Hi Lisa,

Welcome to the forum! I just saw my Epileptologist today and I've had sz. for 41 yrs. What you are describing sounds like your husband may be having absence (petit mal) sz. I have this type of sz. and I will get a daydream look on my face, but blank out not realizing what is happening when the sz. is going on. I will continue talking to people as well as cook or work I just don't remember anything then after the sz. is over I feel very confused for a few seconds and it's hard to remember what happened before I went into the sz. and I have a headache along with feeling tired and I want to sleep for about 2 hrs. I tried Keppra, clonopin, and many other seizure meds but I found the best things that helped me were taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day, Diamox, vimpat, and mysoline. Keppra increased my sz, like crazy.
You mentioned that your husband a shunt put in correct me if I'm wrong but was this for his heart or something else?
Tell your husband to start keeping track of all of his sz. and write the time and description of each sz. down on a calendar along if he has been sick or if there's been a low pressure in the weather also if your husband is under to much stress or is very tired this can trigger sz. for him.
My best advice to you is if you aren't happy with the neuro have your husband see an Epileptologist at an Epilepsy Center which are at University or large hospitals they can do a lot more for some people with epilepsy than any neuro I've ever seen. If your husband keeps track of his possible sz. his neuro may see a pattern in the sz. as to what time of day/night the sz. happens along with what days of the month.
Have your husband cut back on the caffeine, starch foods and carbs and also cut back on nutra sweet (aspartame) because it been proven that these foods especially nutra sweet can trigger sz. by causing more electrical activity in the brain. I wish you and your husband only the best of luck and May God Bless You Both!
Sue