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seizure triggers


CagedBird

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Yesterday I did not have another seizure but I did have a headache the whole day. I finally took some pain pills and it helped the headache go away. Unfortunately, today it feels like I have been having seizures all day. I keep getting eye twitches and thinking a seizure is going to happen. This morning I was watching tv and during the commercial break I looked at my phone and started to feel really weird. I tried to calm myself down and pray to God but I knew I was having the seizure. I felt my food come up my throat, I got really hot and fidgety, and it felt like i was dreaming and dizzy. It was over in less than a minute. (The show was still on commercial break when I went back to watching tv). I used to just think these were anxiety attacks but ever since I found out about all the different types of epilepsy, Im not so sure.

I know caffeine is a trigger. I always feel jittery and out of it when I drink coffee. At first I feel extremely happy but then I just feel scared and get anxiety like I have too much energy but Im extremely tired at the same time. The only soda I drink is sprite which has no caffeine. I usually just drink water.

 

Yesterday I felt extremely depressed. I was thinking about dying all day but I did not want to kill myself. I just felt so frustrated because I felt like I tried so hard to succeed in life always overcoming obstacles and doing whatever it took to get what I wanted. but this seizure thing just has me feeling defeated. I cant spend any amount of money or do any amount of exercise to fix it. Im so used to doing my research and finding treatment for the stroke stuff or just working hard and making goals for career/school stuff but this epilepsy thing has ruined my life and makes me not want to live. I cant be happy living in fear. If I cant work and cant drive, Im stuck laying in bed either reading watching tv or looking at the computer which is when 99% of the seizures have occurred.

 

I thought about my menstrual cycle and I think I have catamenial epilepsy. I looked back through my old calendars and old blogs. Unfortunately I didnt keep a great count of my menstrual cycle and a lot of times I didnt mention the "complex partial" seizures because I thought they were just anxiety attacks since they were so quick and I remembered everything. But looking back over the past 9 months, I noticed there were at least 5 months when I had a seizure a couple days before or the day my period started or right around the time after it ended. This month will make 6 out of the past 10 months and really it can be 6 out of 9 because I was seizure free the month of August.

 

At first I thought maybe this is just coincidence but I think I am going to look more into it. I took birth control pills for 4 years because I used to get really sick (diarrhea, vomiting, sleep all day, etc) in high school during that time of month so my gynecologist gave me a mini pill which I took during college and it did wonders! No sickness. I did not like the dangers of taking the pill though and I noticed once I quit eating meat for good in 2012 I no longer had sickness during that time of month because I did not have that animal flesh in my system so I quit the birth control.

 

I know like duh I had a stroke, brain damage, etc but how is it that I went all of my college and 2 years post grad seizure free but seizures have returned since I quit birth control and 6 out of the past 9 months that I tracked have included seizures during ovulation? I think there could be a correlation here. I go see my neurologist tomorrow and I am going to ask my gynecologist if I should get back on the mini pill when I go see her next week.

 

I just really need some hope. Thank you guys for your comments. I know I complain about the same things but its nice to look through my old blogs and read advice I can use anytime.

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Katrina, I am glad you can look back on your old blogs and see patterns. It is a part of life that we go through cycles of illness and wellness. But in your case I surely do hope that one of the doctors you visit can get a handle on what is happening to you so you can go on with your life.

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Katrina,

I've never been on birth control pills so I can't tell you their effects, but I can tell you for me, I am always more sensitive to the triggers and tended to get seizures when I had my period. It seems my resistance is down and I'm more sensitive to most things especially caffeine. Caffeine is always a big trigger, don't forget it's in the chocolate we crave too. Lack of sleep or changing your sleep pattern can put me out of sorts and more susceptible too. Don't forget your brain releases serotonin, which goes part and parcel with the whole hormonal menstrual thing so it involves your brain too. I try to be sure I pay attention to my sleep, caffeine, and all the triggers the week before I'm due because even with meds that control the seizures I still feel funky

Keep a calendar and take good care of yourself.

 

Love,

Maria

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