bipolar and seizures

[judybob]

my daughter is 15 yrs old and was diagnosed with bipolar about a year ago.  In the last 7 months she has had 7 seizures.  Is anyone else with bipolar having seizures?

[the_stormy_one]

it is a good question i started having seizures just a couple months before i turned 30 never a sign or any indication that led up to my first g mal but ive been diagnosed with bipolar borderline personality disorder and ptsd and for my seizures ive been tested and tested to see where they might be comin from ive always have joked sayin its my mind short circuiting cause i just process way to much at one time but after readin up on my mental diagnosis im really beginning to wonder because im now on 3 different seizure medications and an implant in my chest to try and control them and still have outbursts of seizure activity to the point idk why i even go through takin all the meds i do for nothing im really tryin to get to the bottom of it i hate pills and to know if i miss one dose within 24 hrs im havin a grand mal so any input anyone can give me would greatly be appreciated

[haleyjade]

You say your daughter has seizures now that she's on bipolar medication and not before? That seems kind of strange. Does she have a history of passing out of fainting? If so, the seizures could have simply progressed with age. I was diagnosed with Grand Mal seizures recently and they told me that if they weren't treated they would get worse over time. You simply may have overlooked it, as I did and mistook it as blood sugar or diabetic problems.

[ILADVOCATE]

Aside from lithium the vast majority of mood stabilizers are anti-convulsants. How exactly they are related is something just being clinically understood. Bipolar is not related to epilepsy but both (with epilepsy its clearly known) cause an overactivity of certain areas of the brain. If a person has epilepsy since they were a child and requires an anti-convulsant it should be noted that some anti-convulsants are used as mood stabilizers such as Depakoate, Trileptal, Keppra and of course Lamictal (and others) but the dosage and adjustment for bipolar would be different. Since some medications can on occassion raise the seizure threshold it would involve a close conversation between your neurologist and psychiatrist as for what medication is right for you. My neurologist and psychiatrist do speak to each other as my treatment is adjusted including today.

[Chelbella]

i have bi-polar too, and i have been havin A-typical seiazures since i was ten but i was diagnosed with bi-polar about a year ago. im thinkin my seizures have something to do liek with my mood all being effected in my brain somehow idk the doctors dont either. maybe it was there b4 the medication?

[judybob]

He said a person predisposed to seizures will have seizures.  I just think it's strange she did not have a seizure until the bipolar medication.

[LeftCoastChick]

I've never heard of it, what does her neurologist say?