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Lamictal and pregnancy

Mon, 02/07/2005 - 20:43

Hi everybody

I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. I am currently 32 weeks pregnant and take 300mg of lamictal daily and have remained seizure free and well so far. 

I am concerned about the long term side effects of lamictal on my baby if I breast feed. I have recently read a paper "Concerns regarding lamotrigine and breast feeding" by Liporace et al which makes me concerned about the babys ability to metabolise the drug. I now think that I do not wish to breast feed my baby, but I am wondering if my baby goes through withdrawel from lamictal in the early stages of life will he suffer long term side effects from this. I know that breast feeding and especially colostrum has long term benefits but i am cautious due to the lack of information about what process the baby will use to metabolise it and how the build up of the drug in his system might affect his growth and development.

Has anyone else information or experience of bottle feeding or breast feeding a baby after taking lamictal through the pregnancy.

Would be gretaful for any input on how they are and if you think they went through withdrawal or any other side effects.

Thanks

Bugsbunny

Comments

RE: RE: Lamictal and pregnancy

Submitted by bugsbunny on Sat, 2005-01-01 - 08:06
Hello Everybody,my baby was born at the end of September anf I haven't logged in since, he is now sleeping 12 hours so at last I have some energy. Anyhow he was born perfectly healthy . I didn't breast feed and tried sma. He was a very poor feeder for the first two weeks and I think he was going through withdrawel because he was a bit jittery. However he caught up quickly and settled down. Ordinary SMA didn't suit him and he got constipated beyond belief no amount of water or oranged juice would sort it, then because he wasn't sleeping due to severe colic (not helped by constipation). Probably had an immature digestive system, this may have been due to lamictal but more than likely would have happened anyway. I was advised to try cow and gate omneo comfort milk. It is low in lactose, has fibre and is thicker. It worked a treat, I also add colief drops which are the lactase enzyme to break down the lactose. It works great, not a sign of colic and hge slept the night from when he was 7 weeks. A friend of mine is studying neurolgical development in babies and he is her test case, so far he is doing everything he should be doing at the right time so no sign of developmental delay at this stage.As regards me I survived without a seizure. Although it was extremely tough I was unbelievely tired after the delivery and I think my lamictal levels returning to normal after the birt affected me too. I was in a ward in the hospital, couldn't get a private room and it was dreadful I couldn't sleep. My advice to anyone and me next time is eat well during pregnancy. Get a private room in hospital, get someone in to do the housework and someone to help mind the baby so you can get some sleep during the day, none of which I did. I was ill with a womb infection after the pregnancy and began to develop depression when the baby was 6 weeks, however I now take vitamin B complex, a multivitamin and iron daily and ensure I get out and about and relax about housework it really doesn't matter and you need your sleep. So anyhow we survived it and so far all is well with me and the baby and long may it stay that way.Best of luck to you and please keep in touch with your news about yourselves or your babies.Happy New YearBugs Bunny

RE: RE: RE: Lamictal and pregnancy

Submitted by rhilets on Mon, 2005-02-07 - 10:20

Hi congratrulations on your baby!  I had mine on 16th September by section - not because of the seizure in the end, but because, like my first he was stubbornly head up until the end so all things considered it seemed the best option.  I am photosensitive and rely, since my grand mal in July, on polarized sunglasses which I wore throughout my hospital stay (much to the amusement of the staff, I'm sure!) but I was told, just as I was going in for my section that I wouldn't be able to wear them which was a blow, but they were brilliant and covered my eyes during the op. so I didn't have any problems.  Finlay was fine, very healthy, with no outward signs of any Tegretol side effects or deformities and he went straight on to the breast, pretty much.  I have been very luck in that he sleeps like a dream and I haven't had to suffer sleeplessness at all - my husband gets up with my 5 year old at 7 and I sleep until a glorious 8.30! 

I am a little nervous with Fin - I get nervous when I take him out in the sling - but I think I'm starting to regain my confidence.  I haven't had any more attacks - just a simple partial (or an aura - not sure how to tell the diff) a few weeks before he was born but nothing since, touch wood!  I am still on 600 mg and although I do worry about the long term side effects, I don't seem to suffer any at the moment.  Apart from my preoccupations when I'm alone with him (I am a natural worrier anyway), I am really enjoying it - he's a real joy. 

Well, I just found this piece that I wrote after I had the siezure so I thought I ought to write and tell you how everything is!  I tend not to talk about my epilepsy to my family - preferring to live as normal life as possible and not to worry everyone too much, so it's great to have this forum as a necessary outlet!

Rhiannon

 

Hi congratrulations on your baby!  I had mine on 16th September by section - not because of the seizure in the end, but because, like my first he was stubbornly head up until the end so all things considered it seemed the best option.  I am photosensitive and rely, since my grand mal in July, on polarized sunglasses which I wore throughout my hospital stay (much to the amusement of the staff, I'm sure!) but I was told, just as I was going in for my section that I wouldn't be able to wear them which was a blow, but they were brilliant and covered my eyes during the op. so I didn't have any problems.  Finlay was fine, very healthy, with no outward signs of any Tegretol side effects or deformities and he went straight on to the breast, pretty much.  I have been very luck in that he sleeps like a dream and I haven't had to suffer sleeplessness at all - my husband gets up with my 5 year old at 7 and I sleep until a glorious 8.30! 

I am a little nervous with Fin - I get nervous when I take him out in the sling - but I think I'm starting to regain my confidence.  I haven't had any more attacks - just a simple partial (or an aura - not sure how to tell the diff) a few weeks before he was born but nothing since, touch wood!  I am still on 600 mg and although I do worry about the long term side effects, I don't seem to suffer any at the moment.  Apart from my preoccupations when I'm alone with him (I am a natural worrier anyway), I am really enjoying it - he's a real joy. 

Well, I just found this piece that I wrote after I had the siezure so I thought I ought to write and tell you how everything is!  I tend not to talk about my epilepsy to my family - preferring to live as normal life as possible and not to worry everyone too much, so it's great to have this forum as a necessary outlet!

Rhiannon

 

RE: RE: RE: RE: Lamictal and pregnancy

Submitted by js55 on Mon, 2005-02-07 - 20:43
To everybody worrying about birth deffects: I was on dialantin with my 9 year old.  Can't remember how much but my neuorologist increased as time went on.  I do know it was a very high dosage.  One seizuze when I was about 3 months and rest of pregnancy was trouble free.  I did need a C section because she was too big.  I too had trouble breast feeding, and ended up supplementing with formula.  I had a seizure and dropped her when she was about 2 weeks old which was due to the hormonal changes according to my doc.   Anyway, she is now in a gifted and talented program at her school.  So all the meds haven't had a long term effect at least to this point.  Good Luck to everybody.

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