New to Siezures

Dear Spc_Rick009Yes it can all be very confusing when even the medical profession is no help to you in giving you explanations or some sort of understanding of where and how the symptoms and attacks are triggered.I wonder if you could tell me some of your typical symptoms? I am a fulltime carer and guardian of my husband who has now suffered uncontrolled epilepsy for the last 5 years, but has a multitude of seizure activity which specialists and hospitals are also unable to help him with.However, because I live with it 24/7 I have become a researcher into the effect, affect and triggers in him. Also to note variants on the types of seizures he has as well as the new medication and what side affects they cause in him. As he has now exhausted all newly on the market medicines for epilepsy.So if I can encourage you at all first of all I will pray for you to find peace in your heart and mind, because stress and anxiety is one of the worst causes and triggers of epileptic attacks of all types.If you are a Christian then it would be good to get some people to pray for you on a regular basis for wisdom for the medical professionals looking after you. If not a Christian praying wont hurt.Also there are organisations available which can teach you how to refocus your thoughts away from stressful situations.Can I ask have you had any major life changes in the last year? Moving house, getting married, someone died in the family, had a breakup of friendship with someone or such thing?If so this is also a major traumatic experience which can be a link to the psychological area in our lives which is called stress level raisers. Any big event like that can cause some people to react in many varied ways, those prone to epileptic attacks are then more vulnerable.you can email me back if you like, marleen@ihug.com.au I am in AustraliaMy name is Reverend Marleen Blake

hi, I myself I am new to seizures. I had my first seizure in October of 2003 and it was the scariest thing that I had ever expereinced. Now, more knowledegable and many seizures later, I am able to feel one coming on. There are certain things that do trigger my seizures; those things may not effect another person who experiences seizures. However, I know now that without at least 6 hours of sleep, my body will start to tingle. I know that If I am in dim light my eyes will start to flutter. I know that extreme changes from hot to cold will make my feet curl up. Although it may seem that there are things you cannot do...don't focus on that. Focus on understanding your body and how it is reacting to a certain situation. Does minimal sunlight cause you to seize, or do you simply feel the symptoms that an episode is about to occur? I do not know everything that triggers my episodes, it seems each day that there is something else to add to the list. It gets so frustrating sometimes, but I have to think about it as a challenge...and if I can understand what things might trigger my seizures, then I can learn how much of something that I can have...I can have limitations but I will never let myself not try something for fear of having a seizure. I have been taking Gabitril for about a month now. I was on 5mgs of Kolonopin, however, that was only maintaining my anxiety...which is great, but I was still having seizures. I have this idea in my head that if I take my medicine, and understand my limitations and yet strive to reach my goals, then I can beat this. I choose to be strong because I want to be...I choose to be smarter than my body...I push myself to understand but I won't stand down!!!

Hi,The triggers are actually normal triggers. My seizures are hyper sensitive to certain triggers, as well.Just be glad you don't live in Phoenix, where the heat gets into 110-115 for 3-4 months.You MAY HAVE more than one type of seizure. I do. I take Depakote for the mixed seizure pattern, and Neurontin as well, to aid in controlling the partial seizures, because they are a stubborn type of seizure in terms of being controlled.I have 4 types--grand mal, myoclonic, simple and complex partial.You are NOT alone in this.You may need to have a VEEG done to find out what types you ARE having, and their point of focus in the brain, so they can give you more accurate care.Depakote is a really good drug to be on for a mixed pattern, because it covers most seizure types.The being tired all the time is from the high dosage of Depakote that you take. It is a sedating drug, and will slow you down ALOT!You may also get shaky hands, but that is jsut from the Depakote. I have tremors from mine. They drive me nuts, but since I have NO problems with the Depakote, I am letting that one side effect slide by me.It can get annoying, like the times you need a steady hand for something, and you just can't make it stop shaking. It is like shooting at a moving target, in my mind.I am encouraging you to get with your neuro and talk about getting a VEEG done this year. That will tall you what you need to know.I had to have one done this March and was in it for 8 days. They kept me 3 days longer than a normal visit would have been, because I was so toxic from the Tegretol XR and Topamax, that it took longer for it to exit my system. I started having seizures within 3 days, rather than 24 hours. Day 3--seizure#1--a whole string of simple partials all day long, Day 5--seizure #2--Complex partial, Day 6--seizure #3--myoclonic.We were only thinking I was having grand mal, but there were others I never knew I was having.So, I am grateful I had the VEEG done. It is a wonderful tool.Good Luck!Nancy