Adult with absence seizures

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I've had absence seizures since I can recall, somewhere around 11 and today I'm 26 years old. I'm from Mexico. Because my parents didn't know much about epilepsy and my condition I went undiagnosed until I was 21. This affected me tremendously in my self esteem while becoming a teenager and I received plenty of bullying and rejections from my friends, I was labeled as "freak", this took me to the point where I didn't want to live anymore. My parents always loved e nd accepted me as I was and they sed to tell me that I was just "different". Time later, I came back home after having lived in Israel for 2 years and my condition worsened I understood it was the change in altitude and jetlagged. I decided to go to the doctor. While in Israel, my friends told me that my condition had a name and suggested me to go and get diagnosed. I got the encephalogram test and I got diagnosed with absence seizures. The doctor gave me a very strong treatment that made me fall asleep all day and night, and I decided I didn't want to live my life as ana old lady who all the things she wanted to Do was to sleep. I stop the treatment after 2 months. The medicine that I used was called "carbamacepina". Then I turned to natural treatments and I got homeopathic drops that were phosphorus. But then I moved to Thailand and I finished my treatment and I wasn't able to get more so I stopped completely, nd it's been already 1 year nd a half since I stopped having any treatments. I still have the absence seizures. I've become very acquainted with them, and I know when I am about to get one. Usually what triggers the absence seizures in me is my lack off sleep and my headaches in the back of my head. If I sleep 8 hourshour the next day I'll be perfectly fine with 1 or none at all absence seizures But if I go to sleep late the next day I know for sure I will get plenty of my episodes. Another strange thing happens to me is that if I sleep more than 8 hours, the next day, I feel my head "so heavy" and this also trigger the absence seizures. When I wear anything on my head -headbands, hats, ponytails, etc- I get strong headaches and they trigger my absence seizures. I've noticed that when I have strong headaches is because I also have neck pain and my nape is really stiff, it helps to give massage and also head massage for the back of my head. Every time I'm tired I will get plenty of the seizures. I've alsonoticed noticed that whoever I'm tired or with a very strong headache I from my free will can stare at something and I can go into a "relaxing" period that takes away the stress and pain just like having a seizure. I wonder if this is self inducing absence seizures. I feel that my absence seizures are a desperate tool my brain uses to relax.
 
Hi Ana,

Welcome to CWE! Just like you I've had absence seizures for most of my life. (45 yrs). I started having seizures when I was 10 yrs. old but before the seizures started I had bad migraine headaches and that in turn lead to the epilepsy starting.
I've tried over 10 different seizure meds and then my Dr. did a DNA test on me and found I was drug resistant to all seizure meds out on the market right now so I was told to use medical marijuana (CBD oil) and to my amazement that has done wonders for me and reduced my seizures greatly.
Lack of sleep and stress are the 2 big things that can cause seizures for some people. Also certain colors or flashing lights this is known as being photosensitive.
When you wear a hat or something on your head it may be making it really warm and that in turn triggers up the neurons in a persons brain and can sometimes cause seizures for some people. I know when I take a shower sometimes I will have a seizure do to the warm water hitting my head so I've learned to cut back and make the water cooler.
You may want to try the ketogenic diet that works really well for many people reducing and in some cases stopping the seizures. The diet is high in fat but low in carbs and starch foods. Also I've found taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day has been a great help reducing my seizures and keeping me relaxed. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
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