New here with first seizure

[kerihough]

Hi all my name is Keri and well I had my first and hopefully only seizure on 10-15-08. I was standing at my fridge and the next thing I remember is sitting on my recliner with strange men in black stitting and standing around me telling me that I had to go with them. I apparently kicked them and got in they're face and told them to get out of my house. I was pretty agressive apparently to the point where my husband had to step in before I got arrested after my hospital stay for assaulting a police officer. Anyway, from what I am told....my husband was getting into the shower and heard a loud bang. He opened the door and asked me what it was and I didn't answer. He came out to look for me and seen me on the kitchen floor shaking like a fish out of water and completely purple. He thought I was dying. According the the neurologist the mri and ct came back clear but the eeg of course showed seizure activity. Now whether or not that is just remninsce of my seizure or current seizure activity we won't know till further testing in about 6 months. They have me on 500 mg of dilantin a day and took me off meds that lowered the seizure threshold. Which may have been the cause for the seizure to begin with. They were phenegran (which I am still on till I see my gastroenterologist, ok'd by the neurologist), TRAMADOL, and WELLBUTRIN with are a BIG BIG no no together apparently. I trusted a doctor and got screwed pretty much. Has anyone on here ever have medication induced seizures and what was the outcome? Was there previous seizure history? Was there any permenant damage in regards to ongoing seizure risk? My neurologist really can't answer, he says in more of a wait and see thing since the test (other that the eeg) were normal. Thank you all for taking the time to read and respond if you can. Any info really will be helpful. Right now I am pretty scared. I know I can't drive i believe for six months which I understand (which the state still hasn't requested my license). I just thank god that I wasn't driving when I had the seizure and my 3 year old twins were already in bed and didn't see me like that.

[sixpack]

wow I'm sure that was pretty scary for you and your family. I glad you didn't get hauled off to jail considering how 'considerate' you were to the men in black.. I'm sure you were told that seizures can make someone aggressive etc.

I really can't answer your questions specifically. My daughter's seizures are caused by a congenital brain abnormality. I do know that certain meds can lower someone's seizure threshold for someone who has a dx'd disorder. And when prescribing meds for my daughter that has to be considered. I do want to welcome you to the board and hope that you never again have another seizure and that it was indeed due to the other meds you were taking.

[Kansas Educator]

I too hope it turns out to be medication related. Keep us updated -- this is a very supportive bunch!

[Cint]

Hi Keri & welcome,

Sorry you had a terrible seizure. Years ago, when I suffered my 1st seizure, my parents said I was very aggressive, too. My father says I pushed him across the room before the paramedics arrived and then I was aggressive with the paramedics. Good thing I don't remember any of it. Another time I had a seizure at a football game and my friend claims that I was aggressive towards her and slapped her. Hmm... don't remember that one either.

When I first started having seizures, I had suffered no head injuries, no tumors, no meningitis, no encephalitis, etc., nor was I taking medication for anything. The seizures just started out of the blue, and haven't stopped completely.

I can't take Wellbutrin because it can induce seizures for me, so perhaps it did induce the seizure, so that is why the neurologist is taking the wait and see attitude. After all the testing, that's about all they can do.

Hang in there!

Cindy

[dfwtexas]

When my father had his blood medication changed, it caused two grande mal seizures. The first one was very violent and caused him to fracture 7 veretrabraes..the second one was tonic clonic. He stayed on seizure meds for about a year and then the docs weaned him off. He has not had any others seizures since and that was 20 years ago...so it does happen.

[skillefer]

Wow...Hi and welcome to CWE. I just wish it weren't becuase of such a scary incident. I know that certain meds can lower the seizure threshold, like antihistimines as well as every day things like coffee. Personally, I'd be reading your doc the riot act for prescribing the meds in combo the way he did....*sigh* As for longterm outcomes. I'll be honest, I really don't know. Just try to not worry or stress out, and feel free to ask questions. From what you describe, sounds like you had a grand mal (tonic clonic). They are scary to watch. Give your hubby a pat on the back for stepping in when he did. If you think you're scared, just imagine how he feels. Anyway, feel free to check out the Epilepsy 101 thread. It's got some wonderful information.

[Belinda5000]

Hi Keri and welcome to the board.
I'm sorry u had the seizure.
reducing my medication can definitely bring on a seizure with me.

Belinda

[skillefer]

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/...lepsy+101.html

There you go...the epilepsy 101 threads.

[seizures4ever]

Hi Keri,

I know seizures can be scary. Medication changes and drug interactions, extremely high stress, prolonged illness, etc. (see Skillefer's link above) can lower the seizure threshold in individuals who normally have an extremely high one. It is not very uncommon for people to have a seizure or two and never have another one...once the trigger is identified. I will hope and pray for you that you do not receive an on-going diagnosis of epilepsy. Please take care and stay safe as you work out exactly what is going on with your health.
-Julie

[Bernard]

Hi Keri, welcome to the forum.

Yes, there are others who have had seizures as a result of medications (or interactions between medications) that they were taking at the time.

