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Posted 6/7/2013 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I just joined this forum and find the postings both helpful and confusing but I guess everyone does react differently to different drugs.  I'm 75 and had my first seizure last year and think it was brought on by dehydration, i.e., working all day in the yard on a 95 degree august day without a lot of water intake (stupid) at that time I still didn't think it was a seizure until 4 months later when I had a grand mal seizure.  I was put on 300mg of Dilantin and have not had another seizure and started driving again.  In searching the web for seizure info I came across Shadow 1100 post in 2007 where he had an incident after taking Nyquil losing his balance and injuring himself from the fall.  I had a similar incident yesterday when we were walking the dog in our local park.  I have a cold and was taking Nyquil to help me sleep.  Anyway during the walk I didn't feel like myself.  I've always been fit especially for an old guy ( did the ocean swim let in a triathlon last year).  To end this story my balance kept getting worse and worse as I walk to point where I feel and just couldn't get up. A friend called 911 and EMT's check vitals which were fine and I finally regained enough strength to get up and walk again. It was not a seizure because I never lost consciousness just muscle control.

 

Posted 6/12/2013 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lu:
First, be aware that seizures come in many packages. Petit Mal...Grand Mal...Focal SD etc. One can have partial seizures and grand mal (gm). There are many seizure disorders wherein one does not become unconscious. You likely have a disorder wherein you will have both partial and gm seizures. In my research I have found that many seizure disorders are associated with magnesium deficiency and that many cease to occur after proper supplementation. When treating extreme cases of convulsions MD's in the ER at one time routinely used magnesium sulfate as a control to relax a patient especially if they did a trach.

Magnesium may not be at the root of your problem, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a hair analysis done to determine if you may be deficient. As we age magnesium levels may drop, and it is possible that a blood serum test may not reveal your deficiency since magnesium levels in the blood do not give a good profile of what is in our tissues.

Magnesium def. has been a culprit for many with seizure disorders across the US. If you check with your doctor you may want to let him know that your are going to try supplementation.

Magnesium oxide, or a magnesium oxide coupled with calcium, or perhaps a magnesium chelate.
Chelate is a form wherein it is coupled with an amino acid and easier to assimilate.

Because of your age it is possible that a heart condition has initiated your seizures and it may be worthwhile to have a doctor run some tests for that. I am of grandpa age myself. Well, if you are not bored to tears I do sincerely hope that you will get better.
Posted 6/12/2013 5:14 AM (GMT 0)
LL:
I just noticed you think you may have dehydrated. Magnesium lost is common when dehydration occurs. Also caffeine beverages, especially coffee and tea, cause rapid loss of magnesium in some cases. If you loss enough magnesium by sweating, did not have enough water, but then hydrated yourself with a caffeine beverage that could increase the odds of severe magnesium loss. Just one possibility. But, if this could help solve the problem this is much better than taking dilantin.
Posted 6/12/2013 5:18 AM (GMT 0)
I am not saying to quit the dilantin. Keep in tough with your doctor and let him know that you are interested in alternatives.
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