Seizure question

[bulletproofbarb]

Hello,

I have epilepsy and just thought you may get some assistance at

http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Epilepsy&number=33&DaysPrune=1000&LastLogin=

[Brownms46]

Originally posted by passing thru

Wish I could be of help.

Don't know about adults having a "0ne-time seizure".

Thank goodness the MRI was negative. I guess they did a whole bunch of labs?

We had a pt. a couple of months ago whose Na -sodium was low...like 120 or 121. He had seized and the doc wrote in the progress notes/history......seizure brought on by low sodium. That was NEWS to me....I 'd never heard of such a thing....lo and behold, within two weeks, we had another pt with the exact same thing !

So, if you r lytes, glucose, etc, were all wnl, i'd want to be checked out for an infection ....UTI etc. UTI 's CAN BE

"silent".. no fever, no sitting on the potty all day, and then,

out of the blue....WHAM !

that's all the info I know.....check for sinus, urinary tract, and any other inection anywhere..........

Hope this is the end of it for you.....

have a great trip !

Well I have heard of Low Sodium bringing on a seizure. Worked with a nurse in Oregon, who had the same thing happen to her. Did a lot of tests, and that what came up. Hope you're back driving soon steph.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Bumping this up . . . I had another seizure at work yesterday - (Happy New Year!!) while taking care of an OB. Had called the CRNA in for an epidural and was watching over his shoulder while he started an IV and the next thing I knew, I was in the ER, nauseated and thinking to myself . . "I don't want to be in labor, I hate labor pains". I guess this time after the tonic part, I was a bit combative during the clonic part.

So, off I go to a neurologist. I was already scheduled for 9 days off. Been researching like crazy this morning.

Just got a call from the hospital . . the couple I was caring for yesterday had our New Year's Baby and sent ME flowers. I remember that she also had a seizure disorder. Nice to get flowers from your patient, especially when you seized in front of them.

I appreciated the last links some of you provided for me. Very interesting reading.

steph

[kate930]

Just curious if you ever found out what caused your seizures????

In 1996 I had a car accident and went through the windshield (nope.... I was stupid and didn't have my seatbelt on). Anyhow, fastforward to 2001.

I'm in the driveway, vaccuuming out my van, when I smack my head on the doorway and knock myself out. I was only out for a few brief moments, but boy did it hurt!

Anyhow, 3 days later (having totally forgotten my vaccuuming incident), I start having slurred speach, can't walk straight, limbs go numb for no reason, etc.

We go to the ER and by this time, the lower part of my face is completely numb, I can't walk or feel my leg and feet on my right side. I was terrified. They did a CATScan, and never could figure out what was going on.

So, they sent me to Loma Linda and I saw a neurologist. After weeks of testing, and almost constant episodes, they discover that I'm having hundreds and hundreds of seizures.

Apparently, my car accident in 1996 caused some kind of brain injury (altough unknown at the time of the accident) that was triggered when I smacked my head when vaccuuming the van.

The doc says they're partial complex seizures.

I go through periods where I'm completely seizure-free, but then I'll smack my head and have a dozen over the next week. Or, something else will set them off.

My seizures have never been as bad as the initial episodes. Now it's minor numbness, or "head-in-the-blender episodes (feels like my head is being spun around, top speed, in a blender).

The neurologist put me on Topomax and it really helps. The side effects are pretty tough in the beginning. Nothing tastes good, so I lost 30 pounds... which didn't hurt my big ole' behind a bit! I had some leg cramping, and chest pain (no heart pain... rib and side soreness / muscle-like pain)

I just thought I'd share my adult onset seizures with you. I hope you're doing better! PM me if I can help!!!

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Thanks Kate, I just bumped this thread up because I had my second seizure yesterday (1/1/04).

The first (4 months ago) was being attributed to the fact that I spilled Narcan on my hands prior to giving a patient an injection. A side effect of narcan is seizure. 5 minutes later - I had a seizure. I had gotten my licence back a couple of weeks ago. Been driving. No problems.

Then yesterday, I had another one. No drug exposure. I've never been in an accident with a head injury.

I'm waiting for a call from the doc who saw me in the ER with an appt. with a neurologist.

Wow, sounds like you had a rough go of it. Seizures are such a mystery.

Thanks for responding.

steph

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

Stevielyn: Most seizures are idiopathic. You will very possibly never know why you have them.

My dh had his first seizure at 27 yo. That was 17 years ago- he's had two more since. His last one was 15 years ago. He still takes meds, mostly because I'm too chicken to let him stop taking them. Until he's willing to agree not to drive, I can't live with waiting for the other shoe to drop.

