Lamictal and pregnancy

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Hello All-I was hoping that anyone out there who had taken Lamictal while pregnant and now have a child, say, over 24 months old might weigh in and tell us how things are developing? I realize it will be anecdotal, but I am planning to get pregnant and would love to hear from others. Please be sure to include what dosage you were on and if you breast fed (and for how long!)Thanks so much.

Comments

RE: Lamictal and pregnancy

Submitted by zoeph on Sun, 2005-01-02 - 18:51

It's me again - the one that didn't get more than 4oz a day of breastmilk. And with Katie being two weeks early I am kinda glad we didn't have to run the 50/50 odds of her handling the Lamictal w/o my liver to break it down. Katie got all the regular toddler food and milk at daycare, but still wanted bottles at home. Formula is better than cows milk and since they say you should breastfeed untill 2.... we gave her formula until 25m.

My orginal neuro died, and my new one is the head of Stanford's epilepsy clinic. He said he wouldn't have upped my dose and feels that seizures, not blood levels, are better indicators for Lamictal. As I hadn't had any for 2 years when I got preggers he wouldn't have upped me from 400 to 600mg. I got him to lower me to 300 these days.

Also of very important note, I am on perscription dose of 4mg of foliate. Not the crummy 4mmg in a daily vitamin. I strongly feel every woman with epilepsy should be taking it!

So how is Katie? Ready to start her career as a poster child for Lamictal and formula I guess ;-)

http://www.flyallnight.com/ljimages/katie_0101crop.jpg

Her bday was at the end of Sept so she is 27m. She is more verbal than the other kids her age, and daycare says she is ready for the underwear stage of potty training. (the first 13m she stayed home with daddy, and after than I send her to a pricey center that is like a school for her. She goes from 9-4 and then in the afternoons she gets a walk and books with grammy until we get home. Pretty good life). Climbs the equipment at the playground like a monkey (really into ladders these days.) When she turned 2 they advanced her to the next grade level the first of her bunch which was really 23m. They say she handles change and new situations the best, and is always so happy and agreeable - it made it easier on her pals to find her there when they moved up. She has a encyclopedic knowledge of animals (okay too much Zoobomafoo and there is a zoo near by) and can tell different primates (okay she isn't perfect there but ahead of most kids) and big cats apart. (Jaguars vs cheetas).

Most of all she has a really loving temperment. She is a fun little kid and rarely has tantrums. Okay so that could be all the parenting books we read and carefully controll her environment to avoid situations she isn't ready for.

Now. She did hate "tummy time" and daddy hated to push her. She was a late walker (early talker) but she is a thin (50%) tall (80%) kid with a big head (101%). That makes for a scary center of gravity for a lollypop to manage! Both my husband and my mom have a hard time finding hats that fit so I feel the big head came from them, like the blue eyes.

I know exactly the fears and anxieties all AED mommies have about "is this going to turn out"? I am sure I will hold my breath a little on #2, but all mommies over 37 do that, AEDs or not. I won't be on anything like the eggshells like I was with Katie.

It's me again - the one that didn't get more than 4oz a day of breastmilk.  And with Katie being two weeks early I am kinda glad we didn't have to run the 50/50 odds of her handling the Lamictal w/o my liver to break it down.  Katie got all the regular toddler food and milk at daycare, but still wanted bottles at home.  Formula is better than cows milk and since they say you should breastfeed untill 2.... we gave her formula until 25m.My orginal neuro died, and my new one is the head of Stanford's epilepsy clinic.  He said he wouldn't have upped my dose and feels that seizures, not blood levels, are better indicators for Lamictal.  As I hadn't had any for 2 years when I got preggers he wouldn't have upped me from 400 to 600mg.  I got him to lower me to 300 these days.Also of very important note, I am on perscription dose of 4mg of foliate.  Not the crummy 4mmg in a daily vitamin.  I strongly feel every woman with epilepsy should be taking it!So how is Katie?  Ready to start her career as a poster child for Lamictal and formula I guess ;-)<a href="http://www.flyallnight.com/ljimages/katie_0101crop.jpg">http://www.flyallnight.com/ljimages/katie_0101crop.jpg</a>Her bday was at the end of Sept so she is 27m.  She is more verbal than the other kids her age, and daycare says she is ready for the underwear stage of potty training.  (the first 13m she stayed home with daddy, and after than I send her to a pricey center that is like a school for her.  She goes from 9-4 and then in the afternoons she gets a walk and books with grammy until we get home.  Pretty good life).  Climbs the equipment at the playground like a monkey (really into ladders these days.)  When she turned 2 they advanced her to the next grade level the first of her bunch which was really 23m.  They say she handles change and new situations the best, and is always so happy and agreeable - it made it easier on her pals to find her there when they moved up.  She has a encyclopedic knowledge of animals (okay too much Zoobomafoo and there is a zoo near by) and can tell different primates (okay she isn't perfect there but ahead of most kids) and big cats apart. (Jaguars vs cheetas).Most of all she has a really loving temperment.   She is a fun little kid and rarely has tantrums.  Okay so that could be all the parenting books we read and carefully controll her environment to avoid situations she isn't ready for.  Now.  She did hate "tummy time" and daddy hated to push her.  She was a late walker (early talker) but she is a thin (50%) tall (80%) kid with a big head (101%).  That makes for a scary center of gravity for a lollypop to manage!  Both my husband and my mom have a hard time finding hats that fit so I feel the big head came from them, like the blue eyes.I know exactly the fears and anxieties all AED mommies have about "is this going to turn out"?   I am sure I will hold my breath a little on #2, but all mommies over 37 do that, AEDs or not.  I won't be on anything like the eggshells like I was with Katie.

