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Seizure during menses for teen
Tue, 04/17/2007 - 22:15Topic: Women With Epilepsy
14 year old daughter recently diagnosed with epilepsy last month with tonic/clonic seizures(first two had only rt hand shaking with loss of consciousness). Started on lamictal then had huge T/C at school so put on Dilantin. One week later, yesterday, she had another seizure similar to the first two. Luckily this one only lasted 5 minutes and she was able to get up and walk after 15 minutes (normally she is out of it for 1 hr). She finally told me last night that she started her period yesterday so my guess is she had a breakthrough seizure even though she is on hormones (Yasmin for intense menstral cramping). Now the neurologist added Klonopin. My daughter is pretty upset not only with the stress of all of this but she's upset that she can't seem to concentrate as well (she's always been a type A person and does great in school). Just wondering what experiences everyone else has had with these meds and what can be done durine menses. Thanks.
Comments
Re: Re: Seizure during menses for teen
Submitted by tesmar2000 on Mon, 2007-04-23 - 23:59
Thanks Autumn18. Actually now her neurologist seems to think she has psychogenic epilepsy because she doesn't fit the model of T/C that he normally sees. Supposedly, her seizures are caused by stress/trauma (which we are still trying to figure out what that would be)and appear T/C but are not. She was in the hospital overnight last week and the neurologist told her she needed to have counceling and that no amount of seizure medication would help. She is struggling with this as we are. She has never had any panic attacks and is normally a very even, relaxed person so this diagnosis is kind of hard to take. She also has continued rt hand tremors that are new since the start of the seizures but the neurologist does not know what this is from. 2 EEGS were abnormal and 2 were normal. CT scans ok. Seizures do seem to occur mostly in morning before school (between 7:30-10:00 am), the two worst ones that lasted over 45 minutes (with ambulance racing through town)started at school. Only thing she knows is that sudden increase in headache starts these. Any thoughts are appreciated.
Re: Re: Re: Seizure during menses for teen
Submitted by spiz on Tue, 2007-04-24 - 00:42
tesma,
The increase could be caused from the menstrual cycle. This type of seizure activity is known as Catamenial Epilepsy . Here is more information on this subject:
Catamenial Evaluation
Catamenail Treatment
Menstrual Cycle
Women With Epilepsy
Of Cycles and Volcanoes: Seizure Clusters
I always noticed an increase in seizure activity about a week before and during my menses. Hope this helps!
-Spiz
Re: Seizure during menses for teen
Submitted by autumn18 on Mon, 2007-04-23 - 19:00
Hey maybe I could help you out a bit. I have had T/C seizures since I was a small percious 19 month old baby, I turned bright blue then. Now I shake and hit the ground til I come to which is about 5 to 10 minutes. I not a normal epileptic though. I only have them ever 5 to 6 months when I'm having them on my regular schedule. I have gone almost 2 yrs with out one. Once I hit her age my seizures came back HARD and STRONG. I have had only 2 in my whole HS years. Which is wonderful. What are her triggers, and exactly what does she do when she has a seizure? Reply back for more info and help. And just remember "Normal is just a setting on the washing machine, and those that have Epilepsy are far from normal!!!!!" (; Autumn ;)