What is epilepsy?
If you have epilepsy, It means that you have had repeated seizures
If you have a single seizure, it does not necessarily mean that you have epilepsy. About 1 in 20 people have a seizure at some time in their life. It may be the only one that occurs. The definition of epilepsy is 'more than one seizure'. The frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy varies. In some cases there may be years between seizures. At the other extreme, in some cases the seizures occur every day. For others, the frequency of seizures is somewhere in between these extremes.
Epileptic seizures arise from within the brain. A seizure can also be caused by external factors which may affect the brain. For example, a high fever may cause a 'febrile convulsion'. Other causes of seizures include: lack of oxygen, a low blood sugar level, certain drugs, poisons, and a lot of alcohol. Seizures caused by these external factors are not classed as epilepsy.
Different types of epilepsy and seizures
Seizures are divided into two main types - generalised and partial. (There are also other uncommon types of seizure.) If you have epilepsy you usually have recurrences of the same type of seizure. However, some people have different types of seizure at different times.
Generalised seizures
These occur if the abnormal electrical activity affects all or most of the brain. The symptoms tend to be 'general' and involve much of your body. There are various types.
- A tonic-clonic seizure is the most common type of generalised seizure. With this type of seizure your whole body stiffens, you lose consciousness, and then your body shakes (convulses) due to uncontrollable muscle contractions.
- Absence seizure is another type of generalised seizure. With this type of seizure you have a brief loss of consciousness or awareness. There is no convulsion, you do not fall over, and it usually lasts only seconds. Absence seizures mainly occur in children.
- A myoclonic seizure is caused by a sudden contraction of the muscles which cause a jerk. These can affect the whole body but often occur in just one or both arms.
- A tonic seizure causes a brief loss of consciousness, and you may become stiff and fall to the ground.
- An atonic seizure causes you to become limp and collapse, often with only a brief loss of consciousness.
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Where to next?
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Could it be epilepsy?
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Epilepsy, contraception and pregnancy issues
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Epilepsy - dealing with a tonic-clonic seizure
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Epilepsy with partial seizures
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Epilepsy with partial seizures
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How is epilepsy diagnosed?
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Living with epilepsy
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Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, SUDEP
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Symptomatic epilepsy
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Treatments for epilepsy
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What are the treatments for epilepsy?
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DIANE, over 2 years
MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH EPILEPSY A YEAR AGO. HER CONSAULTANT CAME OUT WITH THE TYPES SHE HAS BUT NEVER ONCE DID HE EXPLAINED IT TO ME IN ENGLISH. HE HAS MY DAUGHTER ON KEPPRA 500MG 4 TABLETS TWICE ADAY. THEY'VE TRYED HER ON ALL SORTS OF MEDS, BUT THEY SEEM TO UPSET HER SYSTEM. I'M WORRIED ABOUT HER BECAUSE IN THE LAST TEN DAYS SHE HAS HAD 4 SEIZURES. THE FIRST 2 WERE ONE AFTER EACH OTHER, WITH ABOUT 1 MIN BETWEEN THEM. IT TOOK HER AN HOUR TO RECONISE ME AND HER SURROUNDINGS. THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A MED CALLED EPISTATUS LIQUID, INWHICH I HAVE TO ADMINISTER THROUGH A SURINGE INTO THE SIDE OF HER MOUTH IF HER SEIZURES LAST MORE THAN 5 MIN. I REALLY COULD'NT TELL IF IT WORKED OR NOT. YOUR SIGHT HELPED ME BY EXPLAINING ALL THE TYPES SHE HAS, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GOT A HOLD OF YOUR SIGHT FROM A MAGAZINE CALLED, PICK ME UP. I'M STILL FRUSTRATED ABOUT HOW LONG THEIR TAKING IN CONTROLLING MY DAUGHTERS FITS. SHE HAS NO LIFE AND HAS NOW GIVEN UP. NADIA MY DAUGHTER, IS JUST A SHELL OF HER USUAL SELF.IT'S LIKE SHE'S OPERATING ON AUTOPIOLET AND SHE IS VERY ANGERY TOWARDS PEOPLE AND LASHES OUT. I'M NOW A SINGLE PARENT WHO HAS TO COPE WITH THIS ON MY OWN. I ALSO HAVE A SON WITH A.D.H.D.AND I'M DISABLED MYSELF. I FEEL LIKE NADIA'S CONSAULTANT JUST IS'NT LISTENING. I TOLD HIM THAT ONE OF NADS SEIZURES WAS THAT SHE STOPPED BREATHING FOR A SECOND OR TOO. HE DID'NT TAKE A BLIND BIT OF NOTICE NOR DID HE ENTER IT IN NADIA'S FILES. WHEN I SAW HIS REGISTER R HE ENTERED IT INTO HER FILES. I JUST DON'T KNOW. WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I'M NOW AS LOW AS ONE CAN GET. I'VE ALREADY BEEN TO DRS, WHOM PUT ME ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND WRITING TO NADIA'S CONSAULTANT AS SHE HAS NOTICED HOW DISTANT NADAI IS. THE DRS WORDS WAS THAT NADS IS WAY WITH THE FAIRIES, NOT WITH US. I KNOW THIS IS JUST A COMMENT SIGHT, IT'S JUST THAT I'M HOPEING YOU MIGHT KNOW WHOM I CAN CONTACT FOR HELP. SORRY FOR TAKING UP YOUR TIME. I JUST HATE WATCHING MY DAUGHTER FIT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO A THING UNTILL SHE STARTS TO CALM DOWN, THEN I HAVE TO BE STRONG TO TALK HER OUT OF IT. WHEN ALL I WANNA DO IS CRY. BUT BEING ON MY OWN I HAVE TO BE STRONG FOR NADS. THEN SORT HER BROTHER OUT WHO HAS ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVE DISORDER. (A.D.H.D).
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maggie, about 1 year
my daughter as been epileptic seen nine months old, she too as tried all sorts of medince but is now on keppra and toprimate twice aday ,we at the moment use rectal dizapem if in a fit longer than 5 mins a friend as just told me about epistatus so we are going to see our doctor about this, it was nice to read some reports about it
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