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Read articleEpilepsy is a tendency to have repeated seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It is a medical condition, not a curse or a possession, and the majority of patients become seizure-free on regular treatment.
Symptoms
Not everyone gets every symptom, and the pattern can differ in older people, in people with diabetes and in children. These are the ones most often reported.
- Sudden loss of consciousness with stiffening and jerking of the limbs
- Frothing at the mouth, tongue biting or loss of bladder control during an episode
- Brief blank staring spells with no response, common in children
- Sudden jerks of one limb, or an odd smell, taste or sensation before an attack
- Confusion, headache and deep tiredness for some time after the episode
When to see a doctor
Do not wait these out
If any of the following applies, arrange to be seen the same day. For anything sudden or severe, call 9281862028 or come straight to the emergency department at SIMS — it is open 24 hours and does not need an appointment.
- A first-ever seizure at any age — attend the emergency department
- A seizure lasting more than five minutes, or repeated seizures without recovery in between
- A seizure following head injury, or with fever, vomiting and neck stiffness
- Breakthrough seizures in someone already on treatment
- Do not put a spoon, key or cloth into the mouth; turn the person on their side and protect the head
Tests that may be advised
Your consultant will order only the investigations that change the plan. Most of the following are available on the SIMS campus, so results usually come back the same visit.
- Detailed description of the episode from someone who witnessed it
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- CT or MRI of the brain to look for a structural cause
- Blood sugar, calcium, sodium and kidney function
- Lumbar puncture where infection of the brain lining is suspected
How it is treated
Treatment is decided case by case — by how advanced the problem is, what else you are being treated for, and what you can realistically sustain. Broadly, it involves the following.
- Regular anti-epileptic medication, taken at fixed times and never stopped abruptly
- Identifying and avoiding triggers — sleep deprivation, missed doses, alcohol, fever
- Treatment of any underlying cause found on imaging
- Safety counselling for swimming, cooking, driving, machinery and working at height
- Pre-pregnancy counselling for women, since some medicines need review before conception
- Planned, supervised withdrawal of medication after a sustained seizure-free period in suitable patients
This page is general information, not a diagnosis
Epilepsy can look like several other conditions, and the reverse is equally true. Nothing here can replace an examination, your test results and the judgement of the doctor treating you — and no medicine mentioned by name to a friend or relative should be started on the strength of this page. If you recognise yourself in it, book a consultation with the Neurology department. If a symptom is sudden or severe, call 9281862028.
