Epilepsy & Seizures Support Group

Epilepsy (often referred to as a seizure disorder) is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. It is commonly controlled with medication, although surgical methods are used as well. Seizures (or convulsions) are temporary abnormal electrophysiologic phenomena of the brain, resulting in abnormal synchronization of electrical neuronal...

647 Members

2,812 Posts

0 Online

heart513 05/10/2009

I have been frustrated and scared wondering what my "black outs" were about for the past 2-3 years (that is when I remember them starting). I will be walking along or stand up and black out. Now I was taught by my parents that that is normal. But the past two to three years I have been scared b/c they will happen even if I stand up slowly and carefully, or even when I am just walking along. I'm also tired the whole day and they happen the whole day for a couple of days. I am frustrated because my family already thinks I am a freak because I follow a special gluten free diet that helps my irritable bowel. My boyfriend thinks I am making my illnesses up. Now I am glad that I finally caught on to the fact that these are petit mal seizures and I believe my trigger is sleep deprivation because I have noticed very carefully this weekend that I stayed up late for the first time in a long time and they are really bad and frequent at the moment. I told my boyfriend and he said, I do that too sometimes that is normal. You make this stuff up. It is because you don't eat real food. Now I am not trying to be a whiny person and talk about my relationship issues what I really want is some support and to just talk about this epilepsy. But I know we all have relationships and they all have their problems and I just needed to vent about that.

deleted_user 05/11/2009

i had suffered with epilepsy 25 years until 1 year ago i had surgery for epilepsy which so far has cured them i have parents that rejected me because of epilepsy and still they dont talk but you have to live you life if people see you giving in they will like it even more.i am now going to be a volunteer to help people with epilepsy take care-suex

deleted_user 05/11/2009

Blackouts are caused by foods, stress, and sleep, blackouts when you cannot remember before during and some times after you usually not out cold for minutes to an half hour that be an grandmal.

deleted_user 05/11/2009

Hey, Stef, glad you are here. I didn't recognize mine as seizures for almost a year and a half, and I was a nurse at the time. (Obviously, neuro wasn't my area!!) I have simple partial and complex partial seizures, controlled fairly well now with medicine. The best route to probably take is talking to your doctor, who will probably do an EEG, a test to measure any seizure activity. Sometimes seizure activity shows up, sometimes it doesn't; if it doesn't, that still doesn't rule out some type of seizures. Make notes for your doctor, talk to others who may have seen you during these situations. If it is seizures, soak up all the info you can, it helps in trying to educate others.

Aust 05/11/2009

I had to have a few EEG's before they caught a simple on record., and takes meds to help. Doesnt fully control but really helps. And that was before I had to go on the celiac diet too. So your diet has nothing to do with it. Its not an easy diet to live with, I crave a fresh soft real bread bun. But like you, need to be on it. Two seperate health issues here, your boyfriend should be supporting you in this, not upsetting you as wont help you. It is hard for others to understand, and that doesnt help us, but we have no control in this. Wish we did, all of us.

Cottonto 05/15/2009

If you are blacking out while walking or getting up, it could be a case of low blood pressure. This sometimes caused by stravation diets. I am not saying that is the case with you, but if friends and family say you have a poor diet, then i would see a doctor and tell him or her your symptoms.

Poor diet can also bring on seizures, but mosts seizures have different affect on you, in other words there would be more symptoms than just blacking out.

Check out this site: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/fainting/page3_em.htm

deleted_user 05/15/2009

i've had petite seizures everyday since i was 8, and im 15 now.

deleted_user 05/17/2009

i have petit mal seizures. can happen anytime. walking or sitting, any time. others may say that you are making it up ? go and see an neurologist, and have an eeg taken. Nothing to be ashamed of... better to know if you have it or not than trying to please others. your health is more important. and yes, not getting enough sleep can be a trigger for your , i would say, seizures happining.

Join the Conversation