Could Seizure Meds Cause Cemical Unbalance?

Question

I don't take them anymore, but I did when I was much young @ around 7-8. Then I got off of them @ 10 when the doctor discovered I had despression w/ no more signs of having seizure anymore. He took me off of those meds and claimed since that I took them alittle too long than recommended, that it caused chemical unbalance; thus having depression.

Is that even possible & are there anyone w/ similiar stories?

Answer 1

this is for sure true. I took pheobarbitol in ever increasing doses from the time I was 12 until I was 22, and have had to deal with chronic clinical depression ever since. I stopped taking the drug at 22 when it was determined that they were causing my abnormal EEG patterns, I only had one seizure in my life right before they put me on the seizure drug. Oh yeah, there's a price to pay for taking those drugs, they mess up your neuro chemicals big time. Seizures that are uncontrolled, can lead to death, so it's a matter of the lesser of two evils as far as using antiseizure medications. I would only urge parents to monitor their children's treatment closely, and when a child has gone longer than a year without a seizure, it is time to try weaning them off the drugs.

Answer 2

Anti-seizure medications are known to cause a variety of mental side-effects, since they mess with the natural brain chemistry on purpose. Some complain it makes them think slower, and some drugs can make you sleepier or depressed, etc. It's not unheard of, though many keep taking it because seizures could be worse than the side effects.

Answer 3

"Infestions" aka infestations are only caused by living organisms. Very few drugs pass themselves through the semen. They may effect the sperm itself (count, deformity). Anti-seizure medications like clonazepam, carbamazepine, depakote, etc, are sometimes contraindicated during pregnancy or breast feeding, but there is no evidence of a woman 'getting a dose' from her sex partners semen.