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Does a seizure disorder = epilepsy?
Sat, 03/29/2008 - 00:15Greetings, all!
Six weeks ago I was diagnosed with "idiopathic seizure disorder." At my follow up appointment today I asked my neuro for my diagonsis and he said the same thing. He doesn't seem to know what kind of seizures I am having. The EEG showed seizure activity in various parts of the brain. The only thing we seem to know for sure is that I am NOT having grand mal seizures.
So, does having a seizure disorder = epilepsy? Is there a magic moment when a seizure disorder converts to epilepsy? I am not eager for a label, but I just would like to know what to call the stuff happening to me. My seizures change and seem to cover both the complex and simple partial seizure arena.
I am currently on Keppra 3000 mg and Dilantin 300 mg a day and I still have seizures. I have started the long process of starting Lamictal and in 8 weeks he will start weaning me off the Dilantin.
Anyone else have a seizure disorder? Any advice to long and slow process of starting and weaning meds. The side effects of my Keppra/Dilantin cocktail is driving me crazy. I can't tell you how excited I am to add another med to the mix. (Can you hear my cyber-voice dripping with sarcasm?)
Any advice or comments welcome. I've been reading everything I can about seizures, but I can't seem to find myself in any article or textbook. If my EEG wasn't abnormal I would think it was all in my head. (pun intended)
Thanks in advance!!
~christy
Comments
Re: Does a seizure disorder = epilepsy?
Submitted by tonialpha on Sun, 2009-07-05 - 21:47
You are definitely a patient. I had no idea what was going on. I worked in the field of Neurology and when I had a sz. People would look at me and then I realize I had one. I was not aware of my simple partials, I would look at a patients EEGs and see MRIs and CTs and see normal and abn cases and hear awful things happening to patients but when I would go to my Epileptologist, I felt he wasn't listening. I had an idea of e-mailing the Dr. the information prior to appt. and that did the trick. He had a copy and I had a copy of what I wanted to relate.
My MRI was abnormal and I have had several done and this was done specifically fine slices of the brain and they found my abnormality. My EEG is abnormal too. I was astonished. I do the same things as most people do except I do not drive. I am raising 2 teenagers. I work out 4 miles a day weather permiting. I try to act and do things normally too. Szs once in a while get in the way. I have a VNS. I have had 2 surgeries and recently while in the hospital while they were monitoring me via EEG they noted my unusual szs and abn MRI. Life is a Festival! The abn. was found below my surgical removals and was believed to have occured during Gestation! I didn't know I had seizures until I was in my teens. When I was young I had no real health problems. The neuro told me it can happen to anyone like that. It can be detected by a special MRI.
I wish you the best!
You are definitely a patient. I had no idea what was going on. I worked in the field of Neurology and when I had a sz. People would look at me and then I realize I had one. I was not aware of my simple partials, I would look at a patients EEGs and see MRIs and CTs and see normal and abn cases and hear awful things happening to patients but when I would go to my Epileptologist, I felt he wasn't listening. I had an idea of e-mailing the Dr. the information prior to appt. and that did the trick. He had a copy and I had a copy of what I wanted to relate.
My MRI was abnormal and I have had several done and this was done specifically fine slices of the brain and they found my abnormality. My EEG is abnormal too. I was astonished. I do the same things as most people do except I do not drive. I am raising 2 teenagers. I work out 4 miles a day weather permiting. I try to act and do things normally too. Szs once in a while get in the way. I have a VNS. I have had 2 surgeries and recently while in the hospital while they were monitoring me via EEG they noted my unusual szs and abn MRI. Life is a Festival! The abn. was found below my surgical removals and was believed to have occured during Gestation! I didn't know I had seizures until I was in my teens. When I was young I had no real health problems. The neuro told me it can happen to anyone like that. It can be detected by a special MRI.
I wish you the best!
Re: Does a seizure disorder = epilepsy?
Submitted by louk22 on Thu, 2010-08-19 - 22:02
Yes seizure disorders are defined in general as epilepsy. It took me about a year to acept the fact. Now I am ok with it.
Encf
Yes seizure disorders are defined in general as epilepsy. It took me about a year to acept the fact. Now I am ok with it.
Encf
Re: Does a seizure disorder = epilepsy?
Submitted by kherndon1 on Sun, 2010-08-22 - 00:59
Hi Brents Gurl. My daughter had her first seizure at 13 and went 4 years before having her second grand mal and has had as many as two in a months time. So, this is not at all unusual that he went an entire year seizure free. Is he on an AED? Was he sleep deprived when these seizures occured? Did he have an abnormal amount of stress prior to these seizures? Or was he overly anxious for some reason? There are many triggers but these are a few of my daughters. Emotions can most definitely be a factor for triggering a seizure in epileptics.
Good luck & take care, Karen
Hi Brents Gurl. My daughter had her first seizure at 13 and went 4 years before having her second grand mal and has had as many as two in a months time. So, this is not at all unusual that he went an entire year seizure free. Is he on an AED? Was he sleep deprived when these seizures occured? Did he have an abnormal amount of stress prior to these seizures? Or was he overly anxious for some reason? There are many triggers but these are a few of my daughters. Emotions can most definitely be a factor for triggering a seizure in epileptics.
Good luck & take care, Karen