Background: When I was 11/12 I was diagnosed with nocturnal grand mal epilepsy - ie I only ever had seizures when I was asleep, and would have no idea until I woke up the next morning & felt like I had been hit by a truck, reversed over & then hit again. Was put on meds in 1997 - 2001 I came off them, and was seizure free until April 2007, when I started having seizures again (though this time they weren't the same type of seizure - they were petit mal, but still nocturnal). I was put on the meds again, and then started weaning off them in May 2009 - before we began TTC. I have been fine up until now...
Then I woke up this morning & realised I had obviously had a seizure during my sleep. If I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't have cared, but being that I'm pregnant, I had no idea if it could have harmed the baby, so I went to see my GP, after talking to my m/w... The GP got out their (ancient!!) doppler, and tried to listen to the h/b for about 4 minutes, but the only one he could pick up was mine!!!! He told me to 'not worry' (yea right), but that I had to go up to the Womens' Hospital, so they could investigate further.
I had to drive to the hospital (which was hard when I was freaking out!), and my Dad met us there (me, Gab & my friend).. we found our way to the gyne ward, and had to wait about half an hour to be seen.. the nurse took me in, did my BP etc, and then told me to lie down so we could listen for the heartbeat. Again all I could hear was silence, or my heartbeat... It was the most excruciating wait, but FINALLY she picked up the fetal heartbeat.. I cannot explain how relieved I was... while we were trying to find it, I was going through things in my head, trying to figure out who would look after Gaby while I was in hospital delivering, and how I would tell my parents.. how I would tell Jason... how the heck I would explain it to Gaby...
The h/b was 145bpm, and my BP was fine - the nurse who was doing the doppler, said that baby was hiding really well, and because I'm overweight there was a bit more 'padding' to get through... Because of my seizure I feel as if I have been hit by a truck, and my
So now I have to wait to find out what to do about my epilepsy. A lot of anti-epileptic medications are unsafe during pregnancy - and I would prefer to not go on them, but at the same time - if a seizure can put the baby at risk - I don't exactly want to have to worry about that either......
Update: I spoke to my GP, who spoke to the neuro at the hospital, and they both believed it was in my best interests to go back on my medication. There is a risk to the baby, being on the medication - BUT there are also lots of risks associated with seizures during pregnancy (to the baby, to me)... so either way there is a risk, but I had to do what I felt would produce the least risk. I am on a minimal dose of my epilepsy medication (half of what I would normally be on - and then what I'm 'usually' on, is still a low dose anyway), and am also on a high dose folic acid (5mg, rather than 0.8mg). The doctor told me that the highest risk time, for effects, is 0-12 weeks, and now that I am passed that point, he thinks that I should be fine. To be on the safe side, he has referred me onto the high risk ob clinic, and they will provide extra monitoring... So there may even be another couple of ultrasounds in it for me. I won't complain about that!
Then I woke up this morning & realised I had obviously had a seizure during my sleep. If I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't have cared, but being that I'm pregnant, I had no idea if it could have harmed the baby, so I went to see my GP, after talking to my m/w... The GP got out their (ancient!!) doppler, and tried to listen to the h/b for about 4 minutes, but the only one he could pick up was mine!!!! He told me to 'not worry' (yea right), but that I had to go up to the Womens' Hospital, so they could investigate further.
I had to drive to the hospital (which was hard when I was freaking out!), and my Dad met us there (me, Gab & my friend).. we found our way to the gyne ward, and had to wait about half an hour to be seen.. the nurse took me in, did my BP etc, and then told me to lie down so we could listen for the heartbeat. Again all I could hear was silence, or my heartbeat... It was the most excruciating wait, but FINALLY she picked up the fetal heartbeat.. I cannot explain how relieved I was... while we were trying to find it, I was going through things in my head, trying to figure out who would look after Gaby while I was in hospital delivering, and how I would tell my parents.. how I would tell Jason... how the heck I would explain it to Gaby...
The h/b was 145bpm, and my BP was fine - the nurse who was doing the doppler, said that baby was hiding really well, and because I'm overweight there was a bit more 'padding' to get through... Because of my seizure I feel as if I have been hit by a truck, and my
So now I have to wait to find out what to do about my epilepsy. A lot of anti-epileptic medications are unsafe during pregnancy - and I would prefer to not go on them, but at the same time - if a seizure can put the baby at risk - I don't exactly want to have to worry about that either......
Update: I spoke to my GP, who spoke to the neuro at the hospital, and they both believed it was in my best interests to go back on my medication. There is a risk to the baby, being on the medication - BUT there are also lots of risks associated with seizures during pregnancy (to the baby, to me)... so either way there is a risk, but I had to do what I felt would produce the least risk. I am on a minimal dose of my epilepsy medication (half of what I would normally be on - and then what I'm 'usually' on, is still a low dose anyway), and am also on a high dose folic acid (5mg, rather than 0.8mg). The doctor told me that the highest risk time, for effects, is 0-12 weeks, and now that I am passed that point, he thinks that I should be fine. To be on the safe side, he has referred me onto the high risk ob clinic, and they will provide extra monitoring... So there may even be another couple of ultrasounds in it for me. I won't complain about that!
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