So what started your seizures ?...

[TeeTees]

As per the title, I was discussing this last night with my Mum and Dad.

My seizures started when I was 5 months old...

....I had an ear infection and got took to Hospital. By the time I arrived there I was paralysed all down one side off my body, but Thank God that cleared.

How about you ?

[RobinN]

Hi TT - Rebecca had her first seizure June 2006. She had just come home from an ice skating practice. That morning she had pushed herself really hard for almost 3 hrs. Her dad had taken her to starbucks before, and she had one of those creamy frappichino drinks. Very sweet, with a lot of caffeine. Being rather tired when she came home, she sat at her computer and was IMing about 5-6 people at the same time. I did not witness this, but gathered the information later, once I figured what had happened. She said her left hand started to shake, her head turned to the left. She couldn't do anything and she says she must have fallen, because she found herself on the floor with a bump on her head (from the edge of the desk). I thought she was sleeping, since I suggested that she looked tired and should rest. The next thing I knew she was in the bathroom and told me she had vomited. I helped her and then made sure she went back to bed. Later I went to check up on her and found her on the rug in the bathroom asleep, so I let her be.
Through out the day I gave her straight chicken broth from the can...(has MSG right on the label) and she didn't want anything else. At around midnight I went to turn out the light at the bed (she had fallen asleep in my bed), and she turned over and started to seize. I had never seen a seizure before and I immediately called 911. She was not breathing, and her eyes were open. We spent the night in the hospital.

I believe today, that diet and MSG lowered her threshold so that the stress she was under, started the seizures. It took a while before I realized that diet was an active ingredient. The meds I believe caused more. The pressure of the situation caused even more, and not finding answers was the icing on the cake.

Rebecca has not been paralyzed but she has had vision loss, amnesia, behavior changes, and extreme body aches.

[CQ:)]

Hi Tees

From what my parents told me I had my 1st seizure when I was about 9 months old. They think it might've been from a needle I had. I took grandmal seizures until I was about 2 1/2 or 3 but the they stopped. The drs said I outgrew my epilepsy but kept me on meds until I was 7.

Then when I was 25 my Mum had rung me & realised I wasn't making sense or my normal self. Mum lives 30 mins away so she got a goo negbour to check on me who confirmed I wasn't ok & they rang an ambulance who took me to hospital.

While in the hospital I had a grandmal seizure in the emergency room, my Mum was there by then & sitting next to me when I had the seizure. Mum had already told the hospital my history with epilepsy so I think they figured out straight away that I had epilepsy again.

I stayed in hospital overnight then went & saw a neurologist who did an EEG & confirmed that I did have epilepsy. The EEG that picked up 3 seizures so it is thought I had taken a seizure the night before my Mum rang, sometime hat morning & the one in hospital. No one knows why I went 22 years without taking a seizure & what caused me to take a seizure that day.

I still take seizures every so often but only auras or small seizures which I call my funny turns.

[Bee91]

Mine started a little over a year ago...My cousins, my sister and I were walking around the neigborhood. My sister was on a skateboard and the skateboard got away from her. Being the nice sister that I am, I went to retrieve the skateboard for her. As I was riding it back to her (with no helmet I must add) I fell off hitting the back of my head. Went to the hospital, said it was a concussion, sent me home....Thats what you get for being nice i guess... Two weeks later I was at drama club at school and my friends and me were goofing off and someones knee clubbed me in the head..Doesnt sound like a big deal, but since it was so close to the last concussion and I had all the symptoms of having a concussion, we went to the hosptital. Another concussion!! For the following weeks, I was going home almost every day becuase of bad headaches. But this day was a little different. Before the seizure, I hallucinated. When the teacher sent me to the office to call home, she sent someone with me. I made it halfway to the office when all I remember is making an "AHHH" cry. The next thing I know, the student with me was crying, I had a pillow and a blanket, and there were teachers talking to me about what happened...and EEGs...I didnt know what happened. I had no idea I just had a seizure. I though I just fell over. Then the ambulance came about a half an hour later (it seemed) and they asked me if I have ever had a seizure before I said "No" They told me that I had 2 seizures since they had been there. I went to the hospital, they did an EKG-which was normal- and told me to see a neurologist. Then sent me home...

[brain]

One simple sentence.

Birth defect, was born with it.

[speber]

I'm sure some scientific propensity for epilepsy existed before this event now, but watching "Speed Racer" (Japanese animation sort of like Pokemon) on a normal Saturday morning kicked my life with Epilepsy off!

I think it was the soundtrack!

[TeeTees]

I'm sure some scientific propensity for epilepsy existed before this event now, but watching "Speed Racer" (Japanese animation sort of like Pokemon) on a normal Saturday morning kicked my life with Epilepsy off!

I think it was the soundtrack!

Funny you should mention these Japanese animations....I tried watching Pokemon many years ago on a Saturday morning, and the colors and flashing were pretty intense for what was supposed to simply be an animation.

So that wouldn't surprise me at all.....damn those animations !!

[forward2007]

I had lots of ear infections as a kid. I didn't start having seizures until I was 5. I wonder if the ear infections had anything to do with it.

[KAM]

At nine months old, I had a fever of 106. I went into a grand mal convulsion that lasted forty-five minutes and it left me paralyzed on the left side of my body for three days as well. Did they ever tell you that had you been older it would have been diagnosed as a stroke?

[RobinN]

What about lots of antibiotics?

[KAM]

Interesting that you mentioned that; they diagnosed me for a urinary tract infection and what I actuallty had was an upper respitory infection. What posed the question?

