How can I decrease my chances of having seizures from stress or worry?
Probably the best way to decrease your seizure frequency is to follow your medication schedule very closely. The number one reported cause of increased seizures was Missed Medication. When you don’t take your seizure medicine or take less than you should, the levels of medication in your body and brain fall. Your brain may begin to show unusual activity, which can lead to seizures. When stress or worry is a trigger, there are a number of things you could do to lessen the chance of a seizure.
First, look at how stress is affecting you and how you are coping. Is there a way to lessen it’s impact on you? Are there ways to manage stress better?
Are you having sleep problems? Difficulty sleeping is a common symptom of stress and mood problems. Since sleep deprivation is a common seizure trigger, it’s important to pay attention to sleep at these times.
Are you eating normally? Eating habits often get disrupted when people are feeling stress. Some people eat more, others don’t eat or have poor eating habits. Some people find they have more seizures when not eating well or going long periods without eating. Maybe you are drinking too much coffee or caffeinated beverages? This can worsen seizures by disrupting your sleep?
Is alcohol or using ‘recreational’ drugs a problem? Sometimes substance use or abuse is a problem when people have mood problems or are feeling stressed. Not a good idea if you have seizures. Some people are more likely to have seizures during or after alcohol use and many ‘recreational’ drugs can worsen seizures.
As above Patty talked about so much nutrition and self and family management. What do YOU do to help yourself? MINDFULNESS!! I have had to learn how to talk about my seizures and nobody ever told me how or how much to talk about or what to say or anything sometimes I said too much, or too little. I hate my seizures but I do not hate myself. I have changed the way I eat and I eat more veggies and more protein less noodles. I go for more walks and even go out and walk around be active with friends so I am not alone doing things I wont realize I have hit my walking steps goal for the day, I am not feeling as depressed as I was the smorning because I am active and hanging out with people I am friends with and we all laughing joking around and hanging out.
Great steak salad dinners full of protean and veggies
NO two seizures are the same just like no two people are the same. Seizures come in different forms, and affect people in distinct ways. While not everyone will experience every stage, seizures do have a beginning, middle, and end point. There may also be common symptoms that those who suffer from seizures experience at each stage of a seizure. So, what exactly happens during a seizure? Let me Explain the best I can with some visuel and some reading material. Any questions feel free to send me them just by pushing the contact and send them to me love to hear them and address any you my have. Yes I have worked as a nurse and still can and yes I am attending Skagit valley College to get my Mit degree as the previous person shared how she met me. I decided to continue learning. A seizure is a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain. This uncontrolled activity may produce a physical convulsion, abnormal behavior, and even loss of consciousness. Some people refer to this electrical outburst in the brain as an ‘electrical storm.’ This is always sudden but before the seizure a person may have whats known as aura. Aura is a perceptual disturbance experienced by some with migraines or seizures. The aura stage precedes a seizure in epilepsy but can happen at any stage of a migraine. It often manifests as the perception of a strange light, an unpleasant smell, or confusing thoughts or experiences. People can have minutes to just barely seconds before the seizure happens.
When seeing EMTs please make sure u can answer there questions about the person but DONT ask them 101 questions as they are trying to help the person who may be still seizing or may go into another seizure or has wounds that are or are not seen
Seizure signs and symptoms may include:
Temporary confusion—often described as a “fuzzy” feeling.
A staring spell.
Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs.
Loss of consciousness or awareness.
Psychic symptoms—out-of-body feelings or not feeling “in the moment”
Memory lapses.
During a seizure, many things may happen. Sufferers may lose the ability to swallow, have difficulty speaking, experience twitching or jerking movements in the body, and even experience convulsions. They may lose consciousness, see flashing lights, experience visual hallucinations, and feel out of body sensations. This stage of the seizure is deemed the ictal phase. As the seizure ends, some will recover immediately, while others may take hours to feel like themselves again. They may be tired, embarrassed, weak, or confused. If the seizure last more than 2 minutes call 911.
A seizure can happen to anyone for an unknown reason help us find the cure
Thank you for reading and please continue sharing your story’s.
