Hysterectomy and seizures...now bio-identical hormones?

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Leiannie

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I had a total hysterectomy 6 weeks ago and I've had 3 tonic clonic seizures since. Before the surgery, I was having 1-2 a YEAR. I don't know what to do. Is my body just adjusting? Do I need to go forward with bio-identical hormone replacement, even though it is without progesterone?

Normal seizure routine for me (I am 50 now) is absence seizures that run into a tonic clonic when they occur. Juvenile myoclonic I think is what they call it. I take Dilantin right now.

Any helpful advice? I'm miserable and not sure what move to make next....
 
I have always thought my seizures were from hormones. I have learned that estrogen does excite neurotransmitters and progesterone calms them.

I have been on Dilantin since 19. Now 52 going to be 53 next week. Over the last year started going thru life changes and about 6 mths ago seizures have returned. Tracking them they seem to be showing up about every 6 weeks and even though no physical signs of hormone change I get this terrible PMS feeling still rt before they happen. Have a neuro trying to switch me over to keppra. So far it is wkg but I feel awful. Just hoping I will adjust.
 
I've been holding off on Keppra because of what I hear from people on it. When you say you feel awful, are you attributing it to the Keppra then?

My seizures started in for me when I went thro puberty in ninth grade. I was put on Valproic Acid back then and switched to Depakote later. After about 20 years on that, we discovered I was having lots of side effects and I've been trying things out ever since. Right now, I'm on Dilantin, but I've only been on it for about 3 years. My neuro doesn't like me being on it and keeps trying to put me on Keppra.

I went thro menopause when I was 41, but problems indicated that I needed a hysterectomy. I was hoping that would help things calm down, but it's gotten worse! I went to see my Gyno today and she prescribed progesterone for me again. She said she would do some reading since it isn't her specialty and do what she can to help. So the first step is to see if the progesterone calms things down. Wish me luck!
 
I do wish you luck and maybe it will work. Progesterone is suppose to calm things. As far as me feeling awful. I do believe some of the feelings could be the Keppra. But then again I have been down on the issues I have had. Because of wrk I feel like I need to do what ever the Dr says. Had an EEG on 7/1 and had seizure during it. Neuro said it was a generalized. Said I would need to go 3 to 5 yrs seizure free and then maybe consider tapering. She says if I'm having trouble with the keppra there is other drugs to try. I have looked up info on most of what I read that people on here are taking and it seems like they all have the drowsiness and loss of coordination. Right now I can't really tell if meds have me down, the issue at hand or also life issues. Especially wrk because had seizure in April and in may at wrk.
 
I have keppra and not really any 'side' effects to speak of. But I can't tell because I have always been depressed. Is it only a coincidence that after a vasectomy a few years back the seizures increased. But was that because of a bad marriage and a divorce and getting laid off of work after buying a house.??? I know this does not speak to the hormones of menopause or a hysterectomy. Just sayin'
 
I do think hormones of any sort do or can affect seizures. I always thought mine related to female hormones. Then my son several yrs ago had some issues. Dr did EEG came back normal then after a week of many heart test and wearing a monitor for heart it came back normal. They put him on AED based on my issues. He ended up taking himself off of it did just find until last summer. He had an accident at a batting cage were he did lose one of the boys, which did affect hormones. Was also under a lot of stress and ended up wrecking his truck which they believe was do to seizure. Again EEG normal. I just know myself that the changes in stress and hormones had to play a roll in it.

Interesting about being on Keppra and being depressed. I'm going thru same issue rt now. Trying to get use to the keppra. Depressed. But don't know if it is meds or life issues. Wish I knew.
 
Leiannie said:
Right now, I'm on Dilantin, but I've only been on it for about 3 years. My neuro doesn't like me being on it and keeps trying to put me on Keppra.