All his tests were negative. No one else in his family has ever had seizures. We have no clue why they started.

In women, there *can* be some hormonal influences on seizures.

Try to find an epileptologist- a neurologist who specializes in seizure disorders. Some neurologists know surprisingly little about seizures.

PM me if you'd like; besides living with dh, I worked in epilepsy for 5 years.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

This whole thing is so frustrating. Having a second seizure 4 months after the first and at work too when I really thought the first was caused by spilling narcan on my hands. Maybe I'm allergic to work, ha ha.

My regular doc talked with a neurologist and they want me to start Tegretol 100 for a week and then go to 200 and that is before any more tests. Our little pharmacy doesn't have 100's so my doc said start with the 200's. Well, I've started with none. I want to wait until I see the neurologist next week.

I'm being a stubborn patient but I want more information before I start medicating myself.

I want to thank everyone for the websites posted. I've learned alot in the last few days.

arrggh . . .gotta have people drive me around again . . . I just got my licence back.

Ok, I'll stop whining now.

steph

[angelbear]

Steph I just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you. My youngest son is epileptic and has been his whole life. Seizures are definately not well understood. I wish you the best.

[LisaRN2B]

I am so sorry, Steph! How frustrating it all must be for you.

I had seizures as a child, have thankfully not had one as an adult. I have no words of wisdom about seizures. I just hope for you that you don't ever have any more even if that means medication.

Take care of you! :kiss

[nyapa, RN]

Originally posted by stevielynn

Bumping this up . . . I had another seizure at work yesterday - (Happy New Year!!) while taking care of an OB. Had called the CRNA in for an epidural and was watching over his shoulder while he started an IV and the next thing I knew, I was in the ER, nauseated and thinking to myself . . "I don't want to be in labor, I hate labor pains". I guess this time after the tonic part, I was a bit combative during the clonic part.

So, off I go to a neurologist. I was already scheduled for 9 days off. Been researching like crazy this morning.

Just got a call from the hospital . . the couple I was caring for yesterday had our New Year's Baby and sent ME flowers. I remember that she also had a seizure disorder. Nice to get flowers from your patient, especially when you seized in front of them.

I appreciated the last links some of you provided for me. Very interesting reading.

steph

It must be really unnerving at this time of your life to have to adjust to having seizures. I hope you receive some good news from your neurologist, though I quess it will take time to know where you stand.

I also have epilepsy, though Im lucky in that I have had the condition since I was a child and am relatively well controlled. My last seizure was also at work (like you, mine are tonic clonic, but I had not had one in 14 years of nursing at the workplace...theyd all been at home). I received great support from my hospital and colleagues

I hope you also are receiving the same kind of support. I understand your trepidation re: medication. The newer generation though are supposed to have a lot less side effects. One article I found really helpful in this area is from medscape

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/447790

With regards to driving...I have only regained my licence back 3 days before Christmas. It must be really hard having to lose it twice in 6/12

Jacqui

[nowplayingEDRN]

that you are suffering from the umexplained. It is so frustrating to be told...Well, you have thus and so but we are sorry, we don't know why you are having the problem.

Hopefully the medication will work for you. Are you taking the Tegretol once a day or 2x daily? If it is a once a day dose, you might want to take it at night so you are not so drowsy during the day with your toddler. Alot of your seizure medications cause drowsiness. And I remember having a toddler...they do not understand that mommy wants to nap because she is sleepy. And no driving must be a bummer! Here in NY you have to be seizure free before you can have your license back. MD proof required.

I did a little web search for you and came up with the following web sites, Steph. Don't know if they will be of any help or not but I figured it couldn't hurt to try:

http://www.morehead.org/wellconnected/000044.html

http://www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc44.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12531947&dopt=Abstract

http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/epilepsy.asp

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1528-1157.2003.26402.x/abs/

http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/neuro/archive/19234.html

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/archive/19234.html

http://www.umm.edu/patiented/doc44full.html

http://wellness.ucdavis.edu/wellconnected/epilepsy44.html

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/

http://www.epilepsy.org/

Sorry that you are going to be missing out on some family activities. Send along a camera so that you can at least participate by looking at photos. Hope you are feeling better and on the mend soon. Warm thoughts and prayers for you.

Christie

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Thanks everyone for the links and good wishes.

Still a little tired . . not to mention I have a temporary crown that won't stay on and my tongue is pretty well crunched.

Two seizures and NO incontinence though . . that's a good thing.

steph