It's me again - the one that didn't get more than 4oz a day of breastmilk. And with Katie being two weeks early I am kinda glad we didn't have to run the 50/50 odds of her handling the Lamictal w/o my liver to break it down. Katie got all the regular toddler food and milk at daycare, but still wanted bottles at home. Formula is better than cows milk and since they say you should breastfeed untill 2.... we gave her formula until 25m.

My orginal neuro died, and my new one is the head of Stanford's epilepsy clinic. He said he wouldn't have upped my dose and feels that seizures, not blood levels, are better indicators for Lamictal. As I hadn't had any for 2 years when I got preggers he wouldn't have upped me from 400 to 600mg. I got him to lower me to 300 these days.

Also of very important note, I am on perscription dose of 4mg of foliate. Not the crummy 4mmg in a daily vitamin. I strongly feel every woman with epilepsy should be taking it!

So how is Katie? Ready to start her career as a poster child for Lamictal and formula I guess ;-)

http://www.flyallnight.com/ljimages/katie_0101crop.jpg

Her bday was at the end of Sept so she is 27m. She is more verbal than the other kids her age, and daycare says she is ready for the underwear stage of potty training. (the first 13m she stayed home with daddy, and after than I send her to a pricey center that is like a school for her. She goes from 9-4 and then in the afternoons she gets a walk and books with grammy until we get home. Pretty good life). Climbs the equipment at the playground like a monkey (really into ladders these days.) When she turned 2 they advanced her to the next grade level the first of her bunch which was really 23m. They say she handles change and new situations the best, and is always so happy and agreeable - it made it easier on her pals to find her there when they moved up. She has a encyclopedic knowledge of animals (okay too much Zoobomafoo and there is a zoo near by) and can tell different primates (okay she isn't perfect there but ahead of most kids) and big cats apart. (Jaguars vs cheetas).

Most of all she has a really loving temperment. She is a fun little kid and rarely has tantrums. Okay so that could be all the parenting books we read and carefully controll her environment to avoid situations she isn't ready for.

Now. She did hate "tummy time" and daddy hated to push her. She was a late walker (early talker) but she is a thin (50%) tall (80%) kid with a big head (101%). That makes for a scary center of gravity for a lollypop to manage! Both my husband and my mom have a hard time finding hats that fit so I feel the big head came from them, like the blue eyes.

I know exactly the fears and anxieties all AED mommies have about "is this going to turn out"? I am sure I will hold my breath a little on #2, but all mommies over 37 do that, AEDs or not. I won't be on anything like the eggshells like I was with Katie.

RE: RE: Lamictal and pregnancy

Submitted by bugsbunny on Sat, 2005-01-08 - 07:02

HiJust to say your message when I was pregnant was a great ease to my mind and after that I felt confidant in my decision to formula feed, also the Dr Brown bottles were a good tip, one for you is the Cow and Gate Omneo Comfort milk (although I am unsure you can buy that in the States). Thankyou very much for your advice and please keep in touch. Katie looks like a lovely happy little girl. Are you pregnant again?

RE: RE: RE: Lamictal and pregnancy

Submitted by zoeph on Sun, 2005-01-09 - 02:46

oh I wish I was ;-) but the timing with $$ isn't optimal. A huge company will be buying mine in 6m and as the primary breadwinner I am worried I might not have a job.... and my husband's fantastic job was being slow... well we are being conservative. Actually, Katie is a bundle of energy and... I get REALLY tired the frist trimester when I am preggers. And you know how much energy newborns are. I suspect the right fit for our family will be for her to get a bit older. We really would like a #2 : )

AND! Nursery school says Katie is ready for cloth underwear. I *so* don't want to be preggers and ready to throw up when a little voice from the back seat of the car says "mommy! I need go potty!!!". Tonight it was in the pouring rain : (

I am glad my family was able to ease your mind a little. So many of us are isolated and don't know anyone on these nutty drugs. Registry?? Fantastic for the doctors and the stats, but all the mommies want to talk to all the other mommies : )

you can always email me at zoeph^hotmail.com (I hope that made sense, I just don't want the spammers to pick it up).

Hope your family is doing well!! Where do you live?

oh I wish I was ;-) but the timing with $$ isn't optimal. A huge company will be buying mine in 6m and as the primary breadwinner I am worried I might not have a job.... and my husband's fantastic job was being slow... well we are being conservative. Actually, Katie is a bundle of energy and... I get REALLY tired the frist trimester when I am preggers. And you know how much energy newborns are. I suspect the right fit for our family will be for her to get a bit older. We really would like a #2 : )