Oh my gosh! I'm a mom of 3, just diagnosed w partial complex seizures in the last few weeks. I've had something like 27 in the last 2 months, 2 yesterday.
Allegedly, only half your brain is misfiring. Not the whole thing. It's still extremely disabling. They can develop into the whole thing, Grand Mal.
* Avoid triggers like low blood sugar. Moms forget to eat all the time. Now, I get up and start my day at 5-6am w some apples and peanut butter, followed by a protein drink. I eat nuts and raisins for snacks and don't drink pop. Stay away from refined flowers and sugars, if you can. They blast your system then bring your blood sugar down. This is even if you aren't hypoglicemic.
* Also, always get the rest you need. Lack of sleep is a major trigger.
* Ask for a blood antibody test to see if you're allergic to any foods. Food allergies can trigger seizures.
* The meds out there are all pretty crazy. Fairly common side effects include depression, dizziness, tiredness, weight gain, hair loss, memory problems, difficulty articulating or reading, and gum and fungal problems. My mom has seen them frequently (something like 75% of her patients have seizure disorders). I will find some websites for you and send them to you later today.
* I haven't started on meds. I am pregnant. I want to, but I haven't figured out the least scary place to start. Right now, my dad (a pharmacist) says try Luminol. (dizziness or tiredness are about the most common with this one, but it doesn't come w/ a lot of other weird ones. Unfortunately it is addictive, and kind of old school. The Dr's are worried about addicting me or the baby. I could care. Heck. All meds take a while to get off. If this one isn't working, take me off of it slowly, just like the others. If it is working, well, then I need to take it every day anyway. It's the baby I worry about. Moving along:
* Have you had an EEG? They want me to have an EEG. Sounds fine, but check this: they want me to stay up 24 hours in an attempt to induce a seizure. I think not! I figure tehy can simply monitor me for a couple days. The longest I've gone w/out one is a week. It was great. But I can't fathom the need to torture me to induce one. You know, years ago, they used to put MS patients in hot baths in an attempt to trigger an episode. Now it's considered barbaric. Get tested, but don't let anyone push you around either! You are not a lab experiment.
* An MRI can help eliminate something like a brain tumor as cause. Get one. I just found someone who will give a prego mom an MRI and am having one at 6am tomorrow.
* Hmm.. what else? Stress triggers them, too. Try to be cool. Deep breathe a lot. Explain to your kids what's going on, in a calm way.Tell them there are meds available, but it may take a bit of time to find the right one. Make them practice dialing whoever they need to dial when you seize. Make them note the time. I don't know what else to say. No one's advised me further about what to do with my kids.
* It's kind of depressing to lose so much freedom. Feel free to share your thoughts and frustrations. I'm there in the trenches with you, as are a lot of people. Try not to get too many people in your world worked up about it. By the time you get settled down, they may still be hysterical.
* Another day we can talk about careers from home. I'm too tired now, but I'd love to brainstorm with you.
* My mom said a misaligned neck can cause seizures. I went to a good chiropractor when I was feeling spacy, and I felt 100pct better. I went to another one and had a seizure immediately after. This is very tricky.
Good luck. Please feel free to share anything you want...about your kids, your spouse, your life.