NEW & LOST...19 Year Old Daughter 2 seizures in 2 months

sleep deprived and longer EEGs have better yields so it is more likely to catch something.it’s likely they already checked her for other causes of seizures - did they run some blood tests? they can eliminate many things that way. assume you aren’t asking about PNES but that also seems unlikely.it’s a huge adjustment, for both of you. but the adjustment will be different. she’ll need your reassurance that you love and support her. if possible, see if she can take an absence from school such that she can resume school later. she may need support from a therapist, ideally one experienced in helping people cope with life impacting diagnoses.read about seizure diagnosis, different kinds of seizures and treatment on this site. it helps make things less scary to learn about it.lamictal might help with the mood if she starts it. 

They did a very comprehensive run of blood tests after the first seizure and found nothing.As for PNES, I was hoping maybe that was the cause given her history of anxiety since early childhood. She’s done a lot of work on that and is much better now but still has her moments. As for school she has withdrawn and doesn’t want to do much for fear of having another seizure. She seems to get no warning signs. The prospect of JME seems so overwhelming. Just as she gains her independence, it seems to her that she’s lost it. Reading about JME, it’s seems there may be a moderate amount of lifestyle changes that she’ll have to make. She’s not happy about that at all.

PNES is often misdiagnosed. One should have an experienced epileptologist involved if that is a possible option. I would only accept a PNES diagnosis if a person 'had' a tonic clonic while on EEG but the EEG did not show it - because proof of epilepsy doesn't always show up on EEGs but a generalized seizure would not be missed on EEG. PNES can occur in epilepsy patients so the diagnosis can delay proper treatment of the epilepsy. PNES is a much worse diagnosis in that getting appropriate treatment is very difficult - so JME is actually a more treatable option.No one is happy to get a major medical diagnosis, there's a period of shock, denial and grief for everyone. It's important your daughter doesn't become isolated but has a good network of support right now. Most people respond well to appropriate treatment so knowing what type of epilepsy is involved is an important part of getting the right treatment.