My 68 yr old aunt had a seizure on Monday. She has always been as healthy as a horse, so this took all of us quite by surprise. They kept her in the hospital for a couple of days -- CAT scan, MRI, EEG, bloodwork -- and found no apparent cause -- a little bit of high blood pressure, but everything else checks out. She was unconscious for maybe 10 minutes and unaware for about 45 minutes -- short term memory issues for 6 hours afterwards. I've seen petit mal and grand mal seizures in students that I used to teach, but the effects didn't seem to last this long.

Anyway, she has an appointment on the 20th -- but, until then, she OF COURSE cannot drive. And, we are NOT letting her stay by herself. The neuro on call prescribed Keppra -- 2 X daily. So far, no more seizures -- and she isn't complaining about the side effects of the medicine.

She is BEGGING to go home -- back to her "stuff". We are terrified. For those 6 hours she was like an infant/toddler -- repeating herself -- and not making a whole lot of sense.

I need advice -- I know that YOU ALL are the REAL EXPERTS. Would it be safe to let her go home?? OR would it be safe to let her go home for a couple of hours a day IF we brought her back to spend the nights with us???

Hi jana,

I'm sorry to hear about your aunt and I hope things get better. I've had complex partial seizures along with petit mal seizures for over 30 yrs. and I've been told that complex partial seizures are the hardest to control according to my Epileptologist that's because the seizures is happening on both sides of the brain and they can lead to tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures sometimes.
I hope I'm wrong but it sound like your aunt might have had a status complex partial seizure because she was unconscious for 10 min. and unaware for over 30 min. and what's puzzling to me is the short term memory problem that lasted over 6 hrs. I wouldn't leave your aunt alone if I were in your place because if she had a seizure like this again she could get hurt especially if she feel down and being unaware and as well as short term memory problems lasting so long she might wander off not realizing what she's doing. Many times a person with complex partial seizures will wander around and not realize it until the seizure is over. I know it happens to me at times I will be in the living room and when the seizure is over I will find myself in the kitchen or bedroom and I don't remember walking there. You might want to also give your aunt vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day you can buy it over the counter the B12 calms the nerves down and helps reduce the seizures. I also took keppra this past yr. and the drug caused insomnia and it increased my seizures I hope it does better for your aunt. I wish your aunt and you only the best and May God Bless the both of You!

Sue

Sue, thank you so much for your response!! We have felt so lost!!

What you have said makes total sense -- and since YOU have said it, I think my aunt will be more likely to believe it.

I'll get her some B12 -- thanks so much!!

So far, the Keppra seems to be making her drowsy. We haven't noticed any more seizures -- unless she may be having a simple type that is hard to recognize.

She used to have horrific migraines with auras -- and difficulty speaking. Now I am wondering...........

The neuro was convinced that the seizure on Monday was a complex partial because my aunt talked about feelings of deja vu a minute or two before her collapse -- apparently this was an aura, too. I'll have to look up this "status" part.

Again, thank you. I have a feeling I will be visiting this forum a lot in the coming weeks -- reading and asking more questions.

Hi jana,

The keppra will make your aunt sleepy that's one side affect of the drug. Before I started to have seizures yrs. ago I had wicked migraine headaches just like your aunt sometimes this will happen before a person starts to have seizures. The difficulty speaking often happens to me when I'm having a complex partial seizure I've heard my Epileptologist tell me that this is part of the motor skill in the brain that's being affected and it happens to me right before I blank out. I know what I want to say but the words won't come out. Since your aunt is having aura seizures tell her that the next time that it happens to tighten up all the muscles in her body and make her hands into tight fists for a few seconds sometimes this will stop the aura seizure from leading into a complex partial seizures. I know it sound strange but I've been told to do this since the early 1970's and it has worked great for me stopping many seizures.
When you are with your aunt keep an eye on her and if you notice that she's smacking her lips, picking at her clothing, and wandering around this is all signs of a complex partial seizure. I used to ask: What day is it? Where am I? and things like that after the seizure was over.
A status seizure is when a person has a seizure that lasts over 15 min. or longer and sometimes a person has to go to the hospital and be given an IV of medication to bring them out to the seizure this type of seizure can cause more brain damage for a person. I had the absence (petit mal) status seizure a few yrs. ago when I was put on the drug neurontin but after I went off the drug I never had that problem again. Tell your aunt to cut back on caffeine, carbs, and starch foods and stay away from nutra sweet because all of these types of foods and sweetners can cause seizures for many people. Here's wishing you and your aunt well. May God Bless the both of you.

Sue

*sigh* I really had this "feeling" that there was a connection between the migraines and the seizure. She had an uncle (my great uncle), who would have seizures whenever he heard an organ playing -- strange, huh? Migraines with auras run DEEP in our family -- her mother (my grandmother), my sister, and I all have them, too. My sister's migraines have been so bad that they have even lasted as long as 28 days out of the month, also affected her speech, and made one of her eyes droop.

