Partial seizures?

[Sheripark]

Hello All!

My dr's nurse called me to follow up on my EEG and told my there was seizure activity. She stated I was to stay on my anti elliptic drugs and not to drive until I have my follow up appointment with the neurologist on jan 16th. I asked her to send me the EEG results (for the military). So, I read the report and it said I was at risk for partial seizures. Other than reading that it is only from one side of the brain is this significant in any way? Also, do people with partial seizures ever have the grand mal kind? Or lose consciousness? I have never done either. The EEG also stated that this was possibly due to a skull fracture. What? I have never hit my head (that hard) and my wonderful parents and siblings swear they didn't drop me as a baby . Has anyone else found a different reason I could discuss with my doc? She is so quick and I worry I won't get my ?'s answered. Thank you all! I find myself reading posts for hours sometimes and it is helpful, especially when I feel so ignorant to my new seizure world.

[Cint]

Hi and welcome Sheripark,

My seizure(s) started as simple partial years ago, with no history of a head injury, meningitis, encephalitis,etc. Unfortunately, mine slowly progressed to complex partial and tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures. Not all people have all these types of seizures, but the sooner you get things under control, the better.

Did the dr. discuss your diet and/or do a CBC? What about your blood sugar level? Sometimes low blood sugar/hypoglycemia can bring on seizures, but it needs to be checked regularly. I also have diabetes along with epilepsy, so I have to carefully watch my diet along with taking my anti-epileptic drugs and have my A1c level checked every 3 months.

[Sheripark]

Thanks! Yes I just got blood work done and had the lumbar puncture last year. This sat I am having an MRI to check for brain tumors. That is helpful to know seizures can change. What do you get checked every three months besides sugar?

[Cint]

My A1c level is for the diabetes, checking my hemoglobin, or my average blood sugar levels the past three months, determining whether my insulin injections are too much or not enough. Very important test for someone with diabetes.

[Endless]

Sheri,

Partial seizures are also called focal seizures, because they are in just one part of the brain. It could be on one side, or both. Did your doctor say where they are? Temporal lobe, frontal lobe, etc? Right hand side? Left hand side? If there is a "side" I'm wondering if you have temporal lobe seizures.

Generalized seizures are whole brain seizures - the best known kind are tonic clonic (grand mal), but there are lots of kinds.

Some partial seizures do result in a loss of consiousness. Those are called complex partial seizures. You may not even be aware it's happening unless somebody tells you or there is major evidence of the seizure, like broken dishware or an injury.

Here's a link to the types of seizures. You may recognize yourself in one of them:

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seizure_types

http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsm...ification.html

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/s...epilepsy.shtml

I think the full classification list has something like 40 different kinds of seizures.
http://jararaca.ufsm.br/websites/lan...ensos/ILAE.pdf (look on page 5)
http://www.oumedicine.com/body.cfm?id=3116&oTopID=3107

Your primary care physician will want to test you for other disorders that could mimic epilepsy, like a heart condition, TIAs, an inflammatory disease, etc. Your neurologist will diagnose whether they are seizures or something else, like migraines (which can also mimic seizures)

I think the doctor is just being careful about you not driving. She wants to make sure you are not having any loss of consciousness seizures before you get behind the wheel.

lol... don't under estimate your siblings. My sister dropped me on my head when I was a baby. I still have a flat place on my head, and look, I'm just fine.... oh, wait, darn it I'm not.

[Sheripark]

Lol! Darn siblings!

Thanks for so much great information. I'm off for an MRI right now.