Has anyone seen a sudden onset of seizures in an adult?

That is so encouraging to hear that you have been successful in weaning off the Keppra. Hopefully my husband will be able to start that in a year.
We wish you the best!
Curtis and Tami

Sorry I’m late to the party, but yes, me, I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 27. This was in 2009 and I still have no idea what caused it and likely never will. I have no history of TBI’s, never abused drugs or alcohol and all my CT scans, MRI’s etc have all been normal. My EEG however was definitely not normal (which I kind of thank god for that because if it had been normal I’d have been dismissed completely. What many don’t know if that you can develop epilepsy at ANY age. As you get older it’s more often caused by injury or brain tumors, etc, but many many many adults are diagnosed with epilepsy every year with no known cause. Unfortunately it seems healthcare providers don’t understand this and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been accused of faking it for attention (it’s been 16 years now, a ton of injuries needing care - broken bones, stitches, etc. I can’t drive, haven’t for 16 years, I can’t work and I have to take 2 awful meds at the highest dosage possible just so that I have seizures less often, nothing has stopped them completely. So if I’m faking this I might be the craziest, most committed, attention seeker that ever lived🙄). But you should know it’s really common for an EEG to be normal and still have epilepsy. And unless your son abuses substances (it doesn’t sound like it:) or has some sort of brain injury that’s able to be seen, you will likely never know what caused it. It sucks, I’m sorry. Never stop advocating for him, I hope you find a great Dr, but if not, like myself, don’t give up. Don’t let them say he’s fine or blow you off. Demand to be seen at an epilepsy center if you aren’t getting the help you need (not sure where you’re located but I can tell you where they have them if you’d like). I wish I had a mom or dad to help me navigate this, but unfortunately I don’t so your son is lucky to have you. Please let me know if you have ANY questions, as I too randomly had my first generalized tonic clonic seizure when I was 27 and I've had them ever since. Also, since my neurologists (I saw 4) were basically useless and literally told me nothing helpful other than, “yep you have epilepsy, here try this medicine…” I have used the last 16 years to learn absolutely everything I can about epilepsy and non epileptic seizures, the brain, all of it. I’m a registered nurse so luckily I had a medical background and have been able to get a ton of info from medical research and journal articles. Anyways, hopefully you’ve found your answers already.

Hi @1990mom - how's your son doing?

This is the first time I've seen this question. I hope the following helps. It's not written about me, but only to share that we have a lot in common and a couple suggestions. My seizures came out of nowhere at mid-life, so I know what he and your family are going through. Mine started with Gran-mal (now Tonic Clonic). I am now 72 years old and it took over 20 years to get out of denial and realized I would be confined to my home for the rest of my life and relying on others. This is a major life-changer. It took proper medication, good SLEEP each night and lack of stress to reduce my tonic clonic to a focal seizure type, now rarely happening, I highly recommend he DO NOT DRIVE no matter what the law allows where you live. His neuro should provide some recommendations. Keeping healthy, e.g. regular exercise can be very helpful, but stay hydrated. This has kept me seizure-free for 18 months at one time. The best advice I can give is for him to feel that he is not confined to his home and that you and others will be there to help him get where he needs to go. Driving can lead to serious injuries and loss of life to him and/or others. No matter what the doctors allow, our legal system could still ruin your family's life financially. DM me if you wish. I'd welcome the opportunity to help more. My best.

I had three tonic/clonic seizures last fall (2025), out of the blue, initially misdiagnosed as fainting from a heart issue. I was blessed to receive a correct diagnosis for both the heart issue and epilepsy at Mayo Rochester in December 2025. I’m 72, with no prior history of seizures.

It’s been quite a process, and thanks to my family and this group, I’m able to have a better understanding and perspective on my new life.

Grateful for the support and care through Mayo that has also helped my family adjust to the possibility of my having another seizure but accepting that life goes on. Our faith commitment also makes a huge difference. Between all of us, we are doing better and valuing our time together differently.

Self-advocacy, medication, good medical care, effective counseling, and proceeding ahead with caution help me continue to lead a meaningful life. Blessings on your healing journey ❤️‍🩹

I had my first and only seizure event in June 2025 at age 80. Spent four days in hospital, mostly unconscious. No root cause was determined after various tests including brain MRI. I’m taking lacosamide and gabapentin. No recurrence.