# About to embark on IVF - Got Epilepsy though - Anyone else?



## JoHall12

Hi all!

I am very new to this site and I am hoping to find some support on here to make things a little easier.

Anyway, it's looking like my next step when seeing my consultant shortly is going to be IVF!

However, I do have Epilepsy (been controlled for 8 years though) and wondered if there is anyone else out there that has/had Epilepsy that may be able to tell me if they had any issues with having to have difference medication etc or had any other issues with IVF in any way?

Any help or advice would be much appreciated!  

Jo x x x


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## Sheilaweb

Hi Jo
I wish I could help with your query, I've not got epilepsy, but my hubby has, so we werent faced with the impact of the medication affecting his epillepsy drugs.... your clinic should be able to allay your fears and answer any questions you have - but fingers crossed someone will be able to help you.

You could always post your questions to FF's resident Pharmacist:
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=449.0

Best of luck 
Best wishes 
Sheila


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## mixie29

Hi Jo, 

How exciting your starting treatment, I too am epileptic and have been through 1 treatment I did talk at length with my gp and also with my consultant about how the treatment would work with my epilepsy, i can give you a few little tips but do go online and research and also talk to your gp, ask for a referral to your epilepsy doc and also discuss any concerns with your consultant and nurses.

Depending on your medication you may need a higher dose of folic acid, I am on lamictal and apparently it deminishes the levels of natural folic acid in your body so you will need to replace this and also have your extra folic acid for potential pregnancy.
As usual have a good balanced diet gentle exercise and plenty of rest, your body and your mind will be under a lot of pressure, i wont lie to you so the more relaxed you are the less you ahve to worry about.

As far as the medication is cocerned the way it was put to me was that although taking medication through a pregnancy is not ideal it is the lesser of 2 evils , if you where to have a seizure and fall down it could cause damage that would threaten a pregnancy or potential pregnancy, if you have been 8 years fit free then keep doing what you are doing it is obviously working so add some extra me time and dont forget to talk about how you are feeling, you are number one and give your body and mind what it wants , some things become strangely less important when  you are trying to get the one thing in the world that you want so dont stress about the less important things.

I hope to keep in touch with you as we will soon be trying again, I want to give my body the time that it needs to recover from all the treatment and the miscarriage until i feel normal again, which i am feeling is coming closer every day.

Good luck and loads of   and    

K


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## JoHall12

mixie29 said:


> Hi Jo,
> 
> How exciting your starting treatment, I too am epileptic and have been through 1 treatment I did talk at length with my gp and also with my consultant about how the treatment would work with my epilepsy, i can give you a few little tips but do go online and research and also talk to your gp, ask for a referral to your epilepsy doc and also discuss any concerns with your consultant and nurses.
> 
> Depending on your medication you may need a higher dose of folic acid, I am on lamictal and apparently it deminishes the levels of natural folic acid in your body so you will need to replace this and also have your extra folic acid for potential pregnancy.
> As usual have a good balanced diet gentle exercise and plenty of rest, your body and your mind will be under a lot of pressure, i wont lie to you so the more relaxed you are the less you ahve to worry about.
> 
> As far as the medication is cocerned the way it was put to me was that although taking medication through a pregnancy is not ideal it is the lesser of 2 evils , if you where to have a seizure and fall down it could cause damage that would threaten a pregnancy or potential pregnancy, if you have been 8 years fit free then keep doing what you are doing it is obviously working so add some extra me time and dont forget to talk about how you are feeling, you are number one and give your body and mind what it wants , some things become strangely less important when you are trying to get the one thing in the world that you want so dont stress about the less important things.
> 
> I hope to keep in touch with you as we will soon be trying again, I want to give my body the time that it needs to recover from all the treatment and the miscarriage until i feel normal again, which i am feeling is coming closer every day.
> 
> Good luck and loads of  and
> 
> K


Hi there!

Thanks so much for your response! I am on Lamictal too, how weird! 

I will keep you posted on how things go, hope to keep in touch through all this!


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## Sheilaweb

Its very interesting reading what advice you were given for going through treatment, as hubbys zero count was blamed on his epilepsy medication he was told to come off his drugs with an immediate effect, no gradual withdrawal or anything - to see if that would make a difference - erm yes, he'll probably have the first seizure in 10 years - erh I don't think so !!! 
But I completely agree with Mixie, going through treatment is the pits so you have got to give yourself plenty of tlc - I used to have regular Reiki sessions as well as regular pamper nights - bubble bath / foot spa moisturing creams relaxation cd's 
Wishing you all the very best for your treatments, please keep us updated x
Sheila


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## goodmommy

Hi ladies  and hello Sheilaweb(my case is almost the same as yours, did a lap to remove fibroid later found out DH has zero sperm count and has epilepsy)
His last seizure was in Feb 2011 but after finding his zero sperm  count as usual the medications were to be blamed though the doctor said he was not sure if the medications caused his infertility.
He switched his medications and at the moment he has reduced his dosage on his own just because we are going in for our ICSI in nov-dec.  
Hoping for the best.
Baby dust to all you ladies and pray for us.


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## Sheilaweb

Tictactoe,
I did loads of research into the possible links between epilepsy and infertility in men, as epilepsy and sperm making both begin in the pituitury gland - hubby had 3 zero results and we put him on Wellman multiviamins and he had a million swimmers by the time we were ready to go for icsi with our sperm donor. 
Wishing you and hubby all the very best - keep us posted, but sa always we're here for one another every step of the way x
Sheila


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