Vimpat & Pregnancy

MLR04

Is anyone familiar with this anti-seizure medication and pregnancy? There isn't much testing that has been done because it is such a new drug.  It is currently a category C.  Any information is welcomed.  Thanks! 

JoNi2010

Unfortunately you will not get very much info since like you said it is very new.  It may be safe, it may not.  Only long term studies can tell, and that requires time.

There are other anti-seizure medications that have been around for longer, and work just as well as Vimpat without the unwanted side effects like the really old ones.  A lot of them are also Category C but have been studied more extensively in pregnant women.

Talk to you physician.  Good luck.

MLR04

Thanks for your response! I've been on a ton of other drugs and was not able to become seizure-free until I added Vimpat in conjunction with Lamictal.  I had my son while taking Lamictal, which according to many studies is the best one ot take to conceive.  The Vimpat is a category C because that's what medications are given when there isn't extensive studies.  It's been tested on animals resulting in defects.  However, apparently sometimes there are defects found in animals that are not found in humans.  I hope I can find some positive studies.  I don't want to be the guinea pig.

axh2277

Drug companies can't study the possible issues a drug can cause on a pregnancy woman and/or the baby because its considered inhumane to do such studies which is why they rely on the animal studies which according to the high risk OB I saw isn't always reliable.  I was on a class C blood pressure medication and I was concerned and spoke with both my OB and the high risk OB and we went over the possible risks and in the end I decided to stay on it and made it a lot further in the pregnancy than any of us of thought I would.  GL! 

jennylyn128

MLR 04. How Did your pregnancy go on vimpat. I'm 27 weeks and my Dr is adding 50 mg of vimpat. I currently take 400 mg of lamictal.