Epilepsy

EPILEPSY

It can be difficult for doctors to diagnose epilepsy. This is because there is not one certain test and there are many other possible reasons for the loss of or impairment of consciousness. Most of us don' t recall what happens during our seizures, and in between seizures our brain cells behave as normal. Since epilepsy is the tendency to have recurrent seizures the doctor may not be able to diagnose you if you've only had one seizure. About one in 20 people has an epileptic seizure at some time in their lives but not all develop epilepsy. For this reason some doctors prefer to 'wait and see' after a single attack.

You can help your doctor decide on a diagnosis by giving him/her as full a picture as possible of what happens when you have a seizure. Many of us forget what we want to say the minute we walk into the doctor's office, so it may help to write it down. As most of us don't remember everything that happens during our seizures, you should take someone along with you who has witnessed the seizure.

Questions the doctor may ask you -

• How did you feel before you had the seizure e.g. hot, cold, hungry, tired etc.

• Did you experience any unusual symptoms beforehand e.g. nausea, dizziness, chest pain? (This is to rule out medical problems that could be confused with epilepsy such as heart problems, migraine, panic attacks or fainting.)

• Had you drunk any alcohol or taken any drugs of any kind?

• Did you have any warning beforehand? If so, what?

• Do you remember anything about the seizure? If not, what happened when you came round?

• Did you fall over and/or injure yourself?

• Were there any symptoms after the attack e.g. numbness or weakness?

• How many seizures have you had?

• Are there any other factors which could suggest epilepsy e.g. head injury, previous seizures, other people in your family with epilepsy?

Questions the doctor may ask your companion -

• What was X doing when the seizure(s) started?

• What exactly happened when X had the seizure(s)?

• How long did the seizure(s) last?

• Was there a period of confusion?

10 questions to ask your doctor -

• 'What sort of epilepsy do I have?'

• 'Why do you think I have developed it now?'

• 'Will I always have it?'

• 'What tests are you recommending and what are you looking for?'

• 'How will you treat my epilepsy?'

• 'Is there anything I can do to reduce the side effects of any treatment?'

• 'What will happen if my treatment doesn't work?'

• 'Is there anything I can't/shouldn't do?'

• 'What can I do to prevent my seizures?'

• 'Where can I get more information about epilepsy?'

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