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Can seizures be caused by birth control?

Fri, 02/22/2008 - 17:02

Now, I know some of you may think this is strange, but here goes:

I'm 21 and have had only 2 seizures in my life. One in April of last year and the other in August.  Both were after being on birth control (tri-cyclen lo, to be exact) for 3 months. I stopped taking my birth control after my seizure in April, but I didn't really think anything of it. I wasn't seeing anyone at the time so I just didn't really want it in my system. I started taking my birth control again in June after I met a new guy. After I had the seizure in August (late August) I started to think maybe it was caused by my birth control. The neurologist that was assigned to me said that it was entirely 100% impossible, but my family physician told me there was always a chance. 

I have been completely off my birth control since that last seizure and have not been taking any medications either. I feel a lot healthier and I haven't had a single problem since then, but the neurologist still will not listen to my input about why I think this happened.

I sat down with one of my girl friends that also has epilepsy and told her what was going on. She told me that the same thing happened to her when she started taking the pill but that none of the neurologists here believed her. She went to a husband and wife team in Quebec (way far away) and they told her that it was entirely possible that it was her birth control that caused it.

Anyways, has this happened to anyone else? 

Comments

Re: Can seizures be caused by birth control?

Submitted by Jenniferbabbyy on Sat, 2010-01-02 - 13:49
I am so glad I decided to google seizures & the pill. I recently had a seizure and have felt depressed/frustrated and scared sense. It's a big relief to hear people's stories, atleast until I go to the doctor Monday. Thanks for sharing!

Re: Can seizures be caused by birth control?

Submitted by uberzwitter on Mon, 2010-03-08 - 01:22
I know this is an old thread, but I read through the comments and it was only briefly touched on at the end...and I think it's important women know this. If you take a BC with enough estrogen in it to lower your sz threshold, or otherwise change your hormones, it maybe enough to induce a sz. Estrogen is a trigger. Progesterone protects you. Take BC with progesterone and you can help yourself if you have catamenial E, especially if it's refractory in many cases to drugs. Too many cases though, doctors give women BC with estrogen because they don't know what the effects are to a woman with E. I know, they have tried to give them to me. So, it stands that a BC could act as a trigger only when the person is taking it. I am surprised a nuero would say no, but then again I have discovered that not alot of research is being done into catamenial E. to begin with and alot of nueros don't really understand it.

Re: Can seizures be caused by birth control?

Submitted by kimi6453 on Mon, 2010-04-12 - 19:29

The same thing happened to me. The gyno told me there was no way that the BC caused my 2 seizures...but that was the only thing that had changed and i just know it was...I'm not a DR, nor do i claim to be, but sometimes i just wish they would listen to me...I know MY body a little bit!

Kimi

The same thing happened to me. The gyno told me there was no way that the BC caused my 2 seizures...but that was the only thing that had changed and i just know it was...I'm not a DR, nor do i claim to be, but sometimes i just wish they would listen to me...I know MY body a little bit!

Kimi

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