new to this

[jenbear1]

i am new to this. Just had my first seizure on sat am and dont know weather i ll ever have another or not. Im so very scared though and dont know how to handle walking around all the time so scared and just having this weird feeling now. Im a gastic bypass patient and have been out for about 2 years now and so they think my blood sugar went down to low and i had a seizure. Nobody ever said that this was a possibility at all, so im a little shocked. They said that if i have another that it would be considered epilepsy. So that to me pretty much means they dont know what to think. My doctor wasnt worried until she heard i bit my tongue in many places and i showed her. As if mabe she thought i didnt know what i or the person with me knew what i was talking about.

I can say im very scared, ive been scared every since. Not sure how to handle any of this. What i can and cannot do is a mystery to me. Can i still go to the gym like normal, can i still have a few drinks here and there, and ultimatly can i still trust myself by myself?

So scared! Any help would be appreciated!

[Nakamova]

Hi Jenbear1, welcome to CWE --

A seizure (especially the very first one) can feel very scary. One in 20 people will have a one-off epileptic seizure at some point in their life -- and this does not necessarily mean that they have epilepsy.

I do hope you never have another one. Did you go to the ER? If so, were any tests done there? Did they give you any medications? Did your doctor suggest an EEG? An EEG might show if there was an underlying brainwave pattern consistent with epilepsy.

Ideally, fingers-crossed, this really is a one-off. If you suspect that low blood sugar is the cause (and it was one of the triggers for my first seizures), it's very important that you take steps to prevent low blood sugar in the future. Don't skip meals, consider small snacks throughout the day. Be proactive about your overall health, and make sure you are getting plenty of sleep. Other common triggers for seizures are fatigue, dehydration, and foods with MSG or aspartame, so if there's any chance those factors played a role in your seizure, aim for moderation. If you are careful about keeping in balance, you should be able to go to the gym, still have a few drinks here and there, still be on your own. (I do have epilepsy and I do all those things, albeit while on medication. ) You should get the thumbs-up from your doctor just to be sure, and you might want to wait a week just to see how you are feeling.

Best,
Nakamova

[jenbear1]

yea, they did all sorts of test in hosp, but found nothing but low blood sugar, and my pc wants me to go to nuero for eeg, even though its my first, just because i bit my tongue, im not sure what that has to do with it. So are you saying something usually triggers it and they dont stop from there?

[epileric]

So sorry to hear about your seizures. I know there are a lot of people here that have (and still are) gone through what you're going through right now.

Should I assume your seizures are convulsive? In a way you are pretty lucky that you know the seizures probably have something to do with your bypass & blood sugar.

Right now I'd try to be aware of my blood sugar & maybe avoid drinking for a while (lots of sugar in alcoholic drinks). Also, if you're put on any medication then most anti-epileptic drugs tend to interact with alcohol. I know mine do but after being on it for so long I've learned I can occasionally have the odd glass of wine.

Personally I've found that physical exertion can trigger a seizure but at the same time regular exercise can help lessen the amount & intensity of my seizures. Remember stress is a common trigger & the gym is a great way to release stress.

In the meantime do be careful and be aware if there are any other external triggers that might set off a seizure until you're more familiar with them but at the same time I would try not to let them run your life. There is that chance that this is an isolated incident too.

[Cint]

Hi jenbear,

Sorry to hear of your seizure. Having the 1st seizure IS very frightening. Hopefully it will be your only seizure.

Should I assume your seizures are convulsive? In a way you are pretty lucky that you know the seizures probably have something to do with your bypass & blood sugar.

Right now I'd try to be aware of my blood sugar & maybe avoid drinking for a while (lots of sugar in alcoholic drinks). Also, if you're put on any medication then most anti-epileptic drugs tend to interact with alcohol. I know mine do but after being on it for so long I've learned I can occasionally have the odd glass of wine.

I have epilepsy and diabetes, so have experienced low blood sugar at times, but I don't think my seizures are due to hypoglycemia. As Eric said, though, if nothing but low blood sugar showed in testing at the hospital, then it is wise to avoid alcohol for a while.
Some info for hypoglycemia from http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pub...ia/#nodiabetes

Their daily activity. To help prevent hypoglycemia caused by physical activity, health care providers may advise:

-checking blood glucose before sports, exercise, or other physical activity
and having a snack if the level is below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
-adjusting medication before physical activity
-checking blood glucose at regular intervals during extended periods of physical activity and having snacks as needed
-checking blood glucose periodically after physical activity

Their use of alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcoholic beverages, especially on an empty stomach, can cause hypoglycemia, even a day or two later. Heavy drinking can be particularly dangerous for people taking insulin or medications that increase insulin production. Alcoholic beverages should always be consumed with a snack or meal at the same time. A health care provider can suggest how to safely include alcohol in a meal plan.

[Nakamova]

yea, they did all sorts of test in hosp, but found nothing but low blood sugar, and my pc wants me to go to nuero for eeg, even though its my first, just because i bit my tongue, im not sure what that has to do with it. So are you saying something usually triggers it and they dont stop from there?

Often there are causes and/or triggers, but not everyone can discover what they are. Sometimes it's a combination of a primary cause that lowers the seizure threshold (like a lesion or head injury) along with a secondary trigger (like low blood sugar) that causes the seizure. In my case, I had a head injury when I was 5. I was completely healthy for the next 35 years, and then a combination of stress, fatigue, low blood sugar and aspartame pushed me "over the seizure threshold" and I had a seizure. My EEG showed a very distinctive pattern for epilepsy so it's pretty likely that I was always vulnerable to having a seizure but it took the right circumstances to actually produce one. At this point, I need to be on meds to avoid any additional seizures.

In your case, there's no way to know for sure whether you will have another seizure or not...until you have another one. (Which I sincerely hope you don't). You and your doctor will make a best-guess based on the available information. Usually there's no need to start medication after just one seizure unless there's very clear evidence of epilepsy (like an obviously abnormal EEG). And since low blood sugar seems the most likely cause it makes sense to be aware of that and be careful.

[stephanieholly]

Hey, I'm sort of new to it too!! The firs time I had a seizure I was sooo scared! I know what you feel like!!! It took my ages to want to go out on my own incase I had one.

On a possitive side, you might not have Epilespy It might be a one off!! xxx

Lots of love
Stephhh!!

ps. biting your tounge hurts!! I can relate!!