First Nocturnal Seizure, Help!

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So I had my first nocturnal seizure the other day (Presidents Day) and I've been concerned ever since, even to the point to where it's difficult to fall asleep because of the concern I have of having another one. Can anyone provide me some statistics on what the odds are of me having another one? Some things to note are, I have no history of seizures nor does my family, all of my scans came back completely normal. This includes CT, MRI, EEG and blood test. The neurologist I first met with told me it's fairly common for someone to have one seizure in their lifetime. Also I am a 24 year old male. I had also met with a different Neurologist yesterday who suggested if I can stand the side effects that I should start AED treatment right away which is the exact opposite of what the other neuro said. Also he basically told me to never touch another cup of alcohol again or I will have a seizure. Mind you I don't have any issues with alcohol abuse but I am in my mid 20's so I do go out from time to time, can anyone provide any insight on this and whether or not they have had a similar experience? Before this occurred the only thing that changed in my routine was me using topical rogaine for alopecia.

Comments

So tests came back normal.

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2017-03-07 - 18:53

So tests came back normal. YEAAAA. But just because the tests came back normal does not mean you can't have seizures. The CT and MRI show what the brain looks like and if there is anything different. A growth issue, scar tissue or anything different. Those things can cause issues. You said the EEG is normal. I had 20-25 EEG's and all were normal. Then I fell asleep during a longer EEG and that EEG had abnormalities, spikes, waves. So the EEG can show some thing if the test is longer of sleep deprived,You posted you had your first nocturnal seizure. Are you sure it was your first? I said that because a seizure can be a couple of seconds long and no muscle movement involved..The neurologist can say one thing and another neurologist say something different. Are either of the neurologists specialists in epilepsy??The second neurologist is looking out for you since you might have had other seizures and not known you had them. As for alcohol____ I had been with the same group of neurologists since 1971 and yes some say no alcohol. While others say a drink now and then will not hurt. By drink he meant a beer or glass of wine in a 2-3 hour period of time. As for going out with friends !!!! I went out with mine. I drank my 1 drink. after that all the drinks I had looked like everyone else's. The only difference was they had no alcohol. They were called The reason is it can counter the medications. As for medications. Yes they all have side effects. The newer medications have fewer though. They all work it just takes time for your body to get used to the medication and the therapeutic levels to build in your body. Now if a person goes without a seizure for some time then the neurologist might wean you off the medications over a period of time. So yes it could have been a one seizure. But it could also have been the tenth or more since in absence seizures the people having them do not know they had them. Yes absence seizures can be a type of seizure in nocturnal epilepsy. So if it were my son I would look at the medications and start them. I would also find out about a longer and sleep deprived EEG since they show more electrical activity. If he went over 2 years without another seizure then that would be when I would discuss getting off medications. Which is also what my neurologists worked at.As for your concern about having another seizure. Well what would happen if you had another one? Or better yet what would happen if you didn't have another one? It is your life and you control it.Think of it another way. If you get a head ache today will you get all stressed up because you might have a head ache tomorrow that is slighter. Or the one you might have 3 days from today that could be a migraine head ache?I hope this helpsJoe

So tests came back normal. YEAAAA. But just because the tests came back normal does not mean you can't have seizures. The CT and MRI show what the brain looks like and if there is anything different. A growth issue, scar tissue or anything different. Those things can cause issues. You said the EEG is normal.  I had 20-25 EEG's and all were normal. Then I fell asleep during a longer EEG and that EEG had abnormalities, spikes, waves. So the EEG can show some thing if the test is longer of sleep deprived,You posted you had your first nocturnal seizure.  Are you sure it was your first? I said that because a seizure can be a couple of seconds long and no muscle movement involved..The neurologist can say one thing and another neurologist say something different. Are either of the neurologists specialists in epilepsy??The second neurologist is looking out for you since you might have had other seizures and not known you had them. As for alcohol____ I had been with the same group of neurologists since 1971 and yes some say no alcohol. While others say a drink now and then will not hurt. By drink he meant a beer or glass of wine in a 2-3 hour period of time. As for going out with friends !!!! I went out with mine. I drank my 1 drink. after that all the drinks I had looked like everyone else's. The only difference was they had no alcohol. They were called The reason is it can counter the medications. As for medications. Yes they all have side effects. The newer medications have fewer though. They all work it just takes time for your body to get used to the medication and the therapeutic levels to build in your body. Now if a person goes without a seizure for some time then the neurologist might wean you off the medications over a period of time. So yes it could have been a one seizure. But it could also have been the tenth or more since in absence seizures the people having them do not know they had them. Yes absence seizures can be a type of seizure in nocturnal epilepsy. So if it were my son I would look at the medications and start them. I would also find out about a longer and sleep deprived EEG since they show more electrical activity. If he went over 2 years without another seizure then that would be when I would discuss getting off medications. Which is also what my neurologists worked at.As for your concern about having another seizure. Well what would happen if you had another one? Or better yet what would happen if you didn't have another one? It is your life and you control it.Think of it another way. If you get a head ache today will you get all stressed up because you might have a head ache tomorrow that is slighter. Or the one you might have 3 days from today that could be a migraine head ache?I hope this helpsJoe

So tests came back normal. YEAAAA. But just because the tests came back normal does not mean you can't have seizures. The CT and MRI show what the brain looks like and if there is anything different. A growth issue, scar tissue or anything different. Those things can cause issues. You said the EEG is normal. I had 20-25 EEG's and all were normal. Then I fell asleep during a longer EEG and that EEG had abnormalities, spikes, waves. So the EEG can show some thing if the test is longer of sleep deprived,You posted you had your first nocturnal seizure. Are you sure it was your first? I said that because a seizure can be a couple of seconds long and no muscle movement involved..The neurologist can say one thing and another neurologist say something different. Are either of the neurologists specialists in epilepsy??The second neurologist is looking out for you since you might have had other seizures and not known you had them. As for alcohol____ I had been with the same group of neurologists since 1971 and yes some say no alcohol. While others say a drink now and then will not hurt. By drink he meant a beer or glass of wine in a 2-3 hour period of time. As for going out with friends !!!! I went out with mine. I drank my 1 drink. after that all the drinks I had looked like everyone else's. The only difference was they had no alcohol. They were called The reason is it can counter the medications. As for medications. Yes they all have side effects. The newer medications have fewer though. They all work it just takes time for your body to get used to the medication and the therapeutic levels to build in your body. Now if a person goes without a seizure for some time then the neurologist might wean you off the medications over a period of time. So yes it could have been a one seizure. But it could also have been the tenth or more since in absence seizures the people having them do not know they had them. Yes absence seizures can be a type of seizure in nocturnal epilepsy. So if it were my son I would look at the medications and start them. I would also find out about a longer and sleep deprived EEG since they show more electrical activity. If he went over 2 years without another seizure then that would be when I would discuss getting off medications. Which is also what my neurologists worked at.As for your concern about having another seizure. Well what would happen if you had another one? Or better yet what would happen if you didn't have another one? It is your life and you control it.Think of it another way. If you get a head ache today will you get all stressed up because you might have a head ache tomorrow that is slighter. Or the one you might have 3 days from today that could be a migraine head ache?I hope this helpsJoe

First Nocturnal Seizure, Help!

Comments

So tests came back normal.

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2017-03-07 - 18:53

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