Anyone having family members with epilepsy?

[zakirahzakaria]

My mom had a stroke in January last year, and since then, she started having multiple episodes of seizures. Her neurologist said that there's a 30% chance of her developing seizure after the stroke, but this seems like more than 30% to me.

I've never dealt with seizures before, and it hurts me seeing my mom in so much pain from the seizures. Sometimes it's her whole body, sometimes it's just her right leg, and sometimes it's just her upper body. The worst one was a few months ago, which was her whole body and face. She ended up in an ambulance and then hospitalized for a few weeks.

Is there any way I, as a family member, could do to help her prevent another seizure? My sister-in-law (who is a doctor) is trying to ask my mom's neurologist to provide us with valium, but it might take some time. Other than drugs, relaxation etc, is there anything at all we can do?

[ClaudiKnits]

Dear Zakirah,

so sad to hear what your mom, you and your family are going through.... you are all in my prayers

I have a nephew with epilepsy... He is 15 years old and has epilepsy since years .... he has "absence seizure" and I only can talk about this form... but we know, that stress, less sleep and such things are the things that make it more posible that a seizure is coming.... So avoid this is a good help.

Don't she get medicine for it? Is it really epilepsy?

Hugs Claudi

[Sherri Tierney]

I have two brothers and both have epilepsy. Both of them have had it from an early age. They both have different types of seizures. The older one has petit mal seizures (meaning rather than a seizure that causes twitching and shaking he just 'blanks' out - it appears he is just daydreaming but he is lost in his own mind having a seizure) and the younger one has the more violent grand mal seizures. His are the most frightening as he will fall down, shake, his eyes will roll back into his head and, at times, he will stop breathing during a seizure. A few times when he was little, we were so afraid he was dying during one. It used to scare me a whole lot (being the older sister who often took care of the boys by myself while my grandma ran errands).

With both of my brothers, the important thing (besides their medication) is to make sure that they drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, and avoid any sort of extremely stressful emotional situations. When their immune systems are low they are more prone to seizures. Also, both of them are affected by heat and therefore summers are kind of difficult because getting over heated causes them to head into a seizure state.

Has your mom been officially diagnosed with epilepsy? It almost sounds like there is something a little different going on. There are many different conditions that cause seizures, unfortunately. I hope that they find something to help her. It took quite a while to find the right combination of medications for my brothers. Even when we did find it, that 'sweet spot' , so to speak, changed frequently as they aged, hormones set in, etc. It was only in their adult years that they finally settled into a better pattern.

[zakirahzakaria]

Claudi & Sheri, thank you for sharing your experiences.

My mom hasn't been officially diagnosed with epilepsy yet. At the moment, her neuro calls it post-stroke seizure. However, I read on a reputable medical website that some post-stroke seizures are eventually diagnosed as epilepsy because of its frequency and seriousness. I hope that won't be the case for my mom... Right now, her legs are still swollen from last week's mild seizures.

As for treatment, we have a physiotherapist coming every week to help her do some exercises & massages. She's also on Epilim right now.

[tanyiadeskins]

No advice here, but just wanted to say I am sorry for your mom and your family. I can only imagine it must be scary for everyone involved. I hope you find some answers soon.

[zakirahzakaria]

Thank you, Tanyia

[ClaudiKnits]

Dear Zakirah,
I really hope that you find soon the answers ... You and your mom are in my prayers!!