Do you have pre-seizure issues or symptoms?

@johnbishop thanks, got it. It works great!

My seizures started when I was in my 20s. Had a grand mal seizures while camping with my family. No warnings of any kind prior to that event. And I can’t think of any symptoms before that. At the time I was taken by ambulance to the local hospital and from there to the city. A brain tumour was suspected. After tests I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. My auras I call them start with an ominous over whelming feeling in my stomach that just moves up and feels like I am going to vomit. Suffocating. As I age the feelings Have come in clusters I call them and all I can say when they start is please please not again. It is the most overwhelming feeling. I’m now 72 and over the years I ve only had a few seizures that just stop everything , no warning. and I pass out. But most of the time there is that awful feeling. Until medication was finally adjusted I had a lot of petit mal and as well deja vu. Everything stops, even sound. And I remember thinking...I’ve been here I’ve done this before. I believe that over the years due to not checking my blood levels Often enough my meds would become untherapeutic. When the dosages were adjusted things straightenEd out. I believe too that stress at times has been involved. I am a stubborn independent person and will fight thru anything, perhaps at times I should have addressed that...stepped back from Some things. Just not my nature and I’m too old to change now.
Maggie

@maggiek
When you have epilepsy you can never be too old to change. Change is essential sometimes. Saying that you’re too old to change is like saying you give up and that frightens me. Seizures can get better they can get worse they can change types and change frequency and severity. We have no choice but to change. SAFETY FIRST. Now you better behave yourself!!! and change whenever it’s necessary, GOT IT?
You take good care of yourself and if you have to change then that’s what you do regardless of age!
Jake

As I read through these comments, I find myself overwhelmed with joy?.. I’m. Not. Alone.
Thank you everyone for being brave enough to share, y’all may not know what that does for newbies. Bless this magical group.
Clues that one’s coming:
*Dizzy
*Rapid breathing
*Sweat like a football player
*Time doesn’t mean anything, the world goes gray and even if I don’t pass out, I can’t see in the shade of grey
*Tummyache
*Exhausting fear takes over. No ‘reason’ to be afraid, but it takes over.
*My hands shake first, then the rest of my body begins to vibrate, or roll like a wave under my skin and in my muscles.
There are other signs, but I don’t want to write a novel.
One Question:
Does anyone loose their faculties when having a seizure, whatever the type.
~Erica

Hello @maggiek, I'm in agreement with @jakedduck1, it is possible to change if you need to change. Self-care is the most important activity to be involved with right now. Do what is best for yourself, if changing is hard for you, have you considered seeking the help of a therapist who can help you move from being (as you said) "stubborn independent person" to a more tolerant person who is willing and able to change?

This might be something to consider. Will you think about it?

I would like to post about my seizures that occur every 60 days to see if anyone has any ideas about the cause or causes. Could the drug that I am taking ie Trileptal and Eliquis( Blood thinner) have an impurity that builds up in my system that promotes a seizure. Now after 6 - sixty day period seizures. I have asked my Neurologist and he suggest increasing the dosage of Trileptal. I am afraid that increasing the Trileptal will just makwe the seizures every 40 days?

@cdupont1234
Considering there are over 40 types of seizures and what may be causing them is often a hard nut for anyone to crack and even if doctor gives you a cause, how can you be assured it’s accurate.
You’re probably familiar with these potential causes of seizures but I’ll name a few anyway. Have you ever been in an accident and hit your head, fall off a bike, fall down & hit head, stroke, brain infection, or other serious infection?
You mention taking Eliquis but you don’t say why. Perhaps there could be an association there. Do you have any i’m a regular reasons why eloquent group question prescribe?Irregular heartbeat, history of blood clots, Artificial joins? Half of the people with epilepsy don’t know the cause and will most likely never know.
I can certainly relate to what it’s like to not have your seizures under control.
You might want to give a dose increase a try. We just might give you the control you’re looking for. One concern with this medication is that it has caused low sodium levels which can increase seizures but as long as you get regular blood tests I wouldn’t think it should really be much of an issue. But if your seizures continue I would either change to a different medication or add @cdupont1234
Considering there are over 40 types of seizures and what may be causing them is often a hard nut for anyone to crack and even if doctor gives you a cause, how can you be assured it’s accurate.
You’re probably familiar with these potential causes of seizures but I’ll name a few anyway. Have you ever been in an accident and hit your head, fall off a bike, fall down & hit head, stroke, brain infection, or other serious infection?
You mention taking Eliquis but you don’t say why. Perhaps there could be an association there. Do you have any i’m a regular reasons why eloquent group question prescribe?Irregular heartbeat, history of blood clots, Artificial joins? Half of the people with epilepsy don’t know the cause and will most likely never know.
I can certainly relate to what it’s like to not have your seizures under control.
You might want to give a dose increase a try. We just might give you the control you’re looking for. One concern with this medication is that it has caused low sodium levels which can increase seizures but as long as you get regular blood tests I wouldn’t think it should really be much of an issue. But if your seizures continue I would either change to a different medication or add a second medication.
What type seizures do you have?
What medications have you tried?
Has Trileptal improved your seizure frequency or their severity?
Take care of yourself,
Jake

