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epilepsy hypothyroidism and pregnancy
Fri, 05/15/2015 - 18:34hi,
I have a neurologist appointment at the end of next week and it is making me feel very anxious.
I am 34, have been on tegretol XR 600mg, for temporal lobe seizures, since 2006 and everything has been totally controlled since then. I am now thinking about having a baby. I talked to my doctor a few years back and went to my neurologist who said I would need to switch to a newer, supposedly less risky, drug. I live in the country and (having already had to move house once to stop driving in the past) the fact that I would have to stop driving to do this is very impractical, essentially I would not be able to get to work. When I write it down it sounds so selfish but from what I have read the risks with carbamazepine (4-6%) are not much higher than for ordinary people not on aed's (2-3%). It sounds like large doses of folic acid will help to reduce this. But at the same time I can't help feeling i I am responsible for someones life... The other option would be just not to have children at all, but I have always wanted to have a family, work and 'career' always came first and now I feel like I am running out of time.. my doctor essentially told me to do it now...
the other complication is that the last 3 blood tests (over about 2-3years) have suggested I have hypothyroidism, which according to the doctor must be treated if you are pregnant as it poses an even bigger risk of harm to the baby. I have been reading lots of horrible things about the side effects of the drugs for this... plus I am not sure how they interact with my aed's (not recommended is one thing I have read).
clearly the neurologist will got through all this, but they tend to be very matter of fact and do not consider lifestyle and how not driving will impact everything.. if can't get to work I may as well not think about having a family anyway!
sorry this is rather convoluted I am just feeling sorry for myself.
does anyone have any experience of carbamazepine, thyroxine and pregnancy at all?... I am kind of hoping the neurologist sees it my way and says the risk with carbamazepine is small eough for me to stay on it.. most of these supposed new drugs don't have half as much research into them anyway..
thanks for listening.