need help

[taylorsmom]

my 20 year old perfectly healthy son has had 2 seizures in the last 3 weeks. I am so scared and am getting no answers. They have started him on keppra and have begain running tests. Does a person just start epilepsy? Im getting no answers from the doctors and its driving me crazy.

[epileric]

Sorry to hear about your son.

Yes, epilepsy can appear to start out of nowhere. There are people on this site whose seizures started in their 40's or 50's.

I've been on keppra & it can help seizures greatly and is the only anti-epileptic drug I know of that is not processed in the liver but it can also have some side-effects. Here is some info about keppra that might help http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...s/a699059.html

Also, if anger is a side-effect some people here have been able to control that by supplementing with vitamine B6.

[knothing]

This is a process that requires patience to wait for test results. I understand how hard it is to wait on the results but I waited. In my case I was in my 30's and had a seizure and then after 6 months I had another and went on Keppra. After researching I found out I had been having seizures since I was 4 but they were deja vu type seizures and easily missed without any education of that type of seizure. I switched Neurologists and now I am getting the help I need. Spend time doing as much research as you can so you can ask questions that help. Never be afraid to change doctors but make sure to work with your son on everything and get him involved in research.

[Nakamova]

Hi taylorsmom, welcome to CWE!

I know this must seem very scary to you and your son. You are doing the right thing in searching for more information -- it can help to get a handle on what's going on. And the members of this site have a ton of experience collectively, so chances are we can help in one way or another with what you and your son are going through. I hope you feel free to post questions and search the archives.

My epilepsy arrived out of the blue when I was 35 -- so yes it can happen. There can sometimes be a primary trigger (say, a head injury sometime in the past), or secondary triggers like fatigue, or dehydration, or infection. One thing that might be helpful is for you and your son to write down as many details as he can recall about the days (or even months) leading up to the seizures, as well as notes on the seizures themselves. Sometimes there are tiny warning signs (like headaches or dizziness), or symptoms that are easy to dismiss or overlook. Can your son think of anything that might have played a role in triggering his seizures? In addition to the triggers mentioned above, it could also be something along the lines of a food additive, or other physical, physiological or emotional stressors.

The tests that are being run (I assume EEG and MRI) should provide a bit more info about what is going on. It can be frustrating in the absence of concrete info from the doctors. Don't be afraid to be persistent in getting the docs to talk to you. Write down all your questions and have them hand at your son's next appointment. Write down the answers too, and ask for clarification on anything that doesn't make sense.

Best,
Nakamova

[lovemyladybug]

im sorry you & your son are going through this , but he's not alone & this sites great for getting info & support , and im another example of what your asking about , out of nowhere when i was a teen i started having grand mal seizures with no explanation ( though now i feel like i've had some form of E since i was a kid ) so yes as you've already been told IT HAPPENS ..... good luck to you & your son

[TamB1]

Hi Taylors Mom,

I know you are scared and concerned for your son. You sound like a good parent. If you sign on to my profile you will see how I found out I had epilepsy. After being diagnosed I tried several anti-seizure medications without success, I was approved then to have a right temporal lobectomy in 2006. That surgery and 2 medications now control my seizures. I am currently enrolled in college to become a Registered Nurse and I just recently found out I am pregnant with our fourth child. If you continue guiding your son, Taylor, and make sure he is seen by a good Neurologist, then all should go well. Sometimes it takes different trials of medications to find out which one will control his paticular seizures. Make sure your son communicates with you and is open about how he is feeling. If he tries to cover up how he is feeling it will only prolong him getting better and getting the help he needs. If the Neurologist your son sees doesn't seem to be helping him don't be afraid to find a better one. I had to travel to nearby cities. That is how I finally got to the Neurologist that was honest and said my case was too difficult for him. He referred me a Neurology specialist and I had my surgery that saved my life. Best of luck to you and your son. By the way...we so far have three daughters and our third daughters name is Taylor. If you need to talk (my two other daughters are around your sons age)...you are at the right place.