Place Your Advertisement Here
 
UPDATED: Fri, 12/21/2007 - 9:50am

  • Epilepsy First Aid
  • Seizure Medication
  • Animation of a Seizure
  • Seizure Diary
  • Find a Doctor
  • Epilepsy Centers
  • Clinical Trials
  • Event Calendar

Place Your Advertisement Here

VNS Surgery

If you (or your loved one) have had a vagus nerve stimulator implanted, what happened after it?

no more seizures
5% (11 votes)
helped control seizures a lot
34% (76 votes)
helped a little bit
35% (78 votes)
didn’t help at all
17% (37 votes)
worse off
10% (22 votes)
Total votes: 224

View results
View past poll results

Risk Factors for Seizures

There may also be factors in your personal and family health history that may indicate an increased risk of developing seizures or other neurological problems. Make a note if any of these pertain to you (or your loved one) as they may suggest a need for further evaluation by a doctor.

Some risk factors for possible seizures

  • Babies who are small for their gestational age
  • Babies who have seizures in the first month of life
  • Babies who are born with problems in the way the brain developed
  • Bleeding into the brain
  • Abnormal blood vessels in the brain
  • Serious brain injury or lack of oxygen to the brain
  • Seizures occurring within days after a head injury
  • Brain tumors
  • Infections of the brain ( for example an abscess, meningitis, or encephalitis)
  • Stroke resulting from blockage of arteries and blood flow
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Family history of epilepsy or seizures that occur with high fevers
  • Fever-related seizures that are unusually long
  • Intellectual developmental disabilities
  • Alzheimer’s Disease (seizures occur late in the course of this illness)
  • Use of illegal drugs, such as cocaine.

Other factors may occur more often in some people with seizures than in people without seizures and may be related to the epilepsy. Some of these include:

  • Learning problems that require special education help or classes in school
  • Symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other changes in mood
  • Problems sleeping
  • 'Not doing well' at home, school, work, or with friends
  • Unexplained injuries or falls
  • Headaches

If any of these risk factors or associated problems are present, or you think you have had these problems, talk to your doctor about what to do next. Chart what is happening in relation to your seizures and medicines and take the information to your visits.

For more on seizure symptoms:

Continue to Seizure Triggers

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, MD and Patricia O. Shafer, RN, MN.
Last Reviewed:5/25/07


Welcome to the Wiki. This space is created for epilepsy.com members to share their own experiences and expertise to help refine and expand the discussion around important topics.

No members have yet contributed to this topic. If you are not yet an epilepsy.com member, register today to get started on this Wiki topic and the many other advantages of being a member. If you are a member and wish to be the first to edit this Wiki topic, please make sure to login, then click on the orange "Start Wiki" button at the top of this page. Or, learn more about Wikis.





Title Posted
Sex drive and seizure medications  
dfriedman
life  
kevinmo99
son newly diagnosed with Absence Seizures  
shu
Controlling absence seizures  
shu
Developmentally Delayed 1 yr. old  
kristy_08
My parents dont care...I feel soooo alone!  
blondestar25
Epilepsy and marijuana  
cjad234
Absence Seizure in toddler, need more info!  
KellaC32
New to site and living with Epilepsy  
asking79
Binaural Beats and Epilepsy  
Jamie-vette
View all Forums

Title Page Views
Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures.......  
spiz
my.epilepsy.com Updates  
epi_help
topamax and weight loss  
alexia mom
kepra  
brian mattingly
Possible cure for absence seizures  
pdl1
Epilepsy and marijuana  
cjad234
Sexual Side Effects  
George R
How exactly do aura's feel  
WendyBendy
MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s  
picnupthepcs
Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Part 2  
spiz
View all Forums

Title Posted
Long Day  
kroiz
DOES IT MATTER IF I BLOG OR NOT? IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. I WISH I COULD CRY.  
ROCKNROLL
I need eye candy and explosions!  
stephsobota
WooHoo!  
d00r
Im not alone  
jjogden
interictal dysphoric disorder  
cameo
Angry with the neuro's office and frustrated by the school situation  
Gina Marie
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THOSE SPECIAL MOM'S  
scratch
I've Lost My Mind  
crashllama
Looking for answers  
ivyrayne
View all Blogs

Title Posted
Ms.  
sueanne
shilpa  
shilpa
First seizure at age 25  
suziereno
its hared but then i found this  
dan2work
Nobody Understands  
tmpino76
Depakote and Children  
twin12
what goes around comes around  
kelly28
Shari Story  
sharebear03
susu  
susu
Ayden's Story  
aydensvoice
View all Stories

Place Your Advertisement Here