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is it okay to become pregnant while on anti-epeltic meds?

Fri, 10/20/2006 - 19:24
Hi. I am 23 and was diag @ 3yrs ago with tonic clonis seizures. (but i have also had the petit mal seizures too.) i JUST now made 7 months no seizures. I have heard so many different things about how it's not safe to be pregnant if you have seizures...and how you it's not safe to take ANY medication while being pregnant. expecially anti-epileptic meds. so what do you do? what do you say? last year my neuro said since i was in childbearing age, he started me on folic acid just incase we "accidentally" got pregnant. then he told me that trileptal was not safe, and he wanted to try me on lamictal since my seizures weren't controlled with just the trileptal. so he wanted to try and get me off the trileptal and just on lamictal since it's supposedly safer. well once my trileptal dose got too low -- the seizures started up again. i absolutely hate having epilepsy!! so anyways, i am STILL on trileptal and lamictal. i want to have a baby within the next couple of years but am scared i will start with the seizures again and that will affect the pregnancy, or worse the meds will hurt the baby. i hope someone can give me some advice or support. i don't know anyone else who is around my age and has epilepsy. it's not in my family at all. and the dr's say i developed it from a blow to the head i got (and never went to the hospital for) a couple of years ago. please help me!!!!!!!!! thanks, akayn

Comments

Re: Re: Re: Re: is it okay to become pregnant while on anti-epel

Submitted by sharonmlee on Sat, 2006-10-21 - 22:07
Hey Akayan, I am 41 and have epilepsy since I was 17. When I got married at 33, I was taking tegretol. My OBGYN said that tegretol was a good epileptic drug for having kids. He did start me on folic acid when I got engaged. As you can see from a lot of responses, people are taking folic acid. I was also told that I should at best plan my pregnancy and be on the folic acid at least a year before trying. As you have stressed, I also was scared. I have had two children and they are both healthy. My OBGYN said to me it depends on the seizure history and how you developed the epilepsy. I was seizure free for eleven years and I developed it by an accident. All the best! Sharon

I just found this site, and

Submitted by jme78 on Thu, 2006-11-02 - 17:09
I just found this site, and it's quite reassuring to hear other people having similar concerns and problems. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with pregnancy while taking Epival? Thanks!

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