[Garney]

Well, I haven't talked to you all for awhile. I was off everything except for adivan and midrin. Just put back on topamax. Have wondered for awhile if hormones (Menapause) could have anything to do with sudden onset of seizures??? Definite correlation between hotflashes, migraines, and episodes. When i had a break in the hotflashes, the episodes stopped. I started having hotflashes again in the past few weeks, and low and behold the bad migraines and episodes started again.
I called my neuro and that is when he put me back on topamax. I asked him again if the hotflashes,migraines and episodes could all be connected and he said it is possible, but said little else. I just don't want to get back to where i was before with the seizures. Anyone else going through this?

Garney

[southie]

Are you sure you're going through menopause or peri-menopause? And yes, unfortunately it can provoke seizures in some women, I learned this out the hard way! It was driving me up the freaking wall where I wanted to scream out



While I had an Epi who stated otherwise, but my Regular Doctor and his Licensed Practioneer Nurse knew what I was going through was peri-menopause, and those can increase seizure activities. Especially when my first cycle was very early age, and by calculation, I am at the age for peri-menopause cycle and having been experiencing it for some time. My Hormones have gone wild; and when that happened, it also caused an increase of Seizures going wild!

I still experience moments of hot flashes and having to stick my head in freezer, and then running to the closet because my cycle has started, enough to drive you batty! But that's just only a small part ~ there's more to it and it's enough to make you want to go on a strike!

OR BETTER YET ....


Make the MEN go through it and give US WOMEN a break for a change!

[Porkette]

Hi Garney,
I've been through all the mess that you mentioned and the migraines as well as the sz. increased when I went through pre menopause and menopause. It all has to do with your hormones changing and your body chemistry being a little off balance. My epi told me that my sz. would either get better or worse when I went through my change and sure enough I now am having tc sz. which I never had in my life before.
You might want to try using natural progesterone cream which you can buy in health food stores. It's made of peanut oil and wild yams. DO NOT use this if you are allergic to peanuts. The progesterone calms the nerves down so you will have fewer sz. or you can try taking the progesteron pill called "Prometrium" the pill is a little stronger than the cream. I know this may sound crazy to you but one thing I did was eat a lot of nuts and it helped me a lot. I had fewer sz. and migraines. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Ellie]

I'm going to a new GYN the 22nd, followed by an appointment with my Epileptologist the 25th. I took it upon myself to inform both of them that I will be seeing them to discuss the relation between my cycles, horomones, etc. and my seizure activity. After adding everything up, this didn't start until I started my period. My largest seizures were when I was pregnant. As I aged, seizures increased, changed, etc. The worse my cycle, the worse my seizure symptoms.

I told my doctors that I'm not trying to self-diagnose, but I'm also smart enough to add 2+2. The GYN is preparing everything in advance to do some testing on me and then will discuss it with my Epileptologist where I will go two days following.

I figure if they ignore me pointing it out, I'll just shove it in their faces!

From all I have read, it is pretty common in women with epilepsy to have seizure changes and more frequent activity during their cycles, during pre-menopausal up to menopausal stages and during pregnancy. I know once a month I say something like, "I hate my uterus". Haha.

[Garney]

With all that we put up with, as we go through our wonderful cycle of childhood,(why did that boy hit me?) pre-teen,(breast buds, do i have any?)teen,(cramps,pimples,cramps,chocolate)young women,(Will he ask me to marry him?) motherhood,(The babies head has to fit through where?)adulthood(130,000 a year for college x 4 kids thats,OH MY GOD), and now we have to put up with a wonderful little friend called menopause. Hotflashes, mood swings, weight gain, weight loss, dry skin, sleep deprivation, increased migraines, seizures,etc......

Porkette, I am glad you mentioned the progesterone. Not sure if any connection, but I have been preg. 7x and have only 2 children.(22&18) 5 miscarriges. Specialist in Boston final figured out had progesterone dificiency. Had to give myself progesterone for months,then stay on for first trimester. Asked why didn't have trouble with first preg. she said that was probably a fluke. Wonder if my progesterone is nonexistant again?

Ellie, I am so sorry that you are going through so much. It is so frustrating when you have to defend what you know to be right. It is your body. You know what is and is not right. Stand your ground. I know it is easy for me to say that from here, but know that others are supporting you. Good luck.

Southie, I am with you on the freezer bit. One minute I am so cold that I want to cry and the next minute I am screaming for people to get out of my way so i can get my socks and sweatshirt off before my skin melts off my body. I, however, don't have the cycle part of it. I had a partial hyst. when I was 30. I am now 47. (48 in Sep). Oh the joys of growing up!


Have a good night ladies,

Garney

[Porkette]

Hi Garney,
I found out through my family Dr. that when we are going through a change the estrogen and progesterone levels are going up and down and for some women that means more sz. The only time I had sz. was a week before and then a few days after my monthly cycle. It's then that the estrogen level is to high which causes excitment and leads to sz. while the progesterone level is to low and it's progesterone that helps calm the nerves. I have a cousin who had grand mal sz. for yrs. until she went through her change and she hasn't had a single sz. since then which is over 20 yrs. Keep a record of your hot flashes, migraines, sz. etc. each month and your neuro may see a pattern as to what days of the month as well as what time of the day or night this will happen. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue