Has anyone suspected Zoloft caused a seizure? - Epilepsy Message Board

jawbud · 04-08-2005, 08:12 AM

I was started on Zoloft in 1997 for depression. Over the course of the next few years I started having Auras: weird sinking feeling, hearing things and seeing something. These would occur less than 3 times a year. They would take about 10 seconds at the most. In 2001 A neurologist said it was 'Aura of Migraine' Three weeks ago I had an Aura and an hour later had 3 Tonic-Clonic seizures in a row and spent the next 4 days in the hospital. When I spoke to the neurologist there he said the original diagnosis was incorrect and that the 'Aura of Migraine' description I gave the 1st neurologist should have alerted him immediately that these were 'partial seisures'. I have since spent hours trying to find out why this happened and have found out that patients who use Zoloft will have a rate of 0.2% experiencing seizures. Of course I am not taking it any more and will be having a follow up with my Dr. next week. I am now taking Dilantin and Lamictal. Has anyone had a similar experience with Zoloft?
Thanks,
Jawbud

Phoebe · 04-08-2005, 09:02 AM

I have epilepsy and also was depressed during my life. Epilepsy can cause depression and does in many people rather than the other way around. I also took Zoloft for my depression for a while and found it helpful. I did not notice any increase in seizure activity during that time. There is an antidepressant that has a tendency to provoke seizure activity in people likely to have a seizure such as those with eilepsy. Zoloft isnt that med. Wellbutrin and others like it are. There have been ads out for several years about that. Could it be that you may have been having the aruas, which really are simple partial seizures, all along? Your doc may be using the term aura to describe those events that are only vascular in nature since they could be related to your migraines. That "aura" may not be the same as what those of us with epilesy mean by that term. You may have mentioned it but are you also being treated with an AED for seizures as well? Phoebe

emily2 · 04-08-2005, 12:40 PM

I have also wondered that because I took Zoloft while I was pregnant and now my daughter has epilepsy.

jawbud · 04-08-2005, 03:14 PM

At this point I wish I hadn't ever taken Zoloft because I did not have any 'auras' until I started taking it. It may not be the Zoloft at all but I can't help but wonder.
Thanks for the information.

Phoebe · 04-08-2005, 04:44 PM

If a medicine causes something like a seizure in the person taking it, it is considered an adverse reaction. If you stop the med, those reactions will stop. I can think of no med that can cause a group of brain cells to become damaged such that they continue to misfire causing repetitive seizures. It just dioesn;t make sense. As far as your daughter's having epilepsy, there are so many causes of seizures it wold be very short sided to stop with Zoloft as a possible cause. Only if it is known that to take the med during pregnancy will cause congenital defects should you think Zoloft was the problem. From what I have learned about it since I took it, it is very mild antidepressant. I experienced this as well. I would want to leave no stone unturned to see if you can find out why your daughter is having seizures since there are so many causes and some are metabolic. That could be congenital but it has nothing to do with Zoloft. To not seek out other possible causes in order to better understand how epilepsy may have been caused is to omit potential treatments that may prove the key to a better quality of life. This however will take some work, and many people want a quick fix. With epilepsy, there is no such thing. Good luck in your search. Phoebe