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Infertility and Menstrual Disorders: Seizure Medications vs. Seizures

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Controversies in Caring for Women with Epilepsy

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Abstract

A 30-year-old woman has a long standing history of generalized tonic-clonic seizures since age 15. During an inpatient epilepsy monitoring, her seizures were found to originate from dominant hemisphere frontal lobe. She has declined epilepsy surgery due to potential risks for complications. In the past, she was treated with multiple seizure medications including phenytoin, carbamazepine, topiramate, valproic acid, and lamotrigine. Currently, she is treated on a combination of lacosamide and levetiracetam and experiences at least one break through seizure per month. She is married and has been trying to become pregnant in the past 4 years with no success. During her office visit, she mentions that her menstrual periods are irregular and her gynecologist has determined that she has anovulatory cycles and decreased chance for becoming pregnant. She also has noticed weight gain and thinning of her hair, acne, and excess facial hair. She is wondering whether her condition is a result of her seizure disorder or her medications and if there is anything she can do to improve her condition.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Esther Bui M.D., F.R.C.P.C. (Assistant Professor)

  2. Mount Sinai Health System, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, 10 Union Square East, Suite 5D, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Cynthia L. Harden M.D.

  3. University of California, Irvine Medical Center, 101 The City Drive South, Pavilion I, Bldg. 30, Suite 123, Orange, CA, 92868, USA

    M. Sazgar M.D. (Commentator)

Authors
  1. Esther Bui M.D., F.R.C.P.C.
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  2. Cynthia L. Harden M.D.
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  3. M. Sazgar M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Sazgar M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Irvine Medical Center, University of California, Orange, California, USA

    Mona Sazgar

  2. Beth Israel Phillips Ambulatory Care Cen, Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA

    Cynthia L. Harden

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Bui, E., Harden, C.L., Sazgar, M. (2016). Infertility and Menstrual Disorders: Seizure Medications vs. Seizures. In: Sazgar, M., Harden, C. (eds) Controversies in Caring for Women with Epilepsy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29170-3_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29170-3_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29168-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-29170-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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