Choosing the right epilepsy medication can have a big effect on the frequency of your seizures and your quality of life. First, finding the right medication depends on what type of epilepsy you have, partial seizures (also called focal seizures) or generalized seizures. All medications don’t work on all types of seizures, and the wrong…
Syncope and seizure both can cause a loss of consciousness, but there are important differences. Syncope — commonly referred to as passing out or fainting — often results from a drop in blood pressure. Seizures, on the other hand, are caused by abnormal brain activity. The reason behind the abnormal activity may be epilepsy, stroke,…
The widely used anti-seizure medication Keppra can cause rare but serious behavioral side effects, including what users of the drug have called “Keppra rage.” “It’s important to let your health care provider know right away if you have any mood changes on Keppra,” said Rebekah J. Woods, D.O., neurologist, Norton Neuroscience Institute. Some epilepsy patients taking…
Pregnancy can be overwhelming for anyone, and having epilepsy adds another layer to an already stressful time. Epilepsy affects people assigned female at birth differently. Additional factors such as hormone levels, environmental factors and genetics also contribute to a complex situation. Taking birth control if you have epilepsy should be discussed with your health care…
Epilepsy can severely affect your quality of life, and while there is no cure for epilepsy, there are interventions that can prevent symptoms, counteract side effects of medicines and control seizures. In other words, epilepsy doesn’t have to sideline you from the game of life. In order to determine the best treatment plan for managing…
If medication fails in controlling epilepsy, there is still hope. Medication failure means that two different medicines have not controlled your epilepsy. Surgery for epilepsy is an alternative means of stopping seizures or reducing seizure severity. Should I have surgery for epilepsy? “Medication-resistant epilepsy” (known medically as refractory epilepsy) is a condition where seizures do…
To say the teen years aren’t easy would be an understatement for Katie Deppe. When she was 14, Katie saw several doctors for unexplained symptoms before spending two weeks at Norton Children’s Hospital, where finally she was diagnosed with a rare condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Because the condition involves the autonomic nervous…
If you think you had a seizure for the first time, what should you do? If you believe you had your first seizure, you should go to the emergency room. Read on for more tips about seizures, what they mean, and what to do. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 3.4 million…
If you have epilepsy, but are thinking of getting pregnant, you may have questions about how epilepsy affects pregnancy or a fetus. Epilepsy affects each person differently, based on medication, hormones, and other factors. Here are some things to know if you have epilepsy and want to have a baby. Epilepsy is an umbrella term…
In addition to the seizures that come with epilepsy, living with the condition can mean other day-to-day challenges. Stigma can lead some individuals with epilepsy to be uncomfortable spending significant time in public. Anxiety can come from not knowing if strangers know how to help during a seizure. Going to school, work or even the…
There is a strong relationship between epilepsy and depression. The two come together so often that there are suspicions that brain changes that make people more susceptible to seizures also can bring on depression. In a study of adults, researchers found that those with epilepsy were twice as likely as adults without epilepsy to report…
What to Do When Someone Has a Seizure If you encounter someone having a seizure, follow the ACTION steps: Assess — Assess the situation. Ensure that they are not in danger of hurting themselves. Take away any items in the area that could cause injury. Cushion — Cushion their head with something soft to prevent…
Select an appointment date and time from available spots listed below.