Hi, i'm 25 and trying to get pregnant for
the first time. I was diagnosed with
epilepsy at age 11 and have been on
medication ever since. I'm on tegretol
and clobazam and am interested in any info
anyone has, or if there is anyone out
there who has epilepsy and has children it
would be great to hear from you too. I'm also a
nursing student, so I have a good back
ground, and have done a lot of research
but it's still a scary thing to deal with.
Looking forward to hearing from anyone.
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abel
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Posts: 1 Location: california
Epilepsy And Pregnancy Posted: 08-07-03 19:59pm
Hey girl, I know what you mean when you
say that you're worried but don't be. I
started having seizures when I was 10 and
i'm also now 25, I have three wonderful
boys and they're a wonderful part of my
life. As long as you take care of
yourself and go see your dr when you need
to, i'm sure there won't be any problems.
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Jennie
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Posts: 1
Epilepsy And Pregnancy Posted: 08-07-03 23:27pm
I just recently got married and my husband
and I are talking about getting
pregant...But i'm so scared that because
of my epilepsy that there may be too many
complications and risks. The doctor said
it was only going to increase risks to 6%
or 8% if I stay on my medication
(topamax)...But I still dont know if that
is something I am willing to risk. He
has also brought up the idea of surgery
but again...I'm just really scared . I'm 23 and i've
been having seizure since I was 17...I had
18 in 3 days...I know that being young is
an advantage but still I dont want to do
anything to endanger the life of my baby.
If anybody out there has been pregnant
and stayed on their epileptic meds...Write
me and tell me how it went. I just want
to have as healthy of a pregnancy as
possible...And as safe. Thanx :d
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Amy
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Posts: 22 Location: Ontario
Re: Epilepsy And Pregnancy Posted: 08-08-03 10:42am
abel
wrote:
hey girl, I know what you
mean when you say that you're worried but
don't be. I started having seizures when
I was 10 and i'm also now 25, I have three
wonderful boys and they're a wonderful
part of my life. As long as you take
care of yourself and go see your dr when
you need to, i'm sure there won't be any
problems.
hey abe, thanks for the reply, it's cool
to hear from someone my age who has gone
through this, I see my neurologist every 6
mo and my obgyn every year or when ever I
need to. Not pregnant yet but looking
forward to it. I'm taking 4mg of folic
acid daily and staying on meds. Hope to
hear from you again soon. Amy
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Amy
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Posts: 22 Location: Ontario
Re: Epilepsy And Pregnancy Posted: 08-08-03 10:48am
jennie
wrote:
i just recently got married
and my husband and I are talking about
getting pregant...But i'm so scared that
because of my epilepsy that there may be
too many complications and risks. The
doctor said it was only going to increase
risks to 6% or 8% if I stay on my
medication (topamax)...But I still dont
know if that is something I am willing to
risk. He has also brought up the idea
of surgery but again...I'm just really
scared . I'm 23 and
i've been having seizure since I was
17...I had 18 in 3 days...I know that
being young is an advantage but still I
dont want to do anything to endanger the
life of my baby. If anybody out there
has been pregnant and stayed on their
epileptic meds...Write me and tell me how
it went. I just want to have as healthy
of a pregnancy as possible...And as safe.
Thanx :d
hey jennie. Worrying about this will
just make things worse. Keep seeing your
neurologist and a high risk obgyn is a
good idea, even before you get pregnant.
Your neurologist can refer you to one. I
was the same way, nervous, scared all of
the above. But I did some research on
the net and have talked to many people on
the net who have been through this.
Message me any time here, i'm also a
nursing student, I graduate as an rn in
dec. So I have a good background on this
stuff too. Talk to you later amy
|
codygraz
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 2 Location: Kentucky
Posted: 09-06-03 19:40pm
Hey, i'm 22 and my husband and I are also
trying to get pregnant. I have a
terrible fear of what could go wrong with
me and my baby. I have a wonderful
family and husband that support me, so I
at least have that advantage, but I can't
help but be scared. I have talked to my
neurologist about it and my obgyn and they
are going to communicate with each other
to make this work. My obgyn is also
considering sending me to a high risk
doctor so they will know my situation in
case something bad happens. I have heard
of other people having children and it
turning out just fine, and I have also
heard of women having children and never
having another seizure again, but I know
everyone's situation is different.
Anyone who wants to disuss this with me, I
would really love it! . Thanks and good
luck to everyone!
