Can 2 Back to Back (within 1 hour) Seizures really be classified as 2 unprovoked separate seizures?

CDC funded page

Not a CDC funded Page

Hi there- about a month ago I had a tonic-clonic/grand mal seizure while sleeping. My boyfriend woke up and, having had a college roommate who had epilepsy, recognized it and called 911. Once at the hospital and hooked up to fluids ( max - 45 minutes later, but I was still asleep so I am not 100% sure) I had a second tonic-clonic seizure. I remember waking up after and being told I had had a second- but my memory is very spotty. Both seizures took place while I was sleeping and I have been on anti-seizure medication since that day so, as far as I have noticed, I have not had a seizure since that day. The ER actually blamed my seizure on a low sodium level (of 1 point below normal - which my neurologist laughed at when I told her). But, since they were technically 2 separate seizures they are are treating these as two separate, unprovoked incidents.

My MRI and CT Scan came back clear but my EEG came back with what my Dr called 'slow waves' (this test was done while I was taking 1000MG of Keppra AND was starting to wean onto Trokendi XR 50MG due to the awful side effects I was having with the Keppra). She didn't provide me any specifics other then that -not location in the brain or what this was officially/medically called - if anything - it felt vague and has led me to schedule a second opinion for two weeks from now with another doctor. She did say that she believes it ties back to a car accident that I had when I was 15 (which was 15 years ago). At the time- I did not have any head trauma I was aware of, however the accident was severe, the airbags did deploy, the car flipped, and I did have a small cut and large bruising on my face. I was not aware that something from so long ago could cause seizures- let alone seizures that could possibly be recurring. I am going for my second opinion soon but I was curious if anyone had any similar experiences- my biggest question right now is around whether there is any way to tell if these seizures are something that are going to be recurring or if they could have been a one time thing? Does thee EEG Being abnormal confirm this? ( I tried asking my Dr. and she wouldn't directly answer any of my question- again- hence the second opinion).

I've never had to take medication before, so I am currently struggling with the side effects of having to take the Trokendi daily. I don't like the idea of staying on a drug for 3-5 years to stay seizure free to then wean off of it.... just to see if I have a seizure 3-5 years from now. Not sure I understand the difference from doing it then or now - especially when the first and only two happened so close to each other.

I hope this all makes sense and thank you in advance for any thoughts you may have.

Comments

Hi OK I will answer some of

Submitted by just_joe on Mon, 2014-07-21 - 11:53

Hi OK I will answer some of your questions You want to know if those seizures will be a one time affair. You also want a secone openion. Well If I were you I wouldn't be wasting my money on a second openion. As for grand mal seizures..generally once in one you know nothing about it and you learn what happened from those who were around. So unless yo uwere told about it y will know nothing about it since in grand mal seizures yo ulose conciousness.. As for what the doctor attributed it too YES a car accident 15 years ago could have caused this. I know because my epilepsy is caused by scared brain tissue. The scar tissue was caused by a hemmorage to the brain. A blow to the head caused the hemmorage. That blow to the head spun my head and when my mouth hit the rail I cut my tongue and the inside of my cheek. Docs were worried about my mouth since 4 teeth were knocked out and I needed 32c stiches. The blow to my head came from a ladder rung comming out. I hit the top rail with my head which spun my head causeing me to hit the bottom rail with my mouth. All of that happened when I was 6-7. I didn't have a seizure until years later. The EEG is a test which shows the electrical output from the brain. All a seizure is is an electrical impulse going off in the brain wrong causing a chain reaction. When the doctor said slow waves. The doc was saying abnormalities (seizure activity) I was tested many years ago like in the early 1960's I had had 15-20 different EEG's all come back normal. The last test done was another EEG. In that EEG I fell asleep and once that happened they found abnormalities. By seeing where those waves came from they looked closer that that area of the neuro-angeogram (MRI of the 1960's) which had come back normal. In the closer look they found scared brain tissue which was posted above. let alone seizures that could possibly be recurring. Yes they could get worse or possiably become other types of seizures, A little history. I had been written up for day dreaming in class for about 2 years. I had been having wierd feeling in my right hand. Well those wierd feelings in my hand were focal motor seizures The day dreaming in class were absence seizures ( at that time petite mal seizures) If we had known those things were seizures I might not have had the grand mal seizure I had because medications have kept me from having another grand mal seizure. I still have seizures but they last seconds. The focal seizures I have had have nor generalized (gone into convulsions which look like grand mal seizures). I have been blessed not to have had a convulsive seizure since 1970. I am not a doctor. I am posting from what I have gone thru and what I do know because these things have happened to me. The testing done in the early 1960's has also been varified by my current neurologist in 2005 and 2008 while we were looking at other procedures which could get me seizure free I do hope this helps and you get the assistance yo uneed Joe

