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Want to get pregnant while on Lamictal

Tue, 04/07/2009 - 16:27

So, I know everyone's different when it comes to seizures and medications; but I'm hoping to get some positive vibes. I am 28 years old and my husband and I want to start trying to have a baby in either October or November. A while ago my neurologist told me when I decide that I want to have a baby to let him know at least 6 months before we start trying. So I told him in February when we wanted to start. I'm on Keppra and Lamictal, but he wants me on just one medication. That being said, I chose to stay on Lamictal because I had really bad side affects with Keppra. So, I'm off Keppra in 2 weeks and he increased my dosage for Lamictal to 400 mg a day (I'm a little nervous with the transition but trying to stay positive). He said I should be fine being that I haven't had a seizure since Sept. 2006 and my seizures are controllable. He told me all the information that I needed to know about being pregnant while on Lamictal. Oh, and I am also taking Folic Acid. Although he told me everything I needed to know, I also want to get some feedback from women who are pregnant or were pregnant while being on Lamictal. Were your seizures controllable while on Lamictal before becoming pregnant? And were there any changes while being pregnant?

 I would love to hear some feedback, thanks!

Comments

Re: Want to get pregnant while on Lamictal

Submitted by StaceyM on Wed, 2011-10-26 - 18:05
Hi there! I am wondering how often you had your partial seizures and if you had them during your pregnancy. How has the pregnancy/ birth been for you? I went through surgery last year and my partial seizures were reduced from 12-20/ day to around 2-3/day. The one high-risk OBGYN that I talked to said that he has never had a patient with so many partials per day and worried what my hormones might do to the frequency and severity of the seizures. He also worried that I might be holding my breath during the seizures, endangering the baby (low oxygen levels). Right now I am on 600mg lamictal and 1200mg Trileptal. He also said he would want me off the Trileptal. All of this seemed rather extreme to me, but I realize he has to be conservative... I would love to hear your experience with your docs, pregnancy, etc. Best, Stacey M.

Re: Want to get pregnant while on Lamictal

Submitted by lisaherold on Fri, 2011-10-21 - 19:46

Hi everyone,

I have had tempral lobe epilepsy since i was 3. I am now 27 and my husband and i are wanting to start sorting out my medications before trying to get pregnant.
I am taking 400mg lamictal, 800mg tegretol and 50mg topomax per day. My neurologist wants to change me completely over to trileptal, but after reading all your stories...it seems to make more sense to stay on the lamictal and phase out the tegretol and topomax. He also said that stressing about the complications from being on medication will probably cause more damage to the baby than the actual medication. Is this true?

I also recently started a very strict diet through a doctor in Germany called Metabolic Balance which has helped a lot of epileptic people to decrease their seizures and medication, so I'm hoping that this will also work.

I cannot go without one of my pills per day, otherwise I have a seizure when i wake up the next morning, so going off my medication at the moment is not an option at all.

The next question I have is natural birth versus a ceasarian? I'd like to have natural birth, but i'm worried that the stress and pushing and contractions and everything your body goes through with natural birth is too much and will cause a seizure during the birth. On the other hand, how do the meds handle the epidural and drugs used in a caesarian, and would that be more dangerous for me and the baby?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! :)
Thanks, Lisa from South Africa

 

Hi everyone,

I have had tempral lobe epilepsy since i was 3. I am now 27 and my husband and i are wanting to start sorting out my medications before trying to get pregnant.
I am taking 400mg lamictal, 800mg tegretol and 50mg topomax per day. My neurologist wants to change me completely over to trileptal, but after reading all your stories...it seems to make more sense to stay on the lamictal and phase out the tegretol and topomax. He also said that stressing about the complications from being on medication will probably cause more damage to the baby than the actual medication. Is this true?

I also recently started a very strict diet through a doctor in Germany called Metabolic Balance which has helped a lot of epileptic people to decrease their seizures and medication, so I'm hoping that this will also work.

I cannot go without one of my pills per day, otherwise I have a seizure when i wake up the next morning, so going off my medication at the moment is not an option at all.

The next question I have is natural birth versus a ceasarian? I'd like to have natural birth, but i'm worried that the stress and pushing and contractions and everything your body goes through with natural birth is too much and will cause a seizure during the birth. On the other hand, how do the meds handle the epidural and drugs used in a caesarian, and would that be more dangerous for me and the baby?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! :)
Thanks, Lisa from South Africa

 

Re: Want to get pregnant while on Lamictal

Submitted by reggaegrl on Mon, 2012-04-23 - 04:24
hi i was pregnant on lamictal,tegratol xr,keppra,adavain,i have to beautiful HEALTHY girls:) 16 and 4 no birth defects ,my 16 yr is a straight A student  And  the little one smart as a whip,i know the doctors and friends and family can scare the pants off you, i di have more siezures with my 4 yr old but not with my 16 yr old maybe because i was younger ,but all i can tell you is my girls turned out perfect,but i worried and prayed alot,don't let it stop you from the joy of having a family..siezures can take alot away but this is one thing i get to be normal and enjoy just like everyone else...and so should you!!......... all good wishes to you....Aimee in dayton.

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