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Temperature Triggers?
Wed, 11/29/2006 - 13:37Hi, I was only recently diagnosed with epilepsy, and upon the suggestion of a friend who also has it I have been trying to document different things that could be my "triggers" for seizures and seizure activity. I have been having a lot of myoclonic seizures (mycolonic jerks? myoclonic activity? I'm not sure what the exact terminolgy is) lately and have been using it to try and figure what might be triggering them. So far, the only thing that I have noticed other than the obvious- being tired, lack of food- is that when I get into a car that has the heater turned on high, therefore being very hot, they seem to increase substantially. Has anyone else experienced, or know of anyone who has experienced, temperature fluctuations or high heat as being a trigger for seizures? I would like to have a little more information before insisting that my ride-givers turn their heat down before picking me up! :)
Comments
Re: Temperature Triggers?
Submitted by scorpio on Fri, 2006-12-01 - 06:02
Two other factors may be at work here: bright light and dehydration. Somewhere in the region of 5% of people with epi have a form of photosensitive epilepsy and I, for one, tend only to have seizures - or rather, warnings of them - when dehydrated (the reverse is not true however). Going outdoors into bright sunshine, from an air-conditioned building, might itself be a trigger.
Chris
Re: Re: Temperature Triggers?
Submitted by Bedge on Fri, 2006-12-01 - 18:26
Hi Ya,
Just recently I have noticed heat will set me off. Bit of a problem considering i live in the 'sun burnt' country! ha hs
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Peace, Love, Mung Beans
Re: Temperature Triggers?
Submitted by Gina Marie on Thu, 2006-11-30 - 15:47
It makes sense, doesn't it? you go from a cool atmosphere into a suddenly hot one, you're asking your body to adjust the temperature to something bareable, your brain does the talking to the rest of your body, setting it suddenly chattering at full speed, that kind of activity could very well trigger an overload, a spark, a seizure. Whereas working out, least for me, is a gradual increase in body temperature. I find being too hot causes me to be twitchy, my right hand and my neck and shoulders to jerk and if I'm not careful a bigger seizure to follow. Which sucks, I prefer the heat to cold. Take care