Epilepsy diagnosis? Yes or no?

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So last July I was working night shift, so I slept during the day. I had a grand mal seizure around 8am. I was asleep and my wife woke up and immediately called 911. I don't remember anything until the hospital, even though my seizure had stopped before the paramedics had ever arrived. The ER docs ran some tests (blood, urine checks mostly). Everything seemed normal from what they told me so they immediately discharged me (I was in the hospital for probably an hour). My wife and I get home after grabbig food and around 11am I fell asleep. Within 15-20minutes of falling asleep (actually on my couch), I had another grand mal seizure. I went back to the ER and they went ahead and admitted me. I spent 3 nights in hospital while they observed me and started running tests. They did a CT scan, EEG, and several more blood & urine tests. Every test came back normal. I saw two neurologists while in the hospital and they had no input really as far as the cause or what to do. Shortly after I saw my primary care doctor, who referred me to a neurologist. He ran three sleep deprived EEGs over a series of days and studied the results from my previous EEG and CT scan. After several visits (probably a month after my seizures) I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I'm still shocked that only two episodes can cause this diagnoses. I mean I have no TBI history or family history, which seem to be the main causes. I take 1500mg of Keppra daily. I have not had any additional seizures. What do you guys think? Jumping the gun on the diagnoses or am I still in denial?

Comments

Jumping the gun on the

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2014-06-10 - 12:56

Jumping the gun on the diagnoses or am I still in denial? You are in denial. The EEG collects electrical brain waves which can show normal. I had 15-20 show normal. The CT scan would be looked at closer if there had been any abnormalities (seizure activity). By looking closer at the area in the brain they might see other things which can cause the electrical impulses to go off wrong. In my case the neuro-angeogram (used before ct scans and MRI's) scared brain tissue. My current neurologist did a MRI and he came out with a hemmorage to the brain causing the scar tissue which happened between 5&8 years of age. All that is needed to diagnose epilepsy is 2 seizures of the same type. Both seizures you posted were grand mal so the diagnosis is correct. Epilepsy does not run in families only. As for TBI history I have no idea what you are talking about. A person of any age at any time rich or poor good or bad can get epilepsy during that person life. You would be surprized to see the famous people in history that had epilepsy. Use your brouser and type in famous people with epilepsy. Do some research. As for keppra. Man you have the best medication I have ever used in the 50+ years I have been lving and dealing with epilepsy. Not only has it reduced the number of seizures I was having. It also shortened the time in the seizure and time to focus (get back to normal). Your dosage level is low to mid range. Now unless yo uare using extended release meds be sure to take them as directed. If 2 times a day then those should be 12 hours apart. If XR then take them the same time daily. I say this things becasue time difference can cause breakthru seizures. 7am and 7 pm is 12 hours andthat is what is needed but 7am and 10pm is not good it means that you remembered your meds but the 3 hour delay means that your dosage for 3 hours was below the levels you should have had. Medications disolve in your body and dosages are designed to disolve at set rates so those 3 hours delay can and in some people have cause rbreakthru seizures. Depending on the length of time on that medication those breakthru seizures could happen the next day or the day after, But then they may not happen. But taking medications as directed is required to control your seizures

Jumping the gun on the diagnoses or am I still in denial?  You are in denial. The EEG collects electrical brain waves which can show normal. I had 15-20 show normal. The CT scan would be looked at closer if there had been any abnormalities (seizure activity). By looking closer at the area in the brain they might see other things which can cause the electrical impulses to go off wrong. In my case the neuro-angeogram (used before ct scans and MRI's)  scared brain tissue. My current neurologist did a MRI and he came out with a hemmorage to the brain causing the scar tissue which happened between 5&8 years of age. All that is needed to diagnose epilepsy is 2 seizures of the same type. Both seizures you posted were grand mal so the diagnosis is correct.  Epilepsy does not run in families only. As for TBI history I have no idea what you are talking about. A person of any age at any time rich or poor good or bad can get epilepsy during that person life. You would be surprized to see the famous people in history that had epilepsy. Use your brouser and type in famous people with epilepsy. Do some research. As for keppra. Man you have the best medication I have ever used in the 50+ years I have been lving and dealing with epilepsy. Not only has it reduced the number of seizures I was having. It also shortened the time in the seizure and time to focus (get back to normal). Your dosage level is low to mid range. Now unless yo uare using extended release meds be sure to take them as directed. If 2 times a day then those should be 12 hours apart. If XR then take them the same time daily. I say this things becasue time difference can cause breakthru seizures. 7am and 7 pm is 12 hours andthat is what is needed but 7am and 10pm is not good it means that you  remembered your meds but the 3 hour delay means that your dosage for 3 hours was below the levels you should have had. Medications disolve in your body and dosages are designed to disolve at set rates so those 3 hours delay can and in some people have cause rbreakthru seizures. Depending on the length of time on that medication those breakthru seizures could happen the next day or the day after, But then they may not happen. But taking medications as directed is required to control your seizures

Jumping the gun on the diagnoses or am I still in denial? You are in denial. The EEG collects electrical brain waves which can show normal. I had 15-20 show normal. The CT scan would be looked at closer if there had been any abnormalities (seizure activity). By looking closer at the area in the brain they might see other things which can cause the electrical impulses to go off wrong. In my case the neuro-angeogram (used before ct scans and MRI's) scared brain tissue. My current neurologist did a MRI and he came out with a hemmorage to the brain causing the scar tissue which happened between 5&8 years of age. All that is needed to diagnose epilepsy is 2 seizures of the same type. Both seizures you posted were grand mal so the diagnosis is correct. Epilepsy does not run in families only. As for TBI history I have no idea what you are talking about. A person of any age at any time rich or poor good or bad can get epilepsy during that person life. You would be surprized to see the famous people in history that had epilepsy. Use your brouser and type in famous people with epilepsy. Do some research. As for keppra. Man you have the best medication I have ever used in the 50+ years I have been lving and dealing with epilepsy. Not only has it reduced the number of seizures I was having. It also shortened the time in the seizure and time to focus (get back to normal). Your dosage level is low to mid range. Now unless yo uare using extended release meds be sure to take them as directed. If 2 times a day then those should be 12 hours apart. If XR then take them the same time daily. I say this things becasue time difference can cause breakthru seizures. 7am and 7 pm is 12 hours andthat is what is needed but 7am and 10pm is not good it means that you remembered your meds but the 3 hour delay means that your dosage for 3 hours was below the levels you should have had. Medications disolve in your body and dosages are designed to disolve at set rates so those 3 hours delay can and in some people have cause rbreakthru seizures. Depending on the length of time on that medication those breakthru seizures could happen the next day or the day after, But then they may not happen. But taking medications as directed is required to control your seizures

Epilepsy diagnosis? Yes or no?

Comments

Jumping the gun on the

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2014-06-10 - 12:56

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