Your Seizure Log can help All of us…
For me, it’s sort of the bane of my existence…or at least my existence with Epilepsy.
Each time I visit my epileptologist, he asks me how is my seizure activity? How many have I had in a week? Two weeks? And, I try to remember. But, as we all know…memories aren’t the sharpest when you are living with Epilepsy and also dealing with side effects of anti-seizure medications.
My husband or my Mom, whoever is with me at that particular appointment, will just look at me and eyes will roll. Why can’t I keep an accurate seizure diary? I’m the first to admit, I’m terrible at this. Even if it’s simply scribbling on a blank sheet of copy paper and handing it over to Dr. Shah at my appointment, I just can’t seem to get it done! So, this is my new project, or shall I say…commitment. I want to track my episodes so I can continue to understand not just how often I have seizures, but perhaps why I’m having them.
There are some fantastic tools out there to help me accomplish this. Rob and Lisa Moss created a website, SeizureTracker.com, that can make tracking and recording seizures very simple and organized. You can download and print recordable logs that simplify the process if you choose not to rush to the computer each time you feel an aura (if indeed you feel an aura).
Log courtesy of SeizureTracker.com
The overall goal of tracking seizures is to find a pattern, the seizure triggers and the length and severity of seizures to make sure you are being treated properly. What are your triggers? Stress? Anxiety? Certain foods? Lack of sleep? Forgetting my anti-seizure medication? I’ve just named most of my triggers, but unless I keep track, my doctors can’t be certain these truly are the causes of my seizures. It’s very simple to keep a log/diary, and there are good tools out there. Epilepsy.com also has some tools on their site, but registering for SeizureTracker.com is very simple and FREE!
It’s wise to also