Dear Cheryl,
Fifty percent of all cases of epilepsy have an unknown
cause.

Yes, you can wake up one day, with no history of
epilepsy in yourself or your family, and "suddenly"
have a seizure.

Epilepsy is defined as having more than one seizure.
It must be treated aggressively because every seizure
makes the seizure disorder worse. It is like a
river--it tends to get broader and deeper over time.

There are about 30 major times of epilepsy, and, if
you split hairs, there are 300.

Most people with epilepsy are more than one seizure
type, so it is difficult for doctors to diagnose
exactly what seizure type you have. Also, you may
have different seizure types at different times. For
example, I have tonic clonic (grand mal), complex
partial and absence seizures. Sometimes the "smaller"
seizures build up to a tonic clonic, and sometimes I
get a tonic clonic out of the blue. Do keep in mind
the aura that precedes the seizure is a seizure in
itself (simple partial).

Do keep in mind that you may need several EEG's before
you have one that shows spike and wave epileptiform
waves.

It is important to keep a seizure journal, and that
anyone who witnesses your seizures write down how long
it lasts, what it looked like, changes in conciousness
and changes in behavior both before and after the
seizure.

Good luck.

Yours truly,

Monica




--- brownie305 <brownie305@...> wrote:

> Im not sure yet if i have epilepsy, but i have been
> having spells
> where i shake and stuff. i had one that lasted 45
> minutes last
> week. i feel really weak afterwards and my joints
> ache sometimes two
> days afterwards. but a friend said that it could
> be lyme disease
> too. im confused. i just want to know what is
> wrong with me.
> however, since i have been taking lamictal i have
> felt better. i
> havent been shaky or anything like that. i felt bad
> the first few
> days that i was on it. lethargic and very
> quiet(which is not like me
> at all). im usually very outspoken. after a spell,
> i get very quiet
> though, but i havent had one now in a week, which is
> good news.
>
>
> but im wondering can a 35 year old female just wake
> up one day and
> have epilepsy??? its not genetic; nobody in my
> family had it that i
> know of.
>
> thanks
> cheryl
>
>
>


=====

Antonio and Monica






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