Thanks for your reply. The neurologist prescribed Trilepital to control the seizures and Elequis to prevent blood clots if seizures occur. I did not know there was 40 types of seizures. I thought there was only 6 different types. At present I have a seizure every 60 days. This has occurred over the last 6 seizures. I believe the every 60 days raises a red flag. My question to the Neurologist was is there a build up in my blood of some additives in either the Trilepital or Eliquis that triggers the seizures every 60 days? I do not smoke or drink alcohol or even any soft drinks. I limit my consumption of any food items with sugar. The 60 day interval still happens. The Neurologist response is increase the dosage of Trilepital. I am now increasing my protein intake to 50 to 60 gms per day. I will try that for 90 days and see if that does anything. The seizures started on Christmas day in 2018 and have persisted since then. Any suggestion would be helpful. Thanks

@cdupont1234
I’ve never heard of anyone improving their seizure control by using protein but anything is possible. Everyone is different. There is the man in Canada who has 100% control of his seizures by using B vitamins. Vitamin B6 deficiency is the only vitamin deficiency known to cause seizures. Low sodium, magnesium & calcium are also causes.
I would be more concerned about what you were doing around the time you had these seizures than the particular time frame except the time of day. For example were you stressed, poor quality sleep, If your photosensitive flashing, blinking, flickering lights (tv, theaters, video games, computers, lights in stores/offices even patterns (straps, checkerboard etc.) if you have a reflex epilepsy reading a book can cause a seizure. Musicogenic epilepsy is also a reflex epilepsy. I have a friend in England who has it and he has a key here every time he plays his banjo. Menstruation (catamenial epilepsy), stress, alcohol, medications, illicit drugs, fever, infection. Even food or drinks, excessive caffeine. Granted a number of what I listed are rare but who’s to say who will have rare reaction.
You mentioned you take
“Elequis to prevent blood clots if seizures occur.”
That seems like a mighty big “if” to me. Whats the relationship between blood clots and seizures?
Do you have a history of clots? I’d love to know your doctors reasoning for prescribing blood thinning medication to someone based solely on a seizure diagnosis and especially a seizure every 6 months. Certainly new to me. I wouldn’t take it.
I also have a problem with Trilepital. Probably not justified but I would take other meds first although I know of quite a few people who have good results with it. But it has been known to increase seizures in some usually children I believe and is suspected to increase them in some adults too.
You mentioned the limit drink sugar. How about artificial sweeteners? Although artificial sweeteners haven’t been proven to cause seizures I know many people who claim aspartame causes seizures for them. My drivers license is too important to me to risk losing it by taking the medication or artificial sweeteners regardless of how small the risk.
You might wanna consider keeping a seizure diary/log/journal or whatever you choose to call it. It could end up being very beneficial to you and your Neurologist.
Hope you find the answer to stop the seizures,
Jake

I have never heard of increasing the amount of protein in the diet as a form of treatment for controlling seizures. Have you increased the amount of protein yourself or has your doctor done this? I thought that only a doctor like the doctor who is a dietary specialist tells people to increase the amount of protein in their diet. I have done this as an adjunct for the form that has been recommended by that doctor but I have not noticed any positive results of it on my seizures. But them each person is different and I never took the medications you do.