Seizures and Epilepsy: Frequently Asked Questions

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Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

Started having seizures about 4-5 years ago they only happen occasionally but all doctor wants to do is keep upping doses. this is aggravating me what should I do and work harasses me because of this

I have two seizures in the past 9 months in the medicine that they have put me on makes me feel sleepy tired and takes a lot out of me should I be working?

I am 54 and after intense morning of exercise i experience 4 petit mal seizures over about an hour. Once i hydrated there were no more recurrences. After long day in hospital with all the tests no answers. Can i go on living normal life?

My mom just had her first seizure 3 days ago and know she acts very weird. She claims she can see people and she look into space and its scary. Also her eyes are getting weaker because she said that she cant see very well. Does anyone know if she will get better?

I started having seizures when I was seven and my condition was ignored until I was almost nine, I was only diagnosed a little over a year ago and I just got working mediction a few months ago. Before it all started, I was an honor roll student with occasional straight A-pluses, and now I have to work to my breaking point just to pass a class. I continuously get splitting headaches, have minor convulsions, or I find myself forgetting simple tasks constantly. Does anyone know if this is an effect of medication, or maybe seizures and can this be treated? Would this be a cause for my frequent panic attacks, too?

My seizures started 3 years ago when i was 37 years old. They started happening 2 to 3 times a month. I have convulsions and i dont have any feeling before. I have split my skull open many times. I was started on depakote then, keppra was added now i take 3 different ones a day. They cant find it on an EEG or AEEG or MRI..now im up to 4 to 7 a month. I cant work anymore and thats hard enough on a physically fit 39 year old man. I need sum help

I'm 18, last time I had a seizure was a little over a decade ago, I had 4 all Grand Mal, caused by brain trauma from a fall when I was very little. Until about 3 weeks ago, I had my first seizure. Then just this past Friday I had another one. I was on Lamictal for a very long time, and did not have ANY seizures during the time I was on it. However, when my doctor tried to wean me off of Lamictal, I was leaving the hospital and had another seizure, again this was when I was very little. I haven't taken Lamictal for years. And have been Seizure free! But suddenly I have had two in less than a month. I haven't taken Lamictal since I was in Elementary school. And suddenly they have come back? I have odd feelings of dejavu, and the dejavu feeling makes me feel nauseous. I've had that feeling since I was little, but not until after my seizures. Is this a Seizure Aura?

I've been having seizures for ten years and the first neurologist said I had pseudoseizurez then the second one labeled me with partial Epilepsy tonic clonic. My question is now I realize when I have a seizure I can't breathe, it feels like my tongue is swollen and blocking my airway!? So how can I get help?

I was 3 years old when I got a seizure I got them when I was sleeping or laying down and It stopped when I was 8 years old and ever since then I been getting headaches . Now I'm 21 years old and I still got head aches and I'm scared it might come back in the future. What do I do? If they come back.

I have not had a seizure in three yrs. Since I have a clip put on a brain anerusym, they discovered. Then on Saturday pass, sometime before day I had one. The only thing that I can think of that I did was strain my eye out Of the usual. I was placed back on Dilantin the oldest seizure med there is. But the emergency room Dr. said, that they are moving to Keppra. Which I've taken before and that's something that's safe for your baby. Ask her physician. My tongue hurried, so bad I put some Oregel and Liquid benadryl and it ease the pain.

My daughter is nine got diagnosed with epilepsy when she was four. She has been taking the wrong meds for five years. Found her a new doctor today and he got her on the right meds. my concern is that all the meds she has been on for five years have hurt her body. Does anyone know anything about this. Would appreciate the input

How long after a major seizure should the person not be left alone?

How often would someone with epilepsy have an attack? Every day, once a week, once a month. ..longer?

My brother takes 1000mg of Depakote daily for epilepsy. He hasn't had a seizure in a very long time up until a month ago. He has now had 4 and has had to go to the er. And ideas?

I had a grand mal seizure for yhe first time 3 months ago. I stopped breathing and my heart stopped. I had cpr done and that brought me back. I dont know why my heart stopped and im terrified of having another one. My bloodpressure in the ambulance was 270/185 after the seizure and cardiac arrest. I want to know if this has happened to anyone else during a grand mal?

Surgery is a major step and you have to make sure that you feel comfortable with the risk to benefit ratio that your doctor should be able to talk to you about.  That said, my daughter has a major seizure disorder and I only wish that surgery was an option.  We have run out of choices and surgery won't work in her case, because the focal point of the seizures is too far within her brain.  Have the doctors given you their opinion of how likely the surgery is to be successful?  The only other advice I have to offer is to find the best clinic that you can go to.  Some of the hospitals have AMAZING success rate with these surgeries and I would want to go to the best.  If you call the social workers at the hospital you want to go to they can get you once in a lifetime use free medical tickets from some of the major airlines and many times have very inexpensive places for your caregiver to stay or you if you have to stay in the area longer.  Insurance will usually be accepted at all major hospitals, unless you have HMO.