I went thro menopause when I was 41, but problems indicated that I needed a hysterectomy. I was hoping that would help things calm down, but it's gotten worse! I went to see my Gyno today and she prescribed progesterone for me again. She said she would do some reading since it isn't her specialty and do what she can to help. So the first step is to see if the progesterone calms things down.
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I went thru an early menopause in my late 30's and my seizures increased. My ob/gyn kept saying that I was too young to be going thru menopause. But for women with epilepsy and taking AEDs, sometimes hormonal issues are inevitable. So yes, your dr. does need to do some reading. Have her start here:http://professionals.epilepsy.com/page/hormones_menopause.html

Early menopause in women with epilepsy

The age of menopause and perimenopause may also be influenced by epilepsy. Klein et al. reported a significant risk of early onset of perimenopause in women with epilepsy compared to controls, as measured by symptom report and serum hormone levels.61 This increased risk was found in women with both primary generalized epilepsy and localization-related epilepsy.

A recent study of 68 menopausal women with epilepsy found that women with high seizure frequency (several seizures monthly) experienced menopause at an early age, with cessation of menses occurring at 46 to 47 years. Menopause occurred approximately 3 years later for women with well-controlled epilepsy, even when factors that produce early menopause, such as smoking, were controlled for. Type or duration of antiepileptic drug use did not influence this result.62

Therefore, high seizure frequency may be associated with an age of menopause as much as 4 to 5 years earlier than the population normative menopausal age of 51 years. These findings suggest that central nervous system factors are most important in the relationship of epilepsy to menopause, although a direct effect of epilepsy on the ovaries could also be occurring.
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Years ago, I was on Dilantin and since have tried many drugs and now I'm taking Keppra. It is known to cause rage, depression, etc. And many of the AEDs have the warning, also. Keppra is one of those drugs. It can cause Kepprage. I also take an anti-depressant along with it. But I have taken the SSRI med for years since I've suffered depression along with E and hormonal problems for years. For many women, they go together.
 
Is Keppra working well for you, Cint? Why can't there be a good natural way to control seizures? I put myself on the ketogenic diet some years ago and felt AMAZING! It was like I didn't even have seizures at all. Of course, there wasn't much I could eat, but y'all know my pain. Isn't being seizure-free worth a restricted diet?! How come every solution has to come with all these miserable side effects??
 
Leiannie said:
Is Keppra working well for you, Cint?
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Keppra is working for the seizures.

Leiannie said:
Why can't there be a good natural way to control seizures? I put myself on the ketogenic diet some years ago and felt AMAZING! It was like I didn't even have seizures at all. Of course, there wasn't much I could eat, but y'all know my pain. Isn't being seizure-free worth a restricted diet?! How come every solution has to come with all these miserable side effects??
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For some, they have found a good, natural way to control their seizures, but it takes time. And the ketogenic diet is worth being seizure-free, but it is geared more for children.

And another member of CWE has many postings of Neurofeedback that has worked for her daughter's seizures.

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f32/neurofeedback-rebeccas-story-2733/

Another article:
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...urofeedback-seizures-getting-attention-21353/
 
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I'm putting myself back on the ketogenic diet. True it's geared more for children, but that's because most adults won't stay on it. It is a tough diet to maintain, I have to say. Having had these seizures recently has reminded me how afraid of them I am...and how much of my life just one seizure robs me of. Every time I have a seizure, I have images and feelings that disrupt my life for days. And just FYI, there ARE adults around who are using the keto diet! I was surprised how much help I found last time I followed it.
 
I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago when I was 32, it wasn't a total however. I haven't had any increase or decrease in my seizures since.

I know a lot of times when you have a total you need to take certain vitamins (not sure about meds too) because your ovaries aren't there to produce what you need. I think you have to do that too when you go through menopause.

You may need to be taking something else to help your body get what it wasn't before. Talk to your dr about it and see if that's what could be causing the increase in seizures.
 
I started having absentia seizures when I was 7. I was on Mebaral until they stopped manufacturing it, then switched to phenobarbital. In my 20s and 30s, as long as I took my meds I was seizure free. Then part way through my 40s, my hormones started the pre-menopause show and I started having the strangest seizures. Took a while to notice that my seizures came during the same parts of the month, but I finally got it.

The seizures got to the point I've had to quit driving and have embarassed myself in public - something that Never happened earlier. We increased the phenobarbital, but it didn't influence anything except my energy level and mood. I finally have taken it back down to the level I was taking before.

I would Love to see a study done on women with epilepsy and hormone fluctuations. It would need to be a long term study, but I think it would be very worthwhile.
 
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