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?

[LeftCoastChick]

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

[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.

[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?

[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.