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Does Tegretol Affect Thyroid Hormone Levels?
Question: I have had three grand mal seizures since 2012. the third one on the 14th of feb. I have tried four AED's and have had bad side effects to all. Scared to try the fifth. Tegretol, it will be 200 in morn and 200 at night. My concern it it can effect my thyroid, and I believe my seizures are do to my hypothryoid and being in pre-menapause. Can I be having seizures cause of my hormones and is this something that I can eventually grow out of? And do I risk the Tegretol ruining my thyroid more? Also the last two years I have been on antibotics 21 times in the last 24 months.
Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Your worry about Tegretol side effects on thyroid function is justified I must admit. I am not sure it would be my first choice in someone with a low thyroid function as it can further affect it. Looking at the tried medications list obviously yours is not an easy case, however if I were to choose the most appropriate drug for grand mal seizures I would go with Valproic acid.
Regarding your hypothesis of seizures being related to perimenopause you again have a point. Perimenopause may increase the likelihood for seizures as estrogen/progesterone ratio is higher and estrogen is a brain stimulant on the contrary to progesterone. So there is some hope that you may improve in time. It is no guarantee though, given also your family history you are an individual with a lower seizure threshold, who is prone to seizures, hormonal changes can't be blamed alone.
As for the need to be often on antibiotics, infections can also lower seizure threshold and may be a contributing factor, so any infection must be promptly treated and its origin investigated.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Your worry about Tegretol side effects on thyroid function is justified I must admit. I am not sure it would be my first choice in someone with a low thyroid function as it can further affect it. Looking at the tried medications list obviously yours is not an easy case, however if I were to choose the most appropriate drug for grand mal seizures I would go with Valproic acid.
Regarding your hypothesis of seizures being related to perimenopause you again have a point. Perimenopause may increase the likelihood for seizures as estrogen/progesterone ratio is higher and estrogen is a brain stimulant on the contrary to progesterone. So there is some hope that you may improve in time. It is no guarantee though, given also your family history you are an individual with a lower seizure threshold, who is prone to seizures, hormonal changes can't be blamed alone.
As for the need to be often on antibiotics, infections can also lower seizure threshold and may be a contributing factor, so any infection must be promptly treated and its origin investigated.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
What kind of tests do you recommend me
Having to help figure out origin of seizures and where the infection can be hiding in my body? My general panels come out normal, but I also know that does not mean anything when coming to the infection part. I am at a lose of what direction I need to take next. My infections started two years ago after dental work. I am swollen over my right collar bone and ever since the dental work they have been monitoring my right breast. I feel strongly that my lymph nodes may be the source but I can't get docs by me to listen to get testing done. Any advice is very welcomed. I am pealing myself like an onion trying to figure out each layer but at the same time believe they are intertwined. What docs I should see and what deeper testing I should have done. Thank you
Having to help figure out origin of seizures and where the infection can be hiding in my body? My general panels come out normal, but I also know that does not mean anything when coming to the infection part. I am at a lose of what direction I need to take next. My infections started two years ago after dental work. I am swollen over my right collar bone and ever since the dental work they have been monitoring my right breast. I feel strongly that my lymph nodes may be the source but I can't get docs by me to listen to get testing done. Any advice is very welcomed. I am pealing myself like an onion trying to figure out each layer but at the same time believe they are intertwined. What docs I should see and what deeper testing I should have done. Thank you
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
This infection issue is a little unclear I must say. I mean if blood panels indicated no infection how was the diagnosis made, what symptoms and other tests did you have apart from general panels? Was it always the same recurring infection or different sites were involved. I find it difficult to believe that you've had 21 courses of antibiotics without some evidence of infection, how did the prescribing doctors argument giving antibiotics over and over again.
So while to answer your question it would be easy to simply say that an infectious disease specialist would be the most appropriate type of doctor to search for an infection, I feel that there is some information missing. As for tests to be had they include at least a blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, c reactive protein, urine analysis. Blood cultures may be included as well. Further tests would include imaging tests and local specimens which depend on the suspected site.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
This infection issue is a little unclear I must say. I mean if blood panels indicated no infection how was the diagnosis made, what symptoms and other tests did you have apart from general panels? Was it always the same recurring infection or different sites were involved. I find it difficult to believe that you've had 21 courses of antibiotics without some evidence of infection, how did the prescribing doctors argument giving antibiotics over and over again.
So while to answer your question it would be easy to simply say that an infectious disease specialist would be the most appropriate type of doctor to search for an infection, I feel that there is some information missing. As for tests to be had they include at least a blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, c reactive protein, urine analysis. Blood cultures may be included as well. Further tests would include imaging tests and local specimens which depend on the suspected site.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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