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grace37

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i am 10 weeks pregnant and take 600mg epliem in morning and same of a night, i have been reading up on the net and this med seems to have higest rate for birth defects, i am now worried sick that there will be something wrong with my baby, can anyone help me on this before worry myself to death over it, i have my scan in 2 weeks and have been told to stay taking meds till see my consultant same day, has anyone else had these tablets and gone on to have a healthy baby x
 
It must be very worrying to say the least, but I would wait the two weeks until you have the scan and see your consultant. If you stop the meds now you may be putting yourself not to mention the unborn child at risk. keep calm and do your best not to work yourself up- easy for me to say, I know, but let's wait to hear from the consultant
:)
 
Hi again.. turned my computer off then had you on my mind so turned it back on again!
Two weeks is not very long normally but I think it is if you are carrying a baby. You should see your GP Monday. you are right to demand an appointment and you should be determined to get some answers.

Good luck
Nick :)
 
thank u for your help, yes i thought would of seen me when done booking in appointment as at 12 weeks baby would be almost formed etc i am taking my folic acid 5mg a day and am trying to eat healthy but just wished there was some positives about meds and babys surley some have healthy babies while on meds xx
 
Hi grace37 --

Your neurologist and/or OB-GYN should have discussed with you the possibility of transitioning onto a med other than Epilim before your pregnancy, due to the med's iffy track record compared to other AEDs. On the other hand, once the pregnancy has started, it's very important to remain seizure-free. Ask your doc about the possibility of slightly reducing your dose of Epilim during the remainder of your pregnancy (as well after you give birth and are breastfeeding). It's also recommended that during pregnancy Epilim be taken in several smaller doses three or four times a day (to prevent the levels from peaking sharply) -- Make sure to ask your doctor about this option as well.

One thing to keep in mind is that the rate of birth defects for women on anti-seizure meds is only slightly higher than that for the general population. And many CWE members have had trouble-free pregnancies and deliveries, and healthy children while on anti-seizure meds.

Feel free to check in with any other questions. I hop all goes well for you and your family.

Best,
Nakamova
 
it just seems to be the more im reading the more horror stories im reading now im petrified of going for my scan instead of looking forward to it. it was a baby by chance really so never discussed with the doctor is there anywhere on net you can check to see some positive ones as surly not all are born poorly im just worried to death now thanks for your help xx
 
People are more likely to post bad news than good news on the Internet regarding anything and everything, especially when it comes to health issues. But I can guarantee you that there are plenty of positive outcome swith Epilim, and here's why: 90% of women who take Epilim have healthy, normal babies.
 
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One other thing to ask your doc about -- sometimes Epilim can cause a vitamin K deficiency in the baby. It's recommended that your doctor monitor fetal serum levels of K, and prescribe a vitamin K supplement if necessary.
 
oh thank u so much for your help am so glad have come across this site as have spent all day going through all the nightmare stories, what is vitamin k deficiency?? sorry to sound dumb lol xx
 
The Epilim can sometimes interfere with absorption of Vitamin K, which is one of the many vitamins the body relies on. Among other things it plays a role in blood coagulation, so a deficiency can lead to problems with bleeding or bruising. In the U.S. it's recommended that ALL newborns are given a small dose of Vitamin K shortly after they are born, just to guard against any potential deficiency. Your OB-GYN may want to test the fetus for Vitamin K levels and prescribe a K supplement if a deficiency is found.
 
oh thank you, still really worried though will find out on my 12 week scan which is on the 17th x
 
What kind of horror stories are you reading? I've had 2 pregnancies taking AED's while on Depakote and lamictal. Both were underweight but not too much. Some women just have smaller babies and I'm probably one of them but I know that the AED's didn't help at all either.
If there is any sign of spina bifida or cleft lip and palate, (seems to be the two most common birth defects with moms taking AED's) the ultrasound tech will be able to see it by 18 wks if not sooner.
Try not to stress about it either. I know it's hard but added stress for you causes added stress on the baby.
Good luck at your scan! Stay on your meds per dr advice and don't worry, things will be okay.
 
oh thank u so you babies were fine, i have been taking 5mg folic acid from about 3 4 weks pregnant and am taking omega fish oil tablets and eating fruit and veg and cheese i dont smoke nor drink so am doing my upmost best for it xx
 
epliem while pregnant

its only me again, been reading up on the net and cant stop myself from worrying. can anyone please tell me of their experience of being pregnant while taking epliem, was your baby healthy or did it have problems what was your meds amount that you took, sorry to be a pain but just keep reading horror stories and none seem to be positive so thought hopefully will be some on here that have had epliem while pregnant x thank u x
 
See Junebug's comment above -- she was on Depakote during her pregnancy. Depakote is another name for Epilim.
 
i just wished i didnt start looking it up now all i keep thinking is whe i go for scan its gonna have a clef palate or hole in heart, i feel so guilty for being pregnant and the damage i have done to the poor little thing, i know i am most prob driving you all mad and am sorry but no other place seems to cater for my questions, i only took 600mg yesterday and same today which no i shouldnt really but just feel so bad, i am going book doctors tomorrow to see if they can give me some reassurance x
 
Grace, my second had a hole in her heart. She was in the NICU for several reasons, the drs watched it for 2 wks and it didn't get smaller or close but most do. She had a stent put in at 2 1/2 wks and the surgery only took about 45 min. It is not major heart surgery, they don't go through the chest, just through the back near the shoulder blade. Her heart is fine now and she never had any problems with her heart after that.

She was born with Valproate Acid Syndrome though and does come with some birth defects but hers were more significant because I was on such a high dose and I also had high BP and toxemia. The chances are small for major birth defects taking AED's, though it is slightly higher risk in women taking no AED's. If you were to get off your meds and had even more seizures, your chances of having a healthy baby would not be as good as if you had been taking meds and not had seizures.
With the birth defects that my daughter has she does have challenges and will continue to have them throughout her life but if I had made the decision to get off my meds or stay on them I'd have still stayed on them. My daughter is my sunshine and I'd have never change my decision of staying on my meds because if I did, she might not be here today.
 
thank u for your post that has reassured me a bit, i am also going doctors today to see if they can put my mind at ease i know in life there no sure way that everything will turn out ok even if not on meds but think once ya start reading horror stories it seems to take a grip off you xx
 
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