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carbatrol and menopause

Thu, 05/19/2005 - 17:27
Topic: Medication Issues
I am a new PS sufferer of about 1 yr. I have been on carbatrol since diagnosis with fairly good control. My problem is I noticed I began to have hot flashes around the time of starting the carbatrol and my periods are lessing, thus it appears I am going or am in menopause. I am 49, the female history in the family is late 50's for menopause. Is there any research, evidence, anecdotal evidence of tegretol causing early menopuase and or seizures causing menopause? My concern of course is cancer to which I am not willing to deal with!Help!Stefany

Comments

RE: carbatrol and menopause

Submitted by angel_lts on Fri, 2005-05-20 - 07:09
Because we have epilepsy we will get menopause earlier. I have a mother who went through with the change of life at 57, two of my sister didnt even go through with it yet at the age of 56 and 57. My sister with epilepsy started at 43 and done at 48. I started at 42 and I am not 44. Depending when you started with your menstrual cycle depends how early you will come. My family are all late bloomers so that is why they are so late with the change of life.I have info in my support group for hormones. Seizure will get better or worse at this time. Mine are much better.Lisahttp://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EpilepsyApproach/

RE: carbatrol and menopause

Submitted by jennamay on Fri, 2005-05-20 - 09:25

Hi Stefany,

Menopause, when a woman's ovaries stop working, occurs on average at about age 50. There is some evidence that it may occur a decade earlier in a minority of women with epilepsy, however, especially those with catamenial epilepsy (worsening of seizures near the time of menstruation) or high seizure rates. Some doctors think this difference may be related to the effects of seizures on the brain structure called the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland, but more research is needed. Most women with epilepsy experience menopause at about the same age as other women.

Here are links to information regarding menopause, epilepsy and carbatrol.

http://www.epilepsy.com/info/women_menopause.html

http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_carbatrol_intro.html

I hope this helps answer a few of your questions.

 

Best,

Epilepsy.com Editor

Hi Stefany,

Menopause, when a woman's ovaries stop working, occurs on average at about age 50. There is some evidence that it may occur a decade earlier in a minority of women with epilepsy, however, especially those with catamenial epilepsy (worsening of seizures near the time of menstruation) or high seizure rates. Some doctors think this difference may be related to the effects of seizures on the brain structure called the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland, but more research is needed. Most women with epilepsy experience menopause at about the same age as other women.

Here are links to information regarding menopause, epilepsy and carbatrol.

http://www.epilepsy.com/info/women_menopause.html

http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_carbatrol_intro.html

I hope this helps answer a few of your questions.

 

Best,

Epilepsy.com Editor

RE: carbatrol and menopause

Submitted by Yakota on Fri, 2005-05-20 - 11:46
Hi Stefany. I am 44 and started going through menopause at 42. I have TLE. 42 is relatively young to start menopause. Compared to the ladies I know who are menopausal and nonepileptic they are all older than me by about 5 or 6 years. For me it is new knowledge that women with epilepsy start menopause earlier (read this in above paragrapjh.) But I also started my menses at 11. Are any of you ladies paticipating in a research study on epilepsy and menopause? Have seizure free days and a lovely weekend. Blessings. Linda.

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