This muscle "squeezing" is a WONDERFUL trick -- I've printed your responses and will hand them to my aunt ASAP!!

So far, we haven't noticed any of the "automatisms" you mentioned (did I spell that right?) -- but, her friends have said that they did previously notice that she seemed to sometimes stare off into space and try to start a sentence and then stop. We are wondering if this might have been seizure-related?

Thanks for the "status" info. Scary!!! At first, they thought it was a TIA -- so, they didn't give her anything at the hospital -- but, she seems to be ok. She's pretty fiesty for 68!!

We've gotten her lap-top moved over here -- so, I'm going to try to get her to join and start asking her own questions. I've already told her how awesome you all are!!

God bless you, too, Sue!! And, thanks again for all of your help!!

Hi jana,

I'm glad to have been some help you and your family. Epilepsy runs in my family genes and I always thought that my seizures weree family related but all of my family had tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures where I only had absence (petit mal) and complex parital along with simple partial (aura) seizures so I know it wasn't family related. If you haven't been keeping track of your aunts seizures tell your aunt or someone in your family to start writing down what time your aunt has a seizure along with a description of the seizure by doing this her neuro may see a pattern in her seizures as to what days of the month or what time of the day or night your aunt is more likely to have any seizure. Also tell your aunt to write down if there's a low pressure in the weather or if she's feeling sick because often time this might cause a seizure. You mention that your uncle had a seizure each time he heard the organ playing this is known as an audio seizure and that means certains sounds would trigger a seizure for him. In regards to your aunt staring she may be having absence seizures also known as petit mal seizures like I have. When I have this type of seizure I will just have a type of staring or daydream look on my face for a few seconds and then after the seizure is over I don't remember anything that has happened. It's almost like having amnesia for a few second or think of it as a drunk driver who doesn't remember driving home or anything that happened. I wish you and your family the best of luck. May God Bless All of You!

Sue

Jana, so sorry for your aunt; I know you are worried. I have had epilepsy for almost 45 years. The auras you mentioned with migraines are probably simple partial seizures. I know I have them before they spread into a complex partial. Sometimes I will have a sense of deja vu a week or so before it starts. My seizures are connected to hormone fluctuations. They started at puberty, and now at menopause, they have lost any sense of pattern.

Thanks so much, Karen and Sue. My aunt is in "denial", I think. We went to the doctor on Thursday -- she was told she has to be seizure-free for six months before she can drive, and she is REALLY "ticked", to say the least.

This morning she told us that she had an upset stomach yesterday afternoon. When we questioned her, it sounded like it might have been another seizure. Can you tell me what you all think?

She was sitting at her computer -- her head started to feel "fat" -- her eyes started to feel funny -- she got up and went to the recliner and was EXTREMELY dizzy -- this all came on EXTREMELY FAST!!! In a few minutes, she threw up -- and then she threw up again (into a waste basket). Her stomach didn't hurt. Afterwards, she was very cold, got into the bed, and napped on and off until bedtime. She is absolutely fine this morning -- NOT like a stomach virus or anything.

So, does this sound like a type of seizure??

Hi jana,

I'm sorry that your aunt is going through such a hard time right now, take my word it's not easy on anyone when they find out that they have epilepsy but they just have to realize it's not that bad and it could be a lot worse for them.
This sounds like your aunt might have had a aura sz. which lead into a complex partial sz. The brightness of the computer monitor may have started the aura sz. because bright light can sometimes trigger sz. for a person this is known as being photosensitive. Often I will start to see colors flash back and forth in my eyes like the colors of the rainbow and then I get a nervousness in my stomach that feels like butterflies in my stomach this is the beginning of an aura sz. after that I blank out and I don't remember anything but my husband has told me I will wander around the house, smack my lips, and try and talk but the words won't come out right. After that the sz.is over but I'm exhausted and want to sleep for 2 hrs. The dizziness, cold feeling and vomiting are also parts of epilepsy for many people. I often get cold and I found out that it was from my seizure meds. and the dizziness is also part of the epilepsy. Keep a journal and write down what time the sz. happened along with a discription and you may see a pattern as to what time of day/night or what days of the month your aunt is more likely to have any sz. Also take note if she has been sick, or if there's a low pressure in the weather because often these 2 things can trigger sz. I personally wonder if the brightness from the computer screen didn't trigger the sz. Here's wishing you and your aunt the best of luck and May God Bless You Both!

Sue

I too, am a newbie in this area. Have had numerous "Auras", with a frozen, lack of focus ability, and just had an episode such as that, but hit the floor hard. The day was then spent on EEG, CT, EKG and lab work. All came out great, except the EEG. A Neurologist read it, that lead to Keppra BID, and an appt in a week. No work, no driving. What else is in store for this "one second Medical Professional, and now homebound person?"