Epilepsy and the menstrual cycle

Some women with epilepsy notice that there is a link between their menstrual cycle and their tendency to have seizures. For example, you may have more seizures when you are having a period or more seizures at specific times in your menstrual cycle. This is known as catamenial epilepsy.

If you think that there may be a link between your seizures and your menstrual cycle, you could keep a seizure diary for three months. This would help you and your doctor to see if there is a pattern. Your doctor may then be able to discuss possible treatments with you. One possible treatment is the drug, clobazam (Frisium). This can be taken alongside your regular anti-epileptic drugs, but just on the days that you are at a higher risk of having seizures.

Effects of premenstrual tension

Many women find that their periods affect their mood, especially in the days leading up to menstruation. This is known as premenstrual tension (PMT). Stress and anxiety are common symptoms of PMT and these are also well-recognised triggers for seizures. For this reason, having PMT may increase the risk of seizures.

Many women experience water retention around the time of their period and there is some evidence to suggest that changes in the fluid balance of the body may make seizures more likely.

Disturbances in the menstrual cycle

The majority of women have a menstrual cycle which lasts 25 – 35 days. The average cycle lasts for 28 days. However, if you have epilepsy, you may find that your periods happen more often than every 25 days or less often than every 35 days. A small number of women with epilepsy have unpredictable periods that don’t seem to follow a set pattern. These disturbances may be due to having epilepsy itself, your seizure pattern or even your anti-epileptic drugs.

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