What am I supposed to do?

[Rheaceleste]

I’ve increased briviact to 100mgs a day finally (after 3 months of titration). I’m still having around 11 focal seizures per month. More so when I’m ovulating and the days leading up to my monthly cycle starting over. My doctor said last appt that I’m going to run out of meds to try and this is the best fit for me so far with side effects. I haven’t had any more tonic clonics at least. So do I just put up with the focals? Do I ask the Dr for something else?

 

[Porkette]

Hi Rheaceleste,

I went through the same thing as you for many yrs. and my Epileptologist told me I was having catamenial seizures which
are seizures that happen due to hormones changing each month. What is happening is the estrogen level is increasing during
this time while the progesterone level is decreasing and estrogen excites the nervous system while progesterone calms the nervous
system. No seizure med helped me at all. What I found helped me out and my Epileptologist told me to do it is use natural progestrone
cream which is a cream made up of wild yams and peanuts and put it on my skin a few days before my monthly cycle and that helped
me a lot or you can eat some almonds or lightly salted peanuts. I know it sounds crazy but it works. Another thing you can do is try
taking acetazolamide which is also called Diamox I did this also and I was told to take it 5 days before my cycle and it helps get rid of
the extra water fluids building up in the body but what helped me more was eating nuts.
I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You,

Sue

 

[Bernard]

My wife takes 200mg Briviact daily. It's likely that your doc can increase the dose if necessary.

 

[Sabbo]

I understand what you mean about running out of meds to try/take. I have simple & complex partial seizures. The complex partials I have occur without any aura, & I've injured myself many times during them.
It seems like no matter what medication I take, the breakthroughs (my complex partials are the especially troublesome ones) begin within a few months. I have taken every AED available. I'm currently on 500mg Zonisamide & 200mg Xcopri/day. Even then, I get breakthrough complex partial seizures. In fact, I just had 2 last Sunday.

 

[Rheaceleste]

Hi Rheaceleste,

I went through the same thing as you for many yrs. and my Epileptologist told me I was having catamenial seizures which
are seizures that happen due to hormones changing each month. What is happening is the estrogen level is increasing during
this time while the progesterone level is decreasing and estrogen excites the nervous system while progesterone calms the nervous
system. No seizure med helped me at all. What I found helped me out and my Epileptologist told me to do it is use natural progestrone
cream which is a cream made up of wild yams and peanuts and put it on my skin a few days before my monthly cycle and that helped
me a lot or you can eat some almonds or lightly salted peanuts. I know it sounds crazy but it works. Another thing you can do is try
taking acetazolamide which is also called Diamox I did this also and I was told to take it 5 days before my cycle and it helps get rid of
the extra water fluids building up in the body but what helped me more was eating nuts.
I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You,

Sue

Thank you for this. I also have hypothyroidism and it seems the more I find out, the more I am inclined to try progesterone cream. I am not yet at the age to start menopause but was wondering if you did the cream only the week before your cycle starts or what schedule you used the cream?

 

[Porkette]

Thank you for this. I also have hypothyroidism and it seems the more I find out, the more I am inclined to try progesterone cream. I am not yet at the age to start menopause but was wondering if you did the cream only the week before your cycle starts or what schedule you used the cream?

Hi Rheaceleste,

I would use the natural progesterone cream for about 5 days before my cycle started and again for a couple days after it
ended and it worked great. You can find the progesterone cream in natural food stores. If you don't want to use the cream
just eat nuts and take my word they will work for you.
Wishing you only the best of luck and May God Bless You,

Sue