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JME and Pregnancy
Mon, 01/10/2005 - 13:33Topic: Women With Epilepsy
Hi,I have been diagnosed with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy since the age of 15. Over the past 9 years the seizures have been controlled with fairly low doses of Depakine. I recently decided to come off the medication after 6 years seizure free however within one month, I had a seizure.My husband and I are thinking seriously about children and I am concerned about the risk of deformities with Valrpoic acid. I have read that Lamictal is effective in controlling JME seizures and poses least risk to the unborn child.I would like to get in touch with both fellow JME sufferers and also those with any knowledge / experience of JME with Lamictal and pregnancy.Many thanks
Comments
Re: Re: Re: Re: JME and Pregnancy
Submitted by Angie_Elen on Tue, 2007-09-11 - 15:02
Is it possible for you to change doctors? You should not be made to feel selfish for wanting to protect your own health during your pregnancy. Your baby also deserves a healthy mom.
Re: Re: JME and Pregnancy
Submitted by Liska on Wed, 2007-09-12 - 17:06
I was diagnosed at age 9 with JME, but the drs didn't put me on meds untill I was an adult. 5 yrs ago my nero put me on Lamictal and I have only had 4 seizures since. Last yr I had beautiful baby boy (see picture) who is healthy, strong and is right on track for his age. I was on Lamictal through the whole pg. and had not had any problems due to my meds. I did not breestfeed and I don't think it made any differnce in his development. My son's dr says that today's formulas have everything our babies need for healthy growth. Besides if you think about it when you bottle feed your baby you can watch his little face as he eats and he can see you smile. There is no better way to bond with your child.
Melissa
Re: Re: Re: JME and Pregnancy
Submitted by very_scared on Mon, 2007-08-06 - 05:59
my dr is a purist I don't have JME but I am pregnant and my dr has taken me off everything. I was seizure free 14+ years while on meds. What I've learned is that you should at least be monotherapy and taking high levels of folic acid. I have not slept in 2 days I paged him b/c as I was slipping into sleep my legs were jerking so hard I would wake up. He didn't care. He does not care if I have a seizure. He said you can either treat the epilipsy or have the baby. I was really shocked. He kept saying you're putting your own health in front of the baby's.I thought I wasn't supposed to have seizures? He said they really wouldn't hurt the baby. I'm concerned b/c my state of mind disintegrates when I'm like this. I can barely do anything for fear of having a seizure. And last night I'm concerned that the legs that were having spasms, were seizures. His attitude was live with it. For the baby. He's American. I'm in France. All the doctors I consulted told me to get on one medicine and to not have a crisis. I'm very scared either way I go. I don't like being in the situation where someone says that I am being selfish for not wanting to have a seizure.