[spinnymommy]

I was supervising disabled preschoolers. It was time to go in when a deaf 4 year old decided he wanted to stay out so he ran. There was a busy road near by. I took off after him at full speed and slammed the crown of my head into an iron crossbar.

My partial seizures started I think 3 months later, I think. I wasn't diagnosed until 2 years after my injury. (Not sure of timing, my sense of time is almost nil)

I also got a traumatic brain injury when it happened which makes me confused and forgetful among other things. If I ever contradict myself, or say something inappropriate or rude, please know it is unintentional.

[angel]

I had 105 temp at three years old(was packed in ice) kidney surgery for vur at three (high fevers alot of them through out my life) was diagnosed with epilepsy at 13 years old my parents told me after i started my ms is when the seizures started...the meds made me sick so was taken off them.... I pretty much just dealt with simple partial seizures complex partial seizures until last year when they started getting worse... also was diagnosed with movement disorder which started when i was 18 or 19 something which i just ignored until pain and twisting of neck spine muscles was unbearable.... 20 years old had another kidney surgery.... maybe high fevers started them for me also or from kidney infections i don't really know....

[RobinN]

Interesting that you mentioned that; they diagnosed me for a urinary tract infection and what I actuallty had was an upper respitory infection. What posed the question?

In other forums regarding neurologist issues, there is a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that many with a variety of disorders have intestinal problems. Antibiotics tend to run with this theory, as the "gut" has an unhealthy balance of bacteria. Add to this the overload of viruses, the body is unable to flush them out, they lay dormant, and voila you have a petri dish of problems. Many are being healed and recovered from disorders by cleaning up the gut, eliminating all viruses, and giving rich nutritional choices.

[Jacqui]

Hello everyone, I am new here I found out about my seizures about two and a half years ago. I have two other members in my family (cousins) that also have seizures, and I also had the high fevers, headaches, vomiting, but one thing also that I had was Bell's Palsy. Then the ringing in the ear, my hearing in one ear was for some reason amplified so when they checked my hearing I had to set the headphones on the desk because I had a "bionic ear" lol.. My eye sight has gotten bad, I don't remember what happens during these seizures but my husband tells me that I look like I am in pain. I am taking medication so I am doing ok.. I guess, but I want to learn more about this illness.

[speber]

This is an excellent place to find information. We may joke around occasionally, but look around the forum and you will find many of the members here have done some VERY fine research and have offered it up!

When you feel comfortable, introduce yourself in The Foyer so everyone can meet you!

Again, WELCOME!

[Torak]

I remember having simple partial seizures all my life (born eight weeks premature, forceps delivery and I had breathing difficulties). I never thought anything of it as I only used to have 1 or 2 per year and I thought it was something that happened to everyone.

Then, when I was 15 and my sister was 12, my sister began having photosensitive primary generalised tonic clonic seizures (she hasn't had a seizure for over 10 years now and takes no medications)

I spoke to my GP and went for an EEG. Nothing unusual.

Then, aged 16, I had a tonic clonic seizure. Went to sleep one night and woke up in A&E the next morning.

Things were quiet until aged 19 when I had a grand mal at uni one morning, then quiet for 5 years.

Aged 24, just passed my driving test (first time!!!) and 3 months later I had a grand mal in the middle of Charing Cross Station in London, then 3 months after that went into status epilepticus one night and only survived because my flatmate called 999.

it got gradually worse since then. I had an MRI in 2001, no brain damage.

2006 (it seems to happen every 5 years) it got worse again and I am currently off sick from work due to a combination of epilepsy, post traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder.

I have 15-35 simple partial seizures per month and 2-6 grand mal seizures per year. I have an unknown number of seizures in my sleep, this is something I am hoping to resolve next year as I have just been referred to the specialist Neurology unit at Kings College Hospital in London.

[maureen]

On July 9, 1979 I was hit by a car. A doctor from the Hospital for Sick Children was driving by and stopped to help me. I had a concussion, brain trauma in both hemispheres and a fractured pelvis. I was in a coma for 2 weeks. During that time I had a couple of seizures. After I got out of hospital I took Dilantin for about a year. 25 years seizure free.

Fast forward to early 2005. I was under stress. My mom was recently moved into a retirement home. My dad had fallen and fractured his hip. I came home from work that Friday afternoon and said I was tired and felt funny and that I was going to lie down. SEIZURE. We went to hospital. I was suspended from driving for six months. I had every CT Scan, EEG etc. They could see the scar tissue on my brain from my accident. I saw my neurologist afer six months. He didn't think, based on the info from all the tests that I would have any more. It was an isolated incident. If however, I had another I should see him again. As I was leaving his office, I said, "No offence, but I hope I never see you again." My drivers licence was reinstated August 17. Only problem, I had another seizure on Aug 12. Stress again? My husbands daughter had a baby on Aug 11, his father had a stroke and fell off a ladder a couple of days before...Now I was suspended for 1 year on put on Dilantin.

I was fine for 2 years, 1 month and 3 days. Had a seizure September 15, 2006. I had just worked 11 out of 12 days, was going through a management change at work, had family conflicts regarding a land purchase, renovations - stress and fatigue?

Now I'm taking my Dilantin, have self suspended myself from driving. I am switching drugs in the new year after I come home from a 5 week vacation on the other side of the world. Wish me luck!

[Bemused Oddity]

Head injury when I was 16 years old.....
Just heard from the neurologist today. He told me to start on the Keppra. 250 x 2 a day for one week. Then 500 x 2 a day thereafter.

Question........is 500 x 2 per day usually the norm??????????????

[brain]

I was all the way up to 3000 mg Keppra
daily, and I've seen people's sig lines who
are on Keppra at that level, and that would
be 1500 x 2 daily, which was what I was
taking.