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laura27
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 22 Location: west coast
Epilepsy & Pregnancy Posted: 09-07-03 17:13pm
Hello ladies. I am twenty seven years
old. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I
was eight. I have two beautiul daughters.
They are perfectly healthy.
With my first pregnancy I had four gran
mal seizures. She is five now and just
started kindergarten. My second pregnancy
I had three seizures. My youngest is
perfect.
I took 100mgs. Of phenobarbitol and
500mgs. Of depakote daily. They are
fine. I can't tell you not to worry. But
I can say the odds are in your favor. I
think nature has a bigger margin for error
than we realize. Remember it's "mother"
nature and she will protect your baby.
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stacys
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 1 Location: OK
Lamictal And Pregnancy Complications Posted: 02-07-04 23:26pm
Hi, I am 24 and have had seizures since
the age of 11. I have been on lamictal
for like 6 yrs it was brand new when I
started. Anyway, I am curious if any of
you mothers with epilepsy had
complications during your pregnancies? I
stayed on lamictal during both of my
pregnancies and both children were 12
weeks premature and weighed less than 2
lbs a piece. I had to have them both
taken by emergency c-section due to high
blood pressure. I wondered if lamictal
raises anyone elses pressure or if that
was just another health problem ? After
having my 1st the dr said it was very
unlikely that I would have another
premature child but guess what. It did
happen the 2nd time. I have decided that
I didnt want to risk another 3 months in
the hospital. First baby was in nicu for
11 weeks the other was in there 6.5 months
on oxygen and respirators. He was home
only 6 weeks, still on oxygen, until his
little lungs just gave way. So my hubby
had a vasectomy but now we both wish we
hadn't we both long for a baby. You
response would be helpful
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Alice in Wonderland
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 46
Posted: 02-08-04 22:17pm
I took dilantin and tegretol during my
pregnancies. One of my daughters has
significant developmental delays.
Here is a website about fetal
anticonvulsant syndrome:
Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Posts: 60 Location: oroville,Ca
Brain Surgery Posted: 02-11-04 15:21pm
Hello amy,
my name is jamie. I'm 44 years old. My
petit mals started back in the late 70's,
I think do to a bad car accident. They
frequently came over the next 20 years.
I had no idea what was happening to me,
never went to the doc. So from 36 to 38
they were getting worse and finnally I
went into a grand mal. Went to 4 or 5
neuros and lots of meds. They found scar
tissue on my right frontal lobe. Thay all
ask about my childhood, spinal menigtis,
bad case of measels, and the blow to the
head from the car accident in 77. They
all could not pin point it. I ended up at
u.C.D.C.A. And went thru testing to make
sure I was a canidate for surgery. I went
thru it in june of 2002. They told me 40
to 60% chance it would work. Then the
flip side it would work. Well iwas pretty
bad before I went in gran-mals 1 a week
petit mals 3 and 4 days in a row 6 to 13 a
day. I lost my job no more driving. My
boys were 12 and 14 when this started and
I just left my husband 2 months before I
had my first gran-mal.
My seizures are less. I have had only 6
gran-mals in 20 months, but I still get
the auras, i'm aware when I have the small
seizures. I used to be before the surgery
to, but sometimes I go into the big one,
so you never know, thats the scary part of
being a epy. I still go to u.C.D. Every
3 months, they still play around w/ my
meds. I was there yesterday. They just
took me off of keppra, I was forgettting
to many things. So he is upping my
topamax.
So I would suggest to you, let them do a
m.R.I. And a e.E.G. And find out where
your sezires are coming from. Let them do
there testing. If your a canidate. Talk
to your family about surgery. For the
first 4 years I thought they were all
crazy. But I wanted a better life. I'm
glad I did it because I was really sick my
regular weight is 155 I went up to 176 w/
depakote then before b.S. I was 132. If
you want more infor about the testing ruff_
jamie@hotmail.Com take care jamie
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ladybug2004
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 59 Location: georgia
Hi Amy Posted: 02-11-04 21:50pm
I started having seizures when I was 14
diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 16 and
was pregnant with my son that was 22 yrs
ago.I was on phenobarb and dilantin.The dr
tied my tubes then because of it.I am now
39 and thank god I havent had one in five
years .Dont stress cause it can cause you
to have a seizure.The dr told me my son
would have problems or damage but he is a
normal grown man now.He did nt do good in
school after his father divorced me but
now has his ged passed it with flying
colors so there wasnt anything wrong.So
hang in there and pray things will be
fine.Mare