Has anyone experienced post surgical seizures?
I had my surgery in May 2015 and had my first seizure whilst driving back from work on the motorway in August 2016.
Thankfully no one was hurt. I have been seen by a neurologist and have follow ups.
I am no longer driving as per DVLA (I handed over my licence.
Anyone have any info on seizures that they at have encountered post surgical???
I have had a few seizures for the last 3 years. I didn’t have my first one for a few months after my surgery. I didn’t even know what was going on. It was pretty scary and we called the 911 number because we didn’t know what to do. I started to see a neurologist and had to stop driving too. It took a while before we fixed it. I have tried a few medications and finally have a good one. I recommend finding the right medicine. The last few seizures I have had are due to not eating right and not drinking enough. Take care of your self and don’t do more than you can handle.
God is good all the time.
Zac
Waqaas, hi,
I have not had seizures but I have had different types of ocular migraine since that have scared me and I have been to A&E once believing I was having a seizure or TIA- I had a TIA during a follow up angiogram- I had my surgery a month after yours and also went to A&E in June 2016- initially I thought I was having a seizure. I am sorry to hear about your licence, but at least as you say, no one was hurt and you have lived to tell the tale. Do you know what triggered it? Do you know your triggers? I try to make sure I am not over tired, that I have eaten or have snacks and have water to hand wherever I am and especially in the car. Also medication at set times and a supply. I sometimes take one paracetamol at the start of a long journey- Its a migraine habit- this goes for planes too suggested by a GP years ago. Sometimes I know seizures can happen even if all of the mechanical stuff above is covered and it can be just a thing that happens…I guess never underestimate the power of the brain. But blood sugar levels can’t be underestimated… did you have tests after your seizure, EEG AND MRI? Did these show you anything?
Hi Laura,
I’m sorry to hear about that! That must have been really scary! I am not too bothered about the licence, although it is very annoying that I cannot drive at the moment even though the neurologist feels that I am well enough to do so. I guess the DVLA have their rules which understandably they have to adhere to.
I have not focused it to anything specific but I feel that being tired is probably the most likely trigger in my case. My work involves nights at times and my first seizure was due to doing 5 nights and thus I was too tired.
So sleep deprivation, tiredness, etc, not being hydrated enough is another one I feel as well.
I might try the paracetamol that you have been advised to take as I also do get occasional headaches.
I have CT and MRI post operatively: they were fine showing scar tissue where they resected the anomaly.
I had a CT after the car accident and again there was no acute changes or abnormalities.
The neurologist thereafter wanted an EEG (just 1): this was normal thankfully.
What medication are you taking aside from the paracetamol? Have you had any tests?
If I have any more seizures I shall be in touch with my neurologist for further follow up as he does not seem it necessary that I need any right now.
Hi Zac,
I’m sorry to hear about that!
I don’t know how one would find the right medication. Since being started on them by my neurologist I have had one seizure (where I feel i missed a dose) and another possible one in my sleep maybe (cannot be sure). And both of those instances were when I was tired as well and they were a while ago.
I will agree with you about hydration. I don’t drink enough!
Appreciate the advice.
God is indeed Great 
Waqaas
Yes driving is a bit of a double edged sword, I’m not mad on it but I didn’t enjoy not being able to at all. I’m on Keppra, 250 x2 twice a day. I find the 500mg single tables don’t agree with me, I take cyclizine occasionally for sickness if a migraine is coming on or when I’m about to fly. What medication are you on and what kind of seizure did you have most recently?
I enjoy driving A LOT but I guess I have to bite the bullet and take it on the chin. These things happen.
The last one I had was after travelling (including a short flight) and not having much to eat or drink and having my medication a good few hours after my normal time. This is where it gets grey. I suspect myself having a nocturnal one during sleep as I woke up having bitten one side of my tongue.
My neurologist has prescribed epilim (sodium valporate) 1.5g before sleep based on my weight!
I had two Grand Mal seizures hours apart one day in 2014, I look back now at how I felt that day and I remember thinking something has got to give- I felt truly terrible- but I remember thinking it’s 18th December and I can sleep all day if I choose to on Christmas Day, just keep moving. I had been running on the Sunday before and where I always used a run to get energised I remember that Sunday- it was cold and clear- I looked up at the sky and thought I was going to keel over. It’s a circuit I always did and I just couldn’t manage it, less than 5k. I went home and went to bed, my partner was a bit worried but he made us some food whilst I slept, but he had a job waking me up. It was just weird. Do you loose consciousness with your seizures? I think this is the thing that I have most trouble with, knowing that’s what happened but have no idea what happened for 20 minutes. I was in a tailor’s on Savile Row and I heard myself saying to the Tailors assistant, Wow look at these hands, would you look at these hands, wow they’re as big as spades and then nothing. Did someone help you when you had a seizure or did you realise what was happening?
I believe I have had two grand mal seizures. Although the second one cannot be confirmed. The first one happened whilst driving. I have no recollection of it aside from it aside from awakening after crashing into the motorway barrier and a highway patrol officer coming towards my car. Thankfully no one was hurt. This happened after working a long weekend shift and I was driving back (most likely exhausted and not having much food or drink).
The second one happened at home whilst I was in the bathroom (with the door being open), I was conversing with my mother after waking up (again severely tired as I had worked nights and on my day off I had not slept so much) and the next memory I have is that I’m laying in the bathtub with a paramedic by my side. A very surreal, weird feeling not knowing why you’re dressed and in the bathtub.
So in short, I have no recollection and my main trigger is being tired.