Hi,
My 12 year old daughter suffered a brain abscess age 9 which required surgery and long term IV antibiotics. She was left with a brain injury as a result. She was a very promising swimmer prior to her illness and despite everything she has been through, she was back in the pool training and competing again within three months of her illness. She continued to perform well and last year gained a scholarship for swimming to a top school in the UK. Unfortunately she was recently diagnosed with epilepsy as a result of the brain injury she acquired. She immediately started taking Carbamazepine (Tegratol) 300mg twice daily. She has been on the drug for three months and has remained seizure free which we are so thankful for. She has gained a bit of weight but is not experiencing any other side effects. However, since starting the drug she has struggled with her swim performance. As she is also starting puberty, I am unsure if the weight gain and her swim performance is related to this or as a result of the medication. As epilepsy is also new to us we are unsure if the condition itself once treated effects sports performance. Has anyone got experience of taking this drug whilst taking part in competitive sport.
J