New to this...

[Skee Boo]

............The other option is let seizures rule our lives and to slide down the slippery slope of depression and helplessness. Many of us have chosed to take a proactive approach. We start developing the attitude of "I am NOT my epilepsy. I am NOT defined by my epilepsy." Because honestly, you arent. Try thinking of epilepsy this way...like diabetes...a medical condition to be dealt with. Then, start learning about your condition, and how best to help yourself.............


............This will help you keep your blood sugar levels steady. Because yes, shifts in blood sugar can trigger seizures.)...........

Thank you for posting this. Like Rich, I'm new to the whole epilepsy thing. I was recently diagnosed in December of 2008. I haven't read up a lot about it but now I know that I need to start. I had my first convulsion seizure on May 12, 2009, and it has seriously scared me......and my family.

But I am trying to remind myself that I am going to get through this and that it will not rule my life. I've always been very independent and I want to get back to that.

I had wondered if my eating almost a whole bag of peanut butter M&Ms had triggered the seizure and now after reading what you said about sugar levels, it kind of makes sense.

Again, thank you for your insight.

~Paula~

[RobinN]

I had wondered if my eating almost a whole bag of peanut butter M&Ms had triggered the seizure and now after reading what you said about sugar levels, it kind of makes sense.

Again, thank you for your insight.

~Paula~

Hi Paula,
I recently found out that my daughters seizures most likely are triggered by hypoglycemia. I have felt for a long time that there was a food issue. I know now this to be true. Not sure if that is the original cause, we also are considering food sensitivities, but blood sugar imbalance is a huge trigger of her seizures now.

[Skee Boo]

Hi Paula,
I recently found out that my daughters seizures most likely are triggered by hypoglycemia. I have felt for a long time that there was a food issue. I know now this to be true. Not sure if that is the original cause, we also are considering food sensitivities, but blood sugar imbalance is a huge trigger of her seizures now.

Hi, Robin.

Hmm, interesting thought. To tell you the truth, the first time I had a simple partial seizure I was just getting ready to eat lunch......a lot later than usual.....and I just wrote it down as my sugar level being very low. I come from a line of diabetics so it was the most normal conclusion. My dad even checked my blood sugar to make sure, but it was normal.

Every time I had another seizure, I just brushed it off as low blood sugar so I would eat something. It wasn't until later that I started to realize that it wasn't that. I haven't learned all my triggers yet but I sure plan on it.

[RobinN]

I would not have known it was blood sugar without a few interesting situations. I do believe Rebecca's first two seizures were blood sugar related. When I asked the neurologist he said NO. So we did the whole drug route with terrible results. I think it only messed up her systems balance even more over the next two years.

I was still seeing seizures occur at certain times of the day. Rebecca is a competitve athlete and works out almost every morning. This added into my theory of crashing at certain times of the day. Occasionally it was at night, but that too followed an evening workout. Then one time the EMTs clocked her blood sugar at 200. I thought that was quite odd, but the neurologist said it was only a stress reaction. Then they clocked it another time at 32 and sent her off to the hospital. We then had a 3 hr glucose tolerance test and it was low again on the third hour. I would like to know what it would have been at the 4th, but I now had my answer.

There is a type of hypoglycemia that is reactive. You could have sensitivity to foods that cause the blood sugar imbalance. The four most allergenic foods are wheat, dairy, soy, and corn. I have been working very hard in this area, and Rebecca's seizures have reduced dramatically.

It is being proven that diabetes can be eliinated by making nutritional changes. Hypoglycemia is just a precurser to diabetes. Seizures are just a warning signal that something is not right in the system. You may have found your link. It might not be that you "need to eat", but more about what you are eating.

[Skee Boo]

Another of my triggers, that I'm starting to realize, is stress.

Me and my need to document everything created a spreadsheet in December where I write down when I take my pills and when I have a seizure. From that chart I've been able to figure out how many seizures I have a week and in a month.

Well, it turns out that in April I was trying to get my parents' house ready for me to rent and I was extremely stressed with all of the things I wanted to do before then. I ended up having 11 seizures that month alone, where in March I had only had 7. I was averaging 2 seizures a week.

After landing in the hospital for the first time on May 12, I've learned to just let certain things go. Right now I'm staying with my parents until after my seizure monitoring test at the end of June and we figure things out.

I could be getting all bent out of shape because the house is sitting empty with all of my furniture and I'm not there. But I'm not letting it. I have to think about myself.....and not whether or not my sofa is lonely by itself. lol

[flinnigan]

Hi Paula,

I'm also Paula and we have the same avitar how strange.

I've been hypoglycemic my whole life. My mom would tell stories of me sleeping for 8 - 10 hours as an infant and waking up shaking from hunger. Maybe they were seizures who knows, you'd think you'd wake a baby up to feed her. duh.

Hunger is usually my biggest trigger along with stress. I find stress is usually increased by hunger also. I try to follow a diabetic diet, eat 5 - 6 small meals daily. Keep your sugar levels even, don't skip meals ever. If only I followed my own advice. It's really not that hard to take good care of yourself. Just make yourself a priority.

[Skee Boo]

Hi Paula,

I'm also Paula and we have the same avitar how strange.

What would be strange is if we both had the same frog/Puerto Rican flag tattoo on our legs. Hmm. lol

[flinnigan]

No tatoos - yet. I'm considering a purple ribbon on my head if I have surgery.

[skillefer]

Actually, blood sugar is a trigger for quite a lot of us...I only found that I was hypoglycemic after driving my car into a gas main. Lucky for me, nobody was hurt, I was only going about 5-mph, and the gas main was easily fixed. The paramedics checked my blood sugar levels and found it was at a 40. they insisted that I see a doctor later that day. I did, and about 2 hours after eating, my blood sugar level was at a 60. that's not good. So, now I try to keep my blood sugar up by eating regularly...and staying away from too many carbs...but donuts and cheetos...along withthe occasional dark chocolate bar are still my downfall.

As for learning to deal with stress....I feel your pain. It took me a long time to realize that I can only do what I can do...and that the rest, I leave up to God. Worrying never added 5 minutes to anyone's life.

[Skee Boo]

Oh, but it has been hard letting go of the stress because one thing with me is that I'm also a perfectionist. So things have to be done my way or not at all.....especially at work. But the guys at work are real cool because if I start to get lippy like before, they remind me of my new motto "no arguing". Honestly, who cares if it's perfect. Gotta let it go. And I'm learning to.

As for driving......I haven't driven a car since April 2nd. My neurologist faxed me some precautions to work and the number one thing on it said that under Texas law, you are not allowed to drive for 6 months from last seizure. I looked on the site and sure 'nuff, there it was. Also under state law, anyone can turn you in as well. A lot of people at work knew that I drove but not that I had seizures.

That afternoon I went home and discussed it with my parents and they decided that I was done driving.....for my safety and others. So since then, my family has been driving me to and from work and to do any errands I need. It was really hard to accept because I'm so independent but after my sting at the hospital, I understand it and accept it a lot more. I don't remember ANYTHING from my seizure that landed me in the hospital and that's not good. I think it made quite an impression on my parents as well because they do not let me out of their sight now. I'm cool. Just shows I'm loved.

[skillefer]

Exactly. If your close enough, you can always ride your bike. A good way to get exercise and deal with stress too. Me, I tend to like walking to the store. (it's about a half mile from the house....not too far). If I werent' preggers, I'd ride my bike to the store.

And the memory can be helped by 1000 mg. fish oil capsules. I'm just thankful....one of the people at my church had a seizure, and he's now missing 6 years worth of memory. The docs say it might come back, but only after a long time.