Hey, Kate. :)
I have to admit that I had never heard that about cold cuts, and I did eat them during both pregs, but...it was about 100 years ago, LOL (my kids are 20 and almost 17), and I was on phenobarb then.
I do know that every AED carries its own risks with preg. Some are safer than others, and yes, my dose was increased throughout my preg with my daughter. I made it clear with my son, though, that I was stoned off my butt on the dose I had to take with my daughter from seven months preg until she was two months old, and I insisted on limiting it. I had no szs from it, but I have a good threshold for someone prone to szs, so make sure to communicate openly and honestly with your OB and neuro. Also, have them communicate directly with each other, and be sure to see a high-risk OB. I think it can generally be said that if your control is good when you're not preg, it should be good through the preg, as long as you and your doctors work together.
As for pregnancy definitely increasing your risk of sz, per your doctor's words, it all depends on your triggers. If things like periods trigger them, then preg might, too. I generally didn't have them from periods (unless the pds were very late), but sure enough, I was off med three months when I got preg with my son and then...:( Once I was back on med, there were no more problems with szs, although I had a lot of other complications, and my son is autistic, so...some things you won't know 'til you know, as you said.
Good luck!!!!
LIZ in soggy RI :)
--- On Sat, 5/14/11, katebruer <kbenda83@gmail.com> wrote:
From: katebruer <kbenda83@gmail.com>
Subject: [epilepsy] pregnancy and AED's
To: epilepsy@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, May 14, 2011, 8:08 PM
Hi- I am looking for advice on whether getting pregnant will effect my epilepsy or medication
My doctor says its ok to get pregnant on Keppra, but then they tell you that you can't eat cold cuts. If I am supposed to be avoiding all these other things, is it really safe to get pregnant on AEDs?
Do any of you have experience with this? Do you have to increase your dosage as you gain weight? Does it effect the child? I feel that some effects wouldn't be identified until the child was school aged- like learning disabilities, and many until they try to have children of their own.
Also, I feel like my seizures are infrequent, less than 1x per year when not medicated, that I don't feel that I need to be medicated. I can avoid what triggers seizures for me for the most part and I can always feel them several minutes before they come.
My doctor says that my seizures would increase with pregnancy- has anyone else found that to be true? Did your epilepsy or medications interfere at all with pregnancy?
Thanks!
Kate
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