I had my first real epileptic seizure when I was 5 years old. My mother says my eyes were rolling and I was staring off into the distance. She was terrified. What do I remember from then now is nothing but stories I hear.
What I had is called a “petit mal” seizure or an “absence” seizure. It’s called that because there’s a lapse in conscious activity for a couple of seconds. It’s different from a “grand mal” seizure, when people have convulsions. That’s what most people think of when they think of epilepsy. A petit mal seizure may not sound like much, but it’s still dangerous because you can drown or have some other kind of accident in those few seconds. But my epilepsy hasn’t really stopped me from doing things. I’m in high school at a public school. Most kids at my school don’t even know I have epilepsy — you know, I dress normally and act normally. I’m an honor student at my high school; I have a 3.48 grade point average. I’ve been playing soccer for five years, and I bowled on a team for three years. I’m a Girl Scout, and I volunteer for the Red Cross as well as for a drug abuse prevention program. After I graduate from high school, I want to go to college to become either a forensic investigator or a lawyer. There are days I want to hide in a bathroom stall let nobody see my siezures or anything because I want to be the “normal” average teenager. I then look around and remember nobody is normal cuss normal not a robot. Everyone is different and nobody is the same. Siezures are a part of me and I have nothing to hide everyone else has to accept all of me or don’t say you accept me if you can’t handle my siezures cuss that is apart of me. It’s like the saying goes “If you can’t take me at my worst then u can’t have me at my best”.
I don’t think epilepsy has to stop me from doing what I want with my life. I used to be afraid to tell people about my epilepsy, but after having a seizure at school in middle school, I realized that people needed to know, that I needed to share safety tips with them. They need the information just as much as I needed the information.
So if there are other kids out there who have epilepsy, here’s what I want them to know: “Don’t be worried about what others may say about you,” and “You’re not the only one who has epilepsy and epilepsy doesn’t have you”.
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Please continue SHARING your stories and I will continue to support and write and share with others. Thank you so much for sharing. Please if anyone else wants to share there please do 🙂 thank you
You think I am faking. Its all in all in my head. So no its not. The doctor just told me I have PNES. He just handed me a ton of papers and gave me in detail what it is. You tell me I am faking and wanting attention as i sit here and shake. I cant stop my hand, I cant stop my eyes rolling back, I can not stop any of my bodies functions. I have gone in and out the hospital for years with no answers except that i just need to stop wasting Er time. I have been shamed by many nurses and doctors, and many other people and the looks I get are horrible. I finally get an answer. What is PNES you ask? PNES is: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are events resembling an epileptic seizure, but without the characteristic electrical discharges associated with epilepsy. PNES are also known less specifically as non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD) and functional neurological symptom disorder. You may be wondering what can cause PNES? Pseudoseizures, also called psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), are seizures that occur as a result of psychological causes, such as severe mental stress. Treating the underlying psychological cause can often help to reduce the number of seizures or prevent them happening.
HOW TO DEAL WITH PNES
-LEARN YOUR TRIGGERS- When you know your triggers, you can make small changes to avoid them or be prepared for them . If you can RECORD your seizure even if its a video camera set up to motion in your home so if you can catch one on video you can show your doctor.
-Let IT OUT- Talk about seizures and your feelings about them with those you spend your time with. Talking to a therapist about your feelings and experiences can also be helpful. Because PNES is believed to be related to emotional trauma or stressors, Having a counselor and good friends to talk to and writing in a journal can be great.
-BE SOCIAL- Don’t allow your seizures to force you into isolation. It’s important to continue living your life in order to make a great recovery. This will take explaining PNES to friends or even acquaintances; however, it’s more likely that you may never recover if you isolate yourself.
-LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS- Do not downplay your symptoms , it’s important to look for solutions to triggers, rather than trying to avoid them. Always make sure those know how to care if a PNES episode happens. If you know that you are triggered by crowded places, you may find yourself becoming isolated to avoid these triggers. It’s better to gradually work your way up to normal social interaction rather than turning away completely.
