My New Neurologist

So, I asked the medical assistant at the hospital which doc she'd recommend for a pregnant women with epilepsy who's into natural medicine and wants to not be on drugs. Tall order for a neurologist. So this neuro is new and has advised a patient to take Butterbur for migraines - there's hope.

The MA was disgruntled and shared that she was frustrated with the medical establishment after over a decade of working in it because all they do is hand out pills like solutions.

When the doc came in, I explained that I haven't been on the dose I'm supposed to be on in a long time, I'm sleeping all the time, eating frequently & healthily, cut caffeine and alcohol and my stress level has gone down since I'm about to graduate (kind of over the panic). I've had no myoclonic jerking or symptoms and I rapidly lowered my dose.

She said that it was the American Neurological Association's stance that I should increase my dose by 6 times back up to the dose I was prescribed 6 years ago and stay on that for the course of the development of my fetus. Period.

She then went on to say that I'm putting my baby at risk for death because I would cut of the blood supply during a seizure. She said, "But, it looks like you've already made up your mind"

Darn tootin', Miss. I hadn't had a full-on tonic clonic in 6 years on a low dose of medication that is mostly used to control myoclonis and bipolar depression, but I had 2 on a higher dose of Lamotrigine and 4 on Tegretol. So, for someone who went a year without medication or a seizure (a.k.a. I'm not convulsing all the time and I know my triggers), is it really indicated? Is it worth the risk of damage to the baby?

I don't think her brain was working far beyond the functioning of a parrot. Her physical exam sucked and she nearly forgot to do it. She was mostly worried about giving me the PARQ and charting that she gave me the standard of care so I can't sue her. She couldn't even advise me on how I should come off of it - she just pointed out that I might feel sad because it's for bipolar & that I should consult my general practitioner about the danger of the herbs I'm taking.

Look, I am a general practitioner in a matter of months. I know the biochemistry f the drug I am taking more than most doctors & very few doctors know anything about herbs. They just say they're dangerous and don't work in the same sentence. If the tiny amount of rosemary is contraindicated due to uterine contraction, then so are orgasms. I can feel that red raspberry tea is not good for me right now because I know my body... and it hurts, but it CAN be used throughout pregnancy in some people with great benefit.

So, I'm alone. I still hate going to the doctor and the hospital, so we'll see how this birthing experience goes. A mom can't be nervous - it makes the whole thing take longer and be more painful because stress and birthing don't mix.

Neurologist Fail.