Good luck with whatever you choose.  Know that there are people out here praying for you.

After a punch to the jaw which left me needing a 3 hour op to insert 3 metal plates and 4 screws to hold my face together again, I started having really horrible and scary 'déjàvu' feelings unlike anything I've ever had before. For years of consulting several Drs about this, and telling them my genuine worries of this meaning I was scitziphrenic as my uncle had scitzophrenia and I had no other explanation for what this could possibly be, I was handed alsorts of antidepressants and felt I was being fobbed off, until, 4 years ago on this very night, I had my first seizure while I was asleep, witnessed by my husband and terrified daughter. I knew nothing of it except for the sore tounge I was left with after almost biting right through it! The next day I was shocked when my dr told me he feared I could have epilepsy and referred me to my neurologist. He told me he had been wanting to say something when I kept telling of this 'déjàvu', but he couldn't say anything unless there was 2 things to link it! For 5 years I had been worried sick and lived with fear that I can not explain, and all the time it was epilepsy, caused by this injury to my jaw! From then on, the seizures began to spiral out of control to the point I have had to be admitted to a residential specialist centre 3 times for between 4-6 weeks at a time for assessment and the hope of getting the right combination of medication to stabilise them, to no avail, having to leave my 4 children and not being able to see them as the centre is 4 hours from where we live, has been very difficult and upsetting for them and I, and I have to be admitted again for another week before April 2015 with the view of having surgery to try and at least reduce them. I am not keen on the thought of surgery, the 'what if's' scare the living day lights out of me, also, my children are now my main carers and have had training to administer emergency medication (midazolam) to me as I have flat lined twice with the seizures coming one after the other in rapid succession with no recovery in between. I know this op could be just what is needed, but the other side of the coin, although rare, just doesn't bare thinking about. My kids do an amazing job looking after me and I am so proud of them, but I also know they constantly worry about me and I feel I am a burden to them, they are 18,17,12 and 9. Has anyone who has had surgery for their seizures, have any advice on the pros and cons or how you feel it helped it not? If only I had the courage to report this when it happened, wouldn't have changed the epilepsy but maybe justice would have been done, and now I think it's too late! Thanks for taking the time to read my rather long post (sorry). This is a great and clear guide, thank you for sharing as a lot of people even the families and close friends, don't know how to deal with this, it's very informative.

hi i am 29 year old, 4 years back i had a seizure, my dad witness as per him he said some shake comes out from my mouth and body was jerking, then doctor take MRI adn a cyst was found .then he give me Sodium di valporate 500mg [ plus cipralex 20mg .i was feeling fine but suddenly again i am not feeling fine as my doctr few months ago stop my medicines he thinks its useless to take medication because you have no fits now. but from last 5 months i am feeling pain in my head at different locations, and now ther is a contionous pain at right parential region where there is a cycst. kindly advise me what to do my email is raheelifitkha61@hotmail.com.

I can control mine to some degree, because they only happen on one side of my body and I'm awake for them most of the time.. the aura part is very true for me, and I get the feeling that I can delay it by feeling to myself, 'give me more time to get someplace safe' but eventually the event takes over.

My friend is 20 years old and she have recurrent seizure attack

full unconsious that lasts nearly one hour with bitting lips and muscle rigidity and body shivering(after recovery).....

she was previously diagnosed with Familial Mediterranean fever 

and now she is on trt with colchicine 3 dose daily still some times got seizure attack (usually once a month)>>>

plz what do u think the cause and what is the type of seizure ? and the most imp is related to the familial medtierenian fever?

regards

I'm sorry but I don't believe someone can control their seizures and if your son can then they are likely pseudoseizures. Do not guilt him by giving him responsibility for true seizure activity, that is wrong.

Our son has been diagnosed with epilepsy 2 years ago. We didnt know he had it til we were driving to school one day and he had a grand mal. Seizures are scary to witness, especially when you dont know the person has epilepsy. We chose not to go the medication route and chose chiropractic care. That along with adequate sleep, bananas (potassium), a healthy diet, lots of water and a cut back on tv and video games...he does not have grand mals. However, when hes not disciplined to do all this...he gets grand mals in his sleep. He also says when he is awake if he focuses he can stop the seizures. He says he feels a certain way and usually will have a partial. When this happens he concentrates to not have a grand mal and it has worked. I know as a mom it is scary to witness...even as a sibling..or really anyone. However, with much knowledge from the neurologist it helpd me to understand the condition better.He has had about 5 grand mals over the course of the last 2 years with this treatment...most in his sleep at the same time in the morning. Mainly because he gets lax on drinking enough water or sleep, etv..he can control it. So when hes disciplined grand mals dont happen. Because he has thwm in his sleep, he may have had more that we dont know about, but with the discipline and knowledge it helps us to ensure he doeant have more. Its when hes not that they show up. We have not made him feel like he us any different than anyone else. That its just a word not a disease to describe what he has. He has been able to help his school understand it and be prepared for it for him and others to come. No one should be embarrassed about somehing they were born with and cant control. Live life to the fullest. Thats what we are here for, but we need to make sure we take thw steps that are necessary to ensure we do that the best we can.

