Birth Control & Seizures! Need advice!

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jemma

jemma

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My Dr. changed my birth control about 5 months ago and I noticed a significant increase in seizures. I've gone back to my old pill, but the seizures have not decreased in frequency. I also take Topamax- my doctor said this reduces the effectiveness of the birth control pill...

Has anyone tried Depo Provera? Or had any luck with other birth control methods? The doctors around here just don't seem to know much about epilepsy... or even birth control for that matter... >.<
 
High estrogen levels can be a seizure trigger. (It's called catamenial epilepsy). If the new b.c. you tried was estrogen-based, then it could definitely be a factor in the increase of your seizures. You can read more about catamenial epilepsy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catamenial_epilepsy

Some of the seizure meds do interfere with birth control and vice versa. I'm on Lamictal which can make the pill less reliable, so I have a Mirena IUD. Works great for me.
 
I tried depo long before my seizures. It caused me to gain nearly 30 lbs, I had a infant son at the time. I hated it. I was never so glad to ditch a birth control!!

I hope you find something that works for you soon!
 
I tried birth control pills years ago when I was first married and stopped them after having a seizure.. A couple years later I tried a different brand, and again had a seizure, then learned I was pregnant and stopped taking them. They not only gave me seizures, they were not effective. After the birth of my son breastfeeding was a great help. I know we read it isn't guaranteed, but for me it was more effective and safer than the pill. Later an IUD was effective and worked for me.

Fast forward 25 years and my GP talked me into trying the pill for peri-menopause. In the second month on it, I again had a seizure. No doctor will be talking me into the pill ever again. I wish I didn't have to learn the hard way.
 
I have always wanted to go on b.c. but my doctors won't let me. The only birh control I canuse was the copper IUD( and thats just scary!). I woudl read up about depo shot- it can increase your hormones, also. My husband and I just use condoms(doesn't sound fun but neither does having a baby while on an unhealthy med).
I talk to my gyno about- there is actually an app they can use to compare birth control methods with our meds and see if they will work or to see if they are a big no no. I know alot of bc that is mixed with our meds can increase seizures and cause unhealthy side effects.

Like I said, my husband and I use condoms- its safer and more effective.
 
Yes, at least for me. When I took BCP I had more and worse seizures. I never knew the too were connected. That was when you did as the Dr. said. It wasn't until I found this forum a little over a year did I find this out.
 
I was always told by my doctors to use a different method either in addition to hormones, or instead of hormones, because they interfere with one another. I was never told BC could create problems with my meds, but I was told that my meds would cause a reduction in the amount of hormone my body absorbed, causing a degree of unreliability. I know hormones themselves can effect seizure activity though.
 
sixyearsold said:
I have always wanted to go on b.c. but my doctors won't let me. The only birh control I canuse was the copper IUD( and thats just scary!). I woudl read up about depo shot- it can increase your hormones, also. My husband and I just use condoms(doesn't sound fun but neither does having a baby while on an unhealthy med).
I talk to my gyno about- there is actually an app they can use to compare birth control methods with our meds and see if they will work or to see if they are a big no no. I know alot of bc that is mixed with our meds can increase seizures and cause unhealthy side effects.

Like I said, my husband and I use condoms- its safer and more effective.
Click to expand...

I have always wondered about the copper IUD--what problems does it cause?
 
I've had both the ParaGard IUD (copper) and the Mirena IUD, with no problems from either.
 
I am just a scardy cat. I don't am too scared to get the copper because of all the scary reviews on line.
 
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