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Absense seizures
Wed, 02/21/2007 - 16:18Topic: Living With Epilepsy - Youth
Hi! My 12 yr daughter has E since Aug 05. She has had some gran mal seizures, but now we are dealing with absense ones. She starting having these the first of Jan when the doctor decided to take her off topamax and put her on depakote. Once she was totally off topamax, she had a seizure daily for 5 days. On day 5, we put her back on topamax. She hasn't had one since.
She is having more of these absense ones. Some are strong enough to were she wets her pants. The ones today, caused her not to go to school because she had a terrible head ache. And she cried after one. We see her doctor tomorrow. I am getting so lost with these things. I don't know what to do to help her. I think she is also losing a lot of memory with these. I just hate this. How can I help her?
Thanks for letting me vent.
Mindy
Comments
Re: As one who has had E since I
Submitted by MommyofLeo on Fri, 2007-05-11 - 11:02
Thank you for this comment---I came across this while browsing the information. My 11-month old was recently diagnosed and this is GREAT advice for the future as well as understanding him now! Thank you!
Re: Absense seizures
Submitted by Sophs64833 on Wed, 2007-03-28 - 17:05
Hi, I know how she feels. Itreally sucks after having a seizure. You get all tired and sometimes getting headaches that are unbearable. I too have absence seizures and have bee having them for 8 years since I was 10 years old.
As one who has had E since I
Submitted by solis on Wed, 2007-02-21 - 17:24
As one who has had E since I was far younger than your daughter, I'd suggest (respectfully) that the way you can help your daughter is by realizing that the seizure 'you' see has nothing to do with what your daughter experiences. Via http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures.html you can access information about seizures. Both types of seizures your daughter has involve her being 'unaware' at the exact time you 'discover' she is seizing. If/when your daughter realized she had a grand mal, it was after the fact, & likley due to finding herself in a different position. Same is true with absence seizures.. no awareness exists at the time she is seizing, the 'after headaches' tell her she had a seizure. So, while an observer may see a huge difference in visual 'effects' between absensce and tonic clonic seizures (and judge seriousness via what 'they' see) indivials having the seizure see NO difference. Unquestionably, absence "ones" can be just as traumatic for a patient to cope with as tonic clonic (formerly called grand mal) seizures. You can help your daughter best via learning about E (epilepsy.com is a great site for educating oneself) while you work to help find a med that controls her, & by remembering your daughter is far likely to be affected by 'your' reaction (and the after- headache) than by the seizures. Another way to help your daughter would be, even while searching for meds to control her E in the future, to accept her today. Sadly, E does a number on the ego of a child, so help strengthen her self-perception by making sure she knows you love her, despite the seizures. best wishes to both of you, ~sol