"The Pill" and Tegretol - Epilepsy Message Board

SentenceDoing · 08-19-2006, 03:49 PM

I recently started taking the birth control pill to help control my seizures better, because my seizures are caused by my hormones.
But I have two questions:

First, I told a friend about this, and she also has epilepsy (though hers is completely under control with Tegretol), and she said that her doctor told her that taking The Pill would do nothing more than mess up her Tegretol levels... Tegretol is one ofthe meds I take. Does anyone here know anything about that?

And second, if the birth control pill supposedly doesn't work effectively for birth control itself when you're on Tegretol (which I am), then how is it going to be effective in evening out my hormones?

I'm asking because I don't know if it's working. I've had a few bad days in the past week with my auras, and I've been taking the Birth Control pill for about a week. But I also started changing the times that I take my seizure meds, so I don't know if maybe that has anything to do with it.

Any insight is appreciated! Thanks!

aunti2egl · 08-19-2006, 06:19 PM

I recently got back on the pill and my (old) family Dr. while against it, wrote me a prescription for Nortrel, I have very irreg cycles and go for 7 days and it's gotten worse, so she put me back on.....but told me that I'd need another form of birthcontrol if I was going to have intercourse. That is all I know, that is interesting that your doctor said your hormones were causing it....any medicene I start (otc/rx) after a certain amt of days will mess with my levels, but then I'm fine. Hope I was of (some) help.

Colleen04 · 08-19-2006, 09:13 PM

I'm on Tegretol and Lamictal and a year ago was on birth control. I stopped after 4 months of it because it made me really nauses. Which sucked b/c it regulated my periods. Anyway, besides the nausea I didn't really notice a difference.

Quote:

And second, if the birth control pill supposedly doesn't work effectively for birth control itself when you're on Tegretol (which I am), then how is it going to be effective in evening out my hormones?

It still evens out your hormones just like it does for anyone else that isn't on medication. BUT the only part thats not effective is the pregnancy part.

One more thing...the first 2 months I was on birth control I had a couple seizures right before my period. But after that I was fine. I think it was related considering that wasn't the norm for me. So that could be a reason you're having a few bad days and auras. Give it a couple months. It usually takes that long for your body to get used to the pill anyway.

SentenceDoing · 08-20-2006, 12:23 PM

Thanks for your replies!!
I was thinking of stopping the Birth control after a month if it wasn't working or I was getting worse, but I think I'll give it at least 2 months. I didn't know it took your body that long to get used to it.

aunti2egl · 08-20-2006, 05:50 PM

I talked to my new family dr. and he said it takes at least 3 months for the pill to take affect, effect.....LOL whichever...I was having problems with mine a couple wks ago, having two cycles in one month and such and the dr. said to give it some time (it's been 5 months this month)....so I hope it goes back to normal, cause to go off it, would suck more. LOL