Hi OK I will answer some of your questions   You want to know if those seizures will be a one time affair. You also want a secone openion. Well If I were you I wouldn't be wasting my money on a second openion.  As for grand mal seizures..generally once in one you know nothing about it and you learn what happened from those who were around. So unless yo uwere told about it y will know nothing about it since in grand mal seizures yo ulose conciousness.. As for what the doctor attributed it too YES a car accident 15 years ago could have caused this. I know because my epilepsy is caused by scared brain tissue. The scar tissue was caused by a hemmorage to the brain. A blow to the head caused the hemmorage. That blow to the head spun my head and when my mouth hit the rail I cut my tongue and the inside of my cheek. Docs were worried about my mouth since 4 teeth were knocked out and I needed 32c stiches. The blow to my head came from a ladder rung comming out. I hit the top rail with my head which spun my head causeing me to hit the bottom rail with my mouth. All of that happened when I was 6-7. I didn't have a seizure until years later.  The EEG is a test which shows the electrical output from the brain. All a seizure is is an electrical impulse going off in the brain wrong causing a chain reaction. When the doctor said slow waves. The doc was saying abnormalities (seizure activity)  I was tested many years ago like in the early 1960's I had had 15-20 different EEG's all come back normal. The last test done was another EEG. In that EEG I fell asleep and once that happened they found abnormalities. By seeing where those waves came from they looked closer that that area of the neuro-angeogram (MRI of the 1960's)  which had come back normal. In the closer look they found scared brain tissue which was posted above. let alone seizures that could possibly be recurring.   Yes they could get worse or possiably become other types of seizures, A little history. I had been written up for day dreaming in class for about 2 years. I had been having wierd feeling in my right hand. Well those wierd feelings in my hand were focal motor seizures  The day dreaming  in class were absence seizures ( at that time  petite mal seizures) If we had known those things were seizures I might not have had the grand mal seizure I had because medications have kept me from having another grand mal seizure. I still have seizures but they last seconds. The focal seizures I have had have nor generalized (gone into convulsions which look like grand mal seizures). I have been blessed not to have had a convulsive seizure since 1970. I am not a doctor. I am posting from what I have gone thru and what I do know because these things have happened to me. The testing done in the early 1960's has also been varified by my current neurologist in 2005 and 2008 while we were looking at other procedures which could get me seizure free I do hope this helps and you get the assistance yo uneed Joe

Hi OK I will answer some of your questions You want to know if those seizures will be a one time affair. You also want a secone openion. Well If I were you I wouldn't be wasting my money on a second openion. As for grand mal seizures..generally once in one you know nothing about it and you learn what happened from those who were around. So unless yo uwere told about it y will know nothing about it since in grand mal seizures yo ulose conciousness.. As for what the doctor attributed it too YES a car accident 15 years ago could have caused this. I know because my epilepsy is caused by scared brain tissue. The scar tissue was caused by a hemmorage to the brain. A blow to the head caused the hemmorage. That blow to the head spun my head and when my mouth hit the rail I cut my tongue and the inside of my cheek. Docs were worried about my mouth since 4 teeth were knocked out and I needed 32c stiches. The blow to my head came from a ladder rung comming out. I hit the top rail with my head which spun my head causeing me to hit the bottom rail with my mouth. All of that happened when I was 6-7. I didn't have a seizure until years later. The EEG is a test which shows the electrical output from the brain. All a seizure is is an electrical impulse going off in the brain wrong causing a chain reaction. When the doctor said slow waves. The doc was saying abnormalities (seizure activity) I was tested many years ago like in the early 1960's I had had 15-20 different EEG's all come back normal. The last test done was another EEG. In that EEG I fell asleep and once that happened they found abnormalities. By seeing where those waves came from they looked closer that that area of the neuro-angeogram (MRI of the 1960's) which had come back normal. In the closer look they found scared brain tissue which was posted above. let alone seizures that could possibly be recurring. Yes they could get worse or possiably become other types of seizures, A little history. I had been written up for day dreaming in class for about 2 years. I had been having wierd feeling in my right hand. Well those wierd feelings in my hand were focal motor seizures The day dreaming in class were absence seizures ( at that time petite mal seizures) If we had known those things were seizures I might not have had the grand mal seizure I had because medications have kept me from having another grand mal seizure. I still have seizures but they last seconds. The focal seizures I have had have nor generalized (gone into convulsions which look like grand mal seizures). I have been blessed not to have had a convulsive seizure since 1970. I am not a doctor. I am posting from what I have gone thru and what I do know because these things have happened to me. The testing done in the early 1960's has also been varified by my current neurologist in 2005 and 2008 while we were looking at other procedures which could get me seizure free I do hope this helps and you get the assistance yo uneed Joe

You got that right Amy Jo I

Submitted by just_joe on Thu, 2014-07-24 - 15:07

You got that right Amy Jo I am one of those who may never be off meds. More testin is done to find out the tolerancy of drugs today tehn they were years ago too. Oh and I know my spelling sucks but at least I can get my point across. I have learned some things from you. So keep up the comments. I like learning