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Can menopause trigger epilepsy?

Posted , 5 users are following.

pinkcatfairy
pinkcatfairy

I read somewhere that menopause and the start of puberty could cause epilepsy due to the inbalance of hormones. I ask this because a relative entering menopause is experiencing this. Of course, she is currently under medical supervision. I did mention to her about the menopausal connection but she said her doctor is unsure this is the cause. I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this?

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • cazjaz16
    cazjaz16 pinkcatfairy

    Posted

    I have heard that also regarding puberty but others have complained of seizures in menopause but it doesn't apply to me. So I'm not to sure Hun perhaps someone will reply who has experienced it xx
    • pinkcatfairy
      pinkcatfairy cazjaz16

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply, yes will be intersting to hear from others. It is quite a frightening symptom when you haven't suffered with them before.
  • DDDivine
    DDDivine pinkcatfairy

    Posted

    I am interested in this post here is a brief synopsis of my experience.

    At age 39 I had been experiencing severe night sweats.  One week before my 40th birthday I had a full blown seizure out of the blue.  Nothing came up on an MRI or EEG/ECG so they sent me off with meds.  I continued to have a further four or five seizures over a period of 8 years.  Each one devastating, and never a reason given.  The neurologist simply had no idea what was causing them.

    Now there is a condition called 'catamenial epilepsy' which triggers seizures when oestrogen levels fluctuate, so it stands to reason that seizures might trigger in those with a lower seizure threshold.  It does not mean everyone will, but clearly my seizure threshold is lower than that of the normal population.  That is of course if my seizures are caused by drops in oestrogen.  However progesterone protects against seizures and since age 38 I have had a progesterone coil,  Go figure....

    In the 13 years that I have had 'epilepsy' I have searched tirelessly reading every single article I can find.  I am still no wiser.  I will be following this thread with interest.

    Sorry for boring and typing such a long post, thanks for reading this far if you haven't already lost the will to live.

    I can recommend the National Society for Epilepsy website if you want to read up more about the condition and there is a helpful community on there too.

    Have I helped?  Not sure.  Sorry if I haven't.

    DD

    • pinkcatfairy
      pinkcatfairy DDDivine

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply, my sister in law started getting these episodes where she couldnt speak for a few seconds and after having these episodes for so long it has now gone on to epileptic fits. It is very interesting what you have written as obviously there is a connection with hormones. Prior to this she never had seizures like this. She is waiting to see a specialist again, she had tests before but nothing was found but that was when she was just having the brain pause moments (best to describe it) and not the fits. It will be interesting to hear if any other ladies have experienced fitting in menopause x
  • DDDivine
    DDDivine pinkcatfairy

    Posted

    Yes the silence would be a partial seizure meaning the brain corrects itself before the lot shuts down.  Some have only partial, some have full blown.  I don't think it is a sign that things are worse, it just means that the wiring gets in a pickle and the brain has to reboot.  Meds will sort it in time (hope she is on them) and it may take a few tries before she gets what works, but perseverence is key.  Once sorted she will be just the same as ever.  I hold down a big job and am functioning as well as you can expect any menopausal woman to operate!!!  Seriously though, she may never get to the bottom of why it happened, heaven knows I've tried.  In a way I wish I could pin it down to menopause because then I would know that it would clear up after and I could stop the medication.  I hope your sister in law is ok and do tell her to look up that other site, there's loads of things she can get such as free prescriptions, disabled rail card, free bus pass etc, even if she is driving again.  Best of luck. XX

     

    • pinkcatfairy
      pinkcatfairy DDDivine

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply, I will pass on the information! Yes it is better if you can find reasons for these things happening! She isn't on medication at the moment, she is in the process of getting it sorted (hopefully!) x
  • susan21149
    susan21149 pinkcatfairy

    Posted

    I have heard about this too it can also cause a lot of panick attacks with the change in hormones. Hormone changes can cause a lot of things our body goes through like epilepsy, panick attacks, being cold or hot, 

    The epilepsy could be due to her blood pressure rising or her sugar levels could be high these things can cause seizures in people dealing with menopause and hormone changes 

    When she has an episode take her vitals to see what her blood pressure is and her sugar level too and maybe this will give you a clue as to why your relative is having epilepsy issues. 

    I kow what my heart rate is up and my blood pressure and my sugar level is up i fall into panick mode right away or a lot of anxieties come out 

    I would just have her vitals checked out and her blood sugar to make sure that the hormones are not affecting her heart rate, blood pressure and sugar levels because if these are high it can cause seizures in people 

    My boy friend has epilepsy and when his blood pressure is up he would have an attack or when his sugar is up or down it would make him feel funny like he is going to have an attack.

    With me when my blood pressure is up i feel anxious and i am in and out of the bathroom and then when my heart rate is racing i feel more anxieties or panicky or if my sugar is up or down i feel dizzy or just funny. 

    This is just an advise to do when she does have an attack then that way you will know what to do

     

    • pinkcatfairy
      pinkcatfairy susan21149

      Posted

      Dear Susan thanks for your reply, her husband (my brother) suffers with them and is on medication so hopefully that will help her through this. I will pass all info on to her, she is in the process of seeing someone to hopefully get it sorted. From what i have read hormones can play a part in all of this!! X
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