Video Q&A about Seizure Emergencies

Thu, Jan 25, 2018
3:00pm to 3:30pm CT

Description

Dr. Joseph Sirven and Dr. Matthew Hoerth discuss seizure emergencies.

Learn more about:

  • When a seizure is a medical emergency and when to call 911
  • Seizure action plans
  • Seizure first aid and what to do and not do if you witness a seizure

Location

Online

My daughter started having Tonic Clonic seizures in May. She had child epilepsy from 7 to 9 years old. She has 16 - 30 a month. How should we respond when they happen for 3-6 mins up to three times a day? Have taken her to hospital to no avail.

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twiceinalifetime,ive had tonic clonic since i was 5 ,now 63..3 to 6 minutes my usual time but up to tnree inaday is a lot to me .usally takes me coup!e days to recover from one ,i feel sorry for her .Id talk to aspecialist and this place and findout what can be done.Three tonic clonics in a day must be terrible.

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@robertjr

twiceinalifetime,ive had tonic clonic since i was 5 ,now 63..3 to 6 minutes my usual time but up to tnree inaday is a lot to me .usally takes me coup!e days to recover from one ,i feel sorry for her .Id talk to aspecialist and this place and findout what can be done.Three tonic clonics in a day must be terrible.

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Thank you so much Robert. You would be someone who knows how difficult her life has become. She too, can take a day or two to get over one, so you can imagine on the days she has 2 or 3. Those days are fortunately in the miniority, however it is worrying. At this time , she has doctors working with her. Lots of tests, etc. She has become quite discouraged. Not being able to work or drive and taking a while to recover from the seizures is pretty tough. Hope to have an answer soon regarding the multiple seizures. I know that would help. Have you been able to get some control over your seizures?

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@robertjr

twiceinalifetime,ive had tonic clonic since i was 5 ,now 63..3 to 6 minutes my usual time but up to tnree inaday is a lot to me .usally takes me coup!e days to recover from one ,i feel sorry for her .Id talk to aspecialist and this place and findout what can be done.Three tonic clonics in a day must be terrible.

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twiceinalifetime, ive been doing better lately.But i realize meds help but theres no garente how much time between seizures.I stillhate how i feel after a seizure ,two or three must be terrible,she must have a lot of stregth to handle so many seizures.

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I had a brain Injury and my first neurologist said I had partial seizures and he's very knowledgeable he now specializes in MS. Then I had another doctor says I had non-epieptic seizures. And then when l was in the hospital they said seizures again and I was told I had many seizures. Is this normal? I was diagnosed with encephalitis and autoimmune encephalitis and I read that you could have seizures. But when they do the EEG it comes back normal. And I read it can come back normal but you can still have seizures. Is this also true?

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@techi

I had a brain Injury and my first neurologist said I had partial seizures and he's very knowledgeable he now specializes in MS. Then I had another doctor says I had non-epieptic seizures. And then when l was in the hospital they said seizures again and I was told I had many seizures. Is this normal? I was diagnosed with encephalitis and autoimmune encephalitis and I read that you could have seizures. But when they do the EEG it comes back normal. And I read it can come back normal but you can still have seizures. Is this also true?

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Hi Techie - your life has changed so much I bet. Seizures can vary in number and type and quite a bit. I believe the stats say that they show 20 to 30 % of the time on an eeg. They try to capture the seizures sometimes on a sleep deprived eeg. Regardless, I am sure what you would like is control of them. There are Brain Injury organizations and I would suggest you contact a local one for support and counseling . They understand all of the facets of your trauma.

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@robertjr

twiceinalifetime,ive had tonic clonic since i was 5 ,now 63..3 to 6 minutes my usual time but up to tnree inaday is a lot to me .usally takes me coup!e days to recover from one ,i feel sorry for her .Id talk to aspecialist and this place and findout what can be done.Three tonic clonics in a day must be terrible.

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Hi again Robert. We have an appointment for a sleep deprived eeg on Friday morning. It is anout 2 hours from here last time we tried she had two seizures long before morning and ended up in a local hospital and never got one. She just plain doesn't want to do it again because she dreads deliberately setting herself up for seizures and there after affects. So, if we go, they will have to admit her or we will stay near the downtown hospital and go straight over.

Have you been able to work? How does your daily life go?

REPLY
@robertjr

twiceinalifetime,ive had tonic clonic since i was 5 ,now 63..3 to 6 minutes my usual time but up to tnree inaday is a lot to me .usally takes me coup!e days to recover from one ,i feel sorry for her .Id talk to aspecialist and this place and findout what can be done.Three tonic clonics in a day must be terrible.

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hi twiceinalifetime,when i was oung had one of those sleep deprived eegs,mine i stayed awake late got up early went to hospital and wired up tomachine.in a short time had a bad seizure.ended up all kinds of wires all wrapped around me big mess .thats what my dad told me.Every seizure i get usually takes 2 to 3 three days for me to recover.Tell my wife every seizure ive ever got takes 2 or3 days of my life away,Im on ssi disability for last 2 years ,also have copd,and every seizure makes my copd worse.Your daughter sounds like me why make myself get e seizure andside effects for some test that didnt do anyting.seizure free time means so much.With her condition the test might tell them something .Because of my breathing in cant do to much..Hope things workout out.

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Am I in the right place for Q & A epilepsy?

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Yes. Twiceinalifetime, you're in the right place. Can you see and hear the video?

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