i am relatively new to the epilepsy world, however i would definitely say with the symptoms you mention you should be contacting your neuro and letting him know. Good Luck!

 

[lucycherish]

Thanks I am contacting him tomorrow, he's on emergency call on weekends so wouldn't want to bother him when its not exactly an emergency, but these head aches are ridiculous x

 

[Nakamova]

Hi lucy --

I agree with chmmr, get in touch with the neuro and also let him know about your concern about the change to your b.c. Given your seizure track-record, this may just be a tiny breakthrough seizure in response to the b.c. change or some other stress. I hope the headache has abated now.

 

[lucycherish]

I have emailed my neurologists secretery to see if there are any appointments available this week, I'm in college three days a week aswel, today being one of them but I'm in two minds as to go in today, think I'm going to go in an explain to my tutor and see how I feel, thanks for replying xx

 

[dbrim]

I have been through quite a few medication issues due to contraceptives and hormones. I was initially on the pill for 6 years, as my mother passed away from ovarian cancer, and the pill can help prevent it. I still had monthly seizure fluctuations around the time of my period so it was suggested the I get a mirena, (hormonal coil) they say it keeps your hormones regular because the dose is so low it doesn't get into your bloodstream... Not true! A week after having that my seizures reappeared, so I had it removed and now steer completely clear of any hormonal contraceptives.

Not only can they affect your medication, but your medication can make them less effective also, so my nurse told me.

It's good that you have been thinking about it, I would always seek your neuro or a specialists advice before changing ANY meds even if they aren't your aed's because they all have effects on each other an work differently together, only your neuro has experience with the specific aed's you are taking, your normal doc or nurse isn't a specialist with aed's so although I'm sure they know what it was with the contraceptives, they don't know how they interact with each aed in as much detail.
Always get expert advice.

X

 

[dbrim]

Forgot to mention, i was on 3 different contraceptive pills before my mirena - yasmin logynon and dianette all three lowered my med tolerance, dianette probably worse than thr others. keep your chin up, I know it sucks but after all the trial and error, once something works, you can stick with it and regain some control. It's good you recognised it so soon and what might have caused the changes.

 

[jyearta]

Hi,

My seizures complex partials were the worse when I was on PC.

When I stopped the PC, the seizure activity got much better.

 

[lucycherish]

Hi everyone thank you all for your replies, I seen my epilepsy specialist nurse yesterday and I took the culprit tablets with me so she could double check and although they contain the same amount of hormones its the other ingredients it contains which have caused the breakthrough, had my keppra dose highered by 250mg a day for the time being but she was hopeful that the effects of the tablet should wear off over a few days/weeks so more of a safety net upping the keppra, then will see what the consultant says next month so fingers crossed this sorts them out for now, she did confirm they are absence seizure but as I have varying types its hard to notice them, one form is my eyelids fluttering very quickly, which I rarely notice so unless some one is with me or I'm getting the head pains I don't notice :/ there is always a chance these could develope into grand mals which concerned her more with the head pains which was another reason for highered dose, so to all you lovelyt ladies out there who are on birth control be careful when getting or changing bc even if it says it contains the same amount of hormones or doesn't interact with your meds in particular x