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Changing Medications: Depakote to Lamictal
Fri, 05/15/2020 - 17:06Topic: Women With Epilepsy
Hi Everyone!
I have been on Depakote for generalized epilepsy since I was diagnosed at 13 years old. I am 31 now, and my husband and I would like to consider having a baby in the near future. My neurologist and gynecologist are both recommending a switch from Depakote to Lamictal, but I am so nervous. Depakote has been my safety net and has controlled my seizures so well. Had anyone else gone through this switch and willing to share their experience? Has anyone had a baby while taking Depakote and willing to share their experience? Thanks so much in advance!
Hi,Thank you for posting and
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2020-05-18 - 09:08
Hi,Thank you for posting and we understand your concerns.Treatment and how the body may react to taking or stopping certain medications varies for each individual. It’s important that you are taking the time to plan ahead for you and your family, this gives you time to work with your neurology/epilepsy team and OBGYN team ahead of time. It’s important to have a healthcare team willing to work together with you - before, during and after the pregnancy. An Epilepsy specialist, (Epileptologist) can follow you during pregnancy and make sure you are on the best medication for you. For help finding a doctor specializing in epilepsy please visit: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/find-epilepsy-specialist/find-epilepsy-center . For additional information about epilepsy, medications, pregnancy and things to review with your healthcare team, please visit: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/women/epilepsy-and-pregnancy .You may also want to consider using a journal or a diary like My Seizure Diary, which can help you organize your health records, track seizures, manage medications, and more, which can be shared with your healthcare team. https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-foundation-my-seizure-diary . Additionally, you may always contact our 24/7 Helpline, where trained information specialists are available to answer your questions, offer help, hope, support, guidance, and access to national and local resources. 1-800-332-1000, contactus@efa.org. epilepsy.com/helpline , or contact your local Epilepsy Foundation: https://www.epilepsy.com/affiliates