My 16 year old son had a seizure that lasted over 30 sec. When he woke up he didn't know who he was or where he was. He was saying really weird  things and confused. Took him a few hours to recover. Is this normal? Took him to the hospital, he had low electrolytes.

I am not sure what caused you to have a seizure but  many things would cause me to have them.  That includes exercising/doing physical stuff, watching a movie/show with bright lights, getting mad/my emotions, being tired/not sleeping enough, and doing too much work at school and at home.

I am not epileptic and there is no family history of this. I passed out yesterday whilst I was awaiting a scan at the hospital. When i came round I couldn't move or talk. The Drs told me I had a seizure. Not sure what caused this.

I'm at age 15 and i had seizures for the past three years.  No medications helped me, they actually made my seizures even worse and caused me to have more, but finally on march 10, 2014 i had my last seizure.  This is because on  March 11, 2014 i had brain surgery and it stopped me from having seizures.  Lastly, i just want to say that no matter what happens... always be positive, be grateful for what you have in your life, and know that everything happens for a reason.  Thanks and i hope that you all get better with any issues that you have going on in your life.

I've been having seizures since I was 12 years old and now I am at age 15. I first started taking drugs which is what most people do but for me it didn't help at all.  In fact, it got my seizures to be even worse and made me have them almost every day!  Luckily, my last seizure happened on March 10, 2014 which was the day before I had brain surgery.  Going back to when I first started having seizures, my family and I thought that brain surgery was that last thing that we would do.  The truth is though, it stopped me from having seizures 100% for the rest of my life. Lastly, I just want to say that I have learned a lot from going through this myself and to me.... just be grateful for what you have in your life, always be positive, and know that everything happens for a reason.  Thanks and I hope that you all get better with any issues that you are having.

A person said they seen someone having a seizure and their eyes turned black and body swelled. I never seen or heard this before.

I'm with u. um scared to leave my baby . his only 3 months . my first seziur was I was 9. months pregnant with my son and the other one was bk in Feb. I'm 30 yrs now and I've never had this problem before. help someone tell me way goin on with me plz

I am 26 years old and started having seizures in sept 2013, there are 7 family members that have epilepsy one who sadly died from it. My  neurologist has been no help to me at all, I have had several tests done and been put on every medication they could think of and nothing is helping! I have about 25-40 partial seizures a day and a grand mal almost once a week but no longer than 14 days in between so far. I am fearful for my life and leaving my five year old behind, she has already had to save my life once when I was chok​ing on my throw up during a grand mal. I have bro​k​en my ribs, cheek​ bone and jaw from hitting hard surfaces and actually had to move to a safer carpeted home to try and prevent such injuries. I have a web site on go fund me.com because I am not able to leave the house let alone have a job. I don't k​now what to do anymore. If there is anyone out there who has this same problem or â€‹k​nows anyone who has please contact me at Melonlove09@gmail.com , there has to be someone out there who can help me.

Good and logical information. Thanks

I am 45 years old and was diagnosed with epilepsy when i was 11,i'm up for my esa tribunal hearing soon which i know i'm gonna lose because i can walk.People with invisible dissabilities are being discriminated against which is wrong so people who have cancer,heart condition,ms,lupus,bipolar disorder,diabetes the list goes on doesn't look good for them either

I had 2 seizures over 6 years ago and I was put on Topimax for 2 years which eventually vanished the problem. Only about a year ago I had weird episodes very similar to panic attacks. My neurologist put me on Keppra and eventually weened me off of that and on to Zonisamide(which I love, it also helps with headaches). Now that I\'m on this medication mainly as a precautionary, when I\'m at doctors offices do I need to write down that i\'m an epileptic, although I\'ve out grown it? Just curious!
I'm 21 years old and I've had epilepsy since I was 5. I would like to know if there is anything I could do to limit the risk of having a seizure
My son is 4 year old and suffering from tonic clonic seizures. I found him unconsciousness and fall on ground in our garden, our doctor prescribe, keppra helps to treat tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children who are at least 6 years old. What other treatment should I go with? http://tinyurl.com/psfuym7
great compilation of information!! much appreciated!
I had my first seizure,and this information has really helped me thanks

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