500mg Dilantin seems like a lot to me. Have you had a blood syrum test done to make sure your blood levels are in the therapeutic range (and not toxic)?

[BuckeyeFan]

Welcome to our house. I hope with proper care, your visit is only temporary and your life returns to normal. If the seizure was medication induced, you should have a bright future. Otherwise, we will be here for you all the time.

I agree with Bernard that the 500 mg of dilantin is plenty high for starters. The doctor may have perfectly good reasons for that, but it is on the high side. I have taken dilantin for 27 years and am on 550 mg per day, but started out at 300.

Here is a website I like to use to search for drug interactions. It allows you to input all of your meds, including over the counter drugs and gives you a result of any risks.

http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html

[kerihough]

I started at 300 in the hospital and they raised me to 400 before I left. I had levels drawn again and half way through the day (200 am and 200pm) I was getting tremors and feeling weird, here my levels were at a 7 instead of between 10-20 and so they raised to add an extra 100mg mid-day. I have to have levels drawn again to see where they are at now. but so far no tremors mid-day anymore. I had gastric bypass in 2004 so I don't know if my body just isn't absorbing all the medication and that is why have to have it so high or not. we aren't sure.

[Bernard]

Dilantin binds to protein. Are you eating enough protein (or too many carbs)? Something to consider...

[brain]

KERI:

and welcome to CWE, one thing I noticed in your
postings - which I'm curious - did they run the EEG when you
were ON Dilantin or weren't on Dilantin?



It's true that there are drugs that can cause seizures
(especially at high titration or people who have drug
sensitivity or allergic reaction) - for example if one went
to http://www.drugs.com and typed in Tofranil,
and clicked on the professional advanced reading
they would have found out that Tofranil triggers
seizures! (How would I know this? My deceased father was
a Chief Pharmacist, and I grew up reading "last years"
Pharmacology Reference Books he used to give me, the
US Government's - since he worked for the Veteran's
Hospital) I just typed this one in for a pure example of
1 freaking frigging drug ... yes - one lousy drug...
and I will quote it:

Side Effects of This Medicine (Tofranil)

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Stop taking this medicine and get emergency help immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Convulsions (seizures); difficult or fast breathing; fever with increased sweating; high or low (irregular) blood pressure; loss of bladder control; muscle stiffness (severe); pale skin; unusual tiredness or weakness

See the illustrative picture right there for an
hideous example and that was
JUST ONE FREAKING FRIGGING DRUG!


And the patient ends up in the Emergency Room with
Seizures! ( ::: smacks head :::: ) And their first response
and reaction is - "Patient has Seizure Disorder / Epilepsy"
and begins to immediately treat the patient as such, and
as going as far as putting them on Anti-Epileptic Drugs!


I thought just putting my in here paints a
whole new canvas of what's really behind the scene
on the prescription drugs that one takes!

IT PAYS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THE DRUGS
YOU ARE ON - AND CONFIDE WITH YOUR PHARMACIST
TOO! DEMAND ANSWERS ... and bookmark the link above
to do your own homework as well.


========================

Above all things - it would be a very wise move and to be
on the "SAFE SIDE" to be evaluated and checked by a
Neurologist and have an EEG performed, at least a couple
of them to make sure you are "normal" and that everything
is documented on your chart, and if any scans are done,
that to be documented in your chart as well and make sure
that your Primary Doctor gets all of this information so "IF
EVER" you experience something like this again (which I
pray you won't!) the Primary Doctor can re-evaluate of what
was "at that time being" and is going at the present state.

I strongly recommend this as a precautionary measure!


AND YES - Bernard is absolutely correct, it's not just
anti-epileptic drugs that can trigger seizures, there are other
prescription medications that can trigger seizures just
as well - as I posted an example above.


(For those who wants to know what Tofranil is - it's
originally an "anti-depressant" medication, but it has
many off-label usage ~ and is notorious for triggering
seizures, it is a very old prescription medication (either
just as old as Phenobarbital or maybe younger than
Phenobarbital) and still is being used today.)

[drarvindr]

Wellbutrin (bupoprion) is especially contraindicated in epileptics. It can lower the seizure threshold. Considering that you were using these drugs together , it could very well be medication induced. Ask your doctor for clarifications. As brain says , convulsing patient in ER = epilepsy unless proved otherwise. You need to take the initiative and tell the doctors about it before something like this happens again due to their carelessness. Here's an abstract from Ruther et al on drug induced seizures :

Numerous drugs have been suspected to be associated with the occurrence of epileptic seizures. Our information retrieval, however, shows that drug-induced seizures are relatively rare. The risk of seizure seems to be increased, also in patients who are not predisposed to seizure, when taking clozapine, enflurane, theophylline, foscarnet, ganciclovir, and ritonavir. The risk of seizure is greatest in patients predisposed to seizure by use of conventional antipsychotics, olanzapine, risperidone, bupropion, tricyclic antidepressants/selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cyclosporin, interferon, corticosteroids, propofol, imipenem, chloroquine, and mefloquine. If the drug has been on the market less than two years, reporting is mandatory.