epilepsy.org.my

[Joyce]

Hi, i am an epileptic patient since 19 years old. Currently i am 31. I stop my medication in 2001 ( tregetol) after consultation from doctor and it relapse again in July 2004.

I attended to a doctor previously in Singapore and now i am in Malaysia. currently i have not find any consultant locally in Malaysia.

Currently i am taking lamotrigine 100mg / day ( 50mg morning & 50 mg night). My doctor in Singapore also gave me acid folic ( 5mg/day) after i got married in July'05. According to him, it's quite safe to have a baby and the risk of having a abnormal baby is 3%. May be the baby will have cliff mouth..

i am quite worry at the moment if the medication will affect the fetos and i wish to stop the medication before i start my pregnancy planning.

My doctor said i can stop the medication after 2 years if i am free from the attack for two years..i wish i can stop now as i realise that the medication actually has affect my learning speed and sometime i can't stay focus even during communication.. i tend to have slip mind and have difficulties to concerntrate.


Please advise whether

1. i should stop my medication before pregnancy.
2. if i accidentaly get pregnant with the daily doses, what is the implication to the baby if i take this medicine.
3. is it true that i loss my concerntration easily due to this medication? i understand that the medicine actually help to slow down the neuron activities.
4. Can i stop my medication after 2 years?


Appreciate if you can help me to clear some of my doubts as i feel quite stress of taking this medicine daily and it disturb my daily life as well ( loss concertration)..

Thanks in advance

[daniel]

One must weigh benefits against potential risks of drugs .No doctor can tell for certainty what is best for you.All drugs will give degree of side effects to you as well as baby.

My advise is you can counteract side effects with optimal nutrition.I do not want to endorse any product deem to be commercial but do consult
clinical nutritionist or nutrition physician if there are any,to optimise your health for sake of baby and you.Trust me there products out there but lousy products outnumber good ones.

Sincerely hope may you be bless during pregancy and overcome all odds

[KS Lim]

I read this one year after the first author posted the message. I hope you have sorted out your problem.

There are about 40 Neurologist in this country, in various state. It is not advisable to continue or stop epilepsy medications by yourself.

Both seizures and seizure medications can be harmful to the baby. However, the risk is higher if you have frequent or major seizures.