How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy on Epileptic Medications

Are you epileptic? Do you have seizures? Are you pregnant? Do you want to get pregnant? While on seizure medication? Here are some helpful tips from a grand mal seizure patient who has had a healthy child.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Time to research your options
• Doctors

1. If your are an epileptic (seizure) patient, and would like to get pregnant, first check with your neurologist. The medication you might be on may not be suitable to be on while pregnant. Some seizure medications can cause severe abnormalities in the baby. Read on before you panic.

2. If you are on a dangerous drug, talk to your doctor about switching to a safer medication for you and the baby, if that option is available to you.

3. If you are already pregnant, tell your neurologist right away. Depending on your history, they might want blood work done right away to be sure you are in the therapeutic range. In layman' s term, make sure you are not going to have a seizure any time soon.

4. If you feel any symptoms, such as aura (the sensation that you are going to have a seizure), numbness (on the side you would normally have seizure), or a metallic taste in your mouth, call your doctor immediately. Even if you do not have a seizure, your doctor needs to know right away. This might mean your medication dosage needs to be increased.

5. 
   Vitamin Shoppe OTC Folic Acid

   Ask your doctor about folic acid. It has been shown to greatly reduce the chances of defects/abnormalities in babies whose mothers are on a seizure medication. They will probably put you on a 4mg dosage. This is the recommended amount for seizure patients.

6. 
   TwinLab Prenatal Vitamn Package

   Be sure to take a pre-natal vitamin. It replenishes the nutrients the baby is taking from you.

7. Don't ever stop taking your medication. It is more harmful to the baby if you stop taking your medication, than it is for you to be on them. If you have a seizure because you stopped your medication, you can cause complications to the baby.

8. Read my article Pregnancy and Epilepsy: My Story to learn more about me. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me.

Tips & Warnings

• TwinLab Prenatal Vitamin is a good OTC (over the counter) supplement. You only take it 2x a day, and is good for 2 months.
• OTC Folic Acid comes in 400 mcg or 800 mcg.
• MCG stands for microgram. 400 mcg = 0.4 milligrams (mg)
• 800 mcg = 0.8 mg
• You need to take 4 800 mcg tablets along with the TwinLab Prenatal Vitamin, if you do not take prescription folic acid to reach 4mg.
• When choosing an OTC Prenatal Vitamin, check to make sure it has 800 mcg of folic acid. That way if you miss a dosage of folic acid, you still have a higher dosage than other prenatal vitamins. Anything helps though.
• If you are not happy with your doctor, by all means, switch to someone you are more comfortable with. If you have an OB, see if they can recommend someone. Doctors know which ones are good and take care of their patients. It's a smaller community than you think.
• If at all possible, choose a Neurologist and an OB that are affiliated with the same hospital. It makes it easier if they need to see you.
• Never stop taking your medicine.
• Do not wean yourself off your medication. Only your doctor should tell when it is okay. If you want to be weaned off your medication, call your doctor and talk to them.

Resources

• Pregnancy and Epilepsy: My Story
• Epilepsy and Pregnancy

[jennae]

on 7/8/2009 Thanks I always wondered if I ever got pregnant what would I do sense I have epileptic seizures

[Handmadedreams]

on 6/5/2009 Very useful article.

[cmanny]

on 6/5/2009 Critical information for potential epileptic moms! 5*

[cherylphillips]

on 6/5/2009 such important info!! 5*