Hey Purple,
I had realized that some women with epilepsy often experience more seizures during their monthly cycle and it got me thinking on the cause, and I realized that it comes down to hormones.
Estrogen and progesterone, the two main hormones in a woman’s body, do more than regulate your cycle. They also affect your brain. Estrogen can make the brain more excitable, which means it can make seizures more likely. Progesterone does the opposite, it calms the brain down and can actually reduce seizure activity.
So when these hormones shift during your cycle, your seizures can shift too. This is so common that it has its own name: catamenial epilepsy. If you have ever noticed your seizures getting worse at certain points in your month and thought it was a coincidence, it probably was not.
So what do you do with this information?
First, start tracking. Write down when your seizures happen and where you are in your cycle at that time. It does not have to be anything fancy, a notes app on your phone works just fine. After a few months you will start to see a pattern, and that pattern is exactly what your neurologist needs to see.
Speaking of your neurologist, tell them about your cycle. Many women never connect the two in conversation with their doctor and it is such an important conversation to have. If your seizures follow a hormonal pattern, your treatment might need to reflect that.
Also, if you are on contraception or thinking about starting it, please talk to your doctor first. Some anti-seizure medications can make certain contraceptives less effective, and some contraceptives can affect how your medication works in your body. It is a two way street and your doctor needs to know the full picture.
And finally, be kind to yourself on your harder days. Once you know when your seizures are most likely to happen, you can plan around them a little. Rest more. Ask someone to stay close. It is not being dramatic, it is knowing yourself.
Your hormones and your epilepsy are connected, and your care should reflect that.
With you, every step,
Beyond Epilepsy Africa.