Living With Epilepsy SEIZURE TRIGGER SIGNS CARE 2019

Living With Epilepsy SEIZURE TRIGGER SIGNS + CARE © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. .

Seizure Trigger Signs + Care Triggers Reflex Epilepsy Types of Triggers Diary Prevention Is there anything I can do to prevent having triggers that would cause a seizure for someone with epilepsy? How do you know for sure something is a trigger? Are there signs to look out for when identifying if something is a trigger? Resources If I am unsure if I have a trigger, is there anywhere I can go to seek help or find more information? © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. . Reflex Diary Resources What types of triggers exist? Are there a lot of triggers that can cause seizures? Do seizures ever occur in response to a specific type of trigger? Triggers Types Prevention What is a trigger? How does it cause seizures for individuals living with epilepsy?

© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. . Reflex Diary Resources Triggers are situations that can bring on a seizure in some people with epilepsy. Although everyone is different, some people's seizures are brought on by certain situations like anxiety, stress, lack of sleep, alcohol, etc. For some people, if they know what triggers their seizures, they may be able to avoid these triggers and so lessen the chances of having a seizure. Triggers Types Prevention Triggers

• Sleep Deprivation • Flashing Bright Lights or Patterns • Stress • Alcohol or Drug Use • Associated with menstrual cycle (women) or other hormonal changes • Not eating well, low blood sugar • Specific foods, excess caffeine or other products that may aggravate seizures • Use of Certain Medications © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. . Reflex Diary Resources • Fevers or Other Illnesses Types Prevention Triggers Types of Triggers

• • • Missing medication doses Alcohol use Cocaine or other drug, such as ecstasy, use Lack of sleep Other drugs that interfere with seizure medications For about one out of every two women with epilepsy, seizures tend to occur more around the time of menstrual periods. Changing or adding certain drugs before menstrual periods can help. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. . Reflex Diary Resources Although the underlying causes of epilepsy are not always known, certain factors are known to provoke seizures in people with epilepsy. Avoiding these triggers can help you avoid seizures and live better with epilepsy: Prevention Triggers Types Prevention

Some people may notice that their seizures occur in response to very specific stimuli or situations, as if the seizure is a "reflex. " There is a type of epilepsy called 'reflex epilepsy' – in this type, seizures occur consistently in relation to a specific trigger. • For example, one type of reflex epilepsy is photosensitive epilepsy where seizures are triggered specifically by flashing lights. • Other types of reflex epilepsies may be seizures triggered by the act of reading or by noises. • These reflex epilepsies are not common but knowing if you have this form of epilepsy will help you learn how to manage them! © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. . Reflex Diary Resources Triggers Types Prevention Reflex Epilepsy

For example, you note that you were sleep deprived before 2 out of 3 seizures in the past 3 months. But when you look at your sleep patterns, you didn’t have seizures all the other times you were sleep deprived. And you don’t sleep well most of the time. In this situation, sleep deprivation isn’t good for you, but probably doesn’t trigger seizures all by itself. You still need to work on improving your sleep, but there may be other things going on too. Track a suspected trigger in your diary. Note whenever it happens and not just when you have a seizure. Then you can see how often it happens with seizures as compared to other times. If you have a form of reflex epilepsy, talk to your doctor about the trigger. Knowing the type of epilepsy and trigger can help you build in ways to avoid the triggers whenever possible or find ways to lessen their effect on you. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. . Diary Resources Whenever you have a seizure, note what time of day it occurs, special situations surrounding it, or how you felt in a diary. Note if any of the commonly reported triggers were present. Do this consistently, for each seizure. Once you notice a situation or event is happening pretty consistently before seizures, you need to find out if it also happens at other times. Reflex Triggers Types Prevention Diary

To find out more information about Epilepsy and how you can help, please contact the Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho, www. epilepsyidaho. org. Resources Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho 100 Warm Springs Avenue Boise, ID 83712 Reflex Diary Triggers Types Prevention Resources Phone: 208 -344 -4340 Email: info@epilepsyidaho. org © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved. .