-Practice Grounding Techniques- Learn how to utilize sensory grounding techniques. This practice helps relieve the feelings of panic associated with seizures. How do you ground yourself.
-RELAX- Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures are more likely to occur if you are tensed or stressed. Check your shoulders and facial muscles for tension, and try to relax them. Also try listening to relaxation audio recordings, or finding a relaxing practice such as yoga or meditation. Take a relaxing bath at end of the day or even in middle of the day.
-Deep Breathing- Abdominal breathing deep in your belly is calming. Just before a seizure, many people with PNES have difficult or shallow breathing. Master abdominal breathing to help shorten seizures and reduce other symptoms like dizziness. Do this by sitting with a hand just below your naval; breathe in through your nose, feeling your hand move outward as your stomach expands. Count to three, then breathe out and relax your stomach.
-THINK CALM- If there is a place or a memory where you feel calm and happy, teach yourself to think of this place or memory. Bring yourelf to your happy place and breath.
-AVOID UNNECESSARY STRESS- Avoid the unnecessary stress of constant ER visits. Unless nonepileptic seizures are accompanied by other symptoms, they aren’t considered medically dangerous. Over-medicating, or causing more stress with constant ER visits, can make seizures worse. If you think your being over medicated talk to your doctor I have found it best to have 2-3 seizure doctors.
-LEARN TO SAY NO- Clear your schedule. You may need to delegate old tasks that you used to handle for everyone, or say no to requests for extra help or time. Pare your schedule down to the essentials so that you can take some time for self-care on a regular basis.
-TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF PLAN A FUN DAY (or weekend or week)- Clear your schedule for a day or two or week and plan a vacation once and awhile (best every 6 months when you can save and take the time off and everyone’s aware) family or good friend to go with. Make sure you have all the medications you need and extra just in case. Make sure you have your med list and take little extra just in case. Remember its a few nights to get away from day to day life and relax doesn’t have to be extremely expensive just relax.
Katie is a 20-year-old competitive runner from Dublin. Due to an aggressive form of epilepsy, she experiences up to 14 seizures a day. Despite her condition, Katie hasn’t let anything stand in the way of her love for running. With the help of her neurologist, who doubles as her running partner, Katie is never steered off course. With each seizure, she is able to bounce back and keep on going. She has been diagnosed since she was 9 years old, with 2 types. She has gone from a wheelchair to running shoes. Every day can be interesting but every day she picks up her running shoes and lives the day to the fullest. Most the rime she trains alone but for her big races she runs with her neurologist who is also her running partner. She doesn’t let anything get in her way of living life. A great plan put together a support group made of doctors loved ones and a team. A great diet and a exercise plan. Goals set and achieved.
With over 40 different kinds of epilepsy out there its not uncommon for people to be diagnosed with more than one type. For those who have no idea what it is however it is very common for people to assume to call 911 or jump to the worst conclusion of what epilepsy is. The simple word “epilepsy” when googled or just read looks scary. When seen having an Convulsive attack looks SCARY which IT IS but most do not know what to do or how long to wait or anything about it except what it looks like.
Click the Link below Please and watch to know what to do if you witness a seizure and have have the Knowledge of what to do Thank You.
Please continue Sending me your story’s to share with others. Even if you do not think your story is worth sharing you’d be surprised you can inspire. Love to hear from anyone including the friends, doctors, loved ones, anyone from any point of view. Please leave a comment send me a email by pushing the contact button to send me an email. Lets share with the world how Strong we are all together. WE do not know how strong we are until is the only choice we have Epilepsy Awareness.
Thanks for joining me! Please keep an open mind and share your story’s just send me a message and I can keep your name anonymous, change your name, or share your name. We are here to share our story’s of strength and let everyone be more aware of what is strength. Even when we feel we are at our weakest we have many others who are here to support us. This blog is a way to support others all over the world, and share what is just one of the many disabilities that isnt seen at first glance on an every day basis. Also there will be information that not everyone knows and can learn from. As well as other information. So please feel free to send a message, share your story. This is for those with and those who are family and friends supporting their loved ones. We are all living together supporting one another.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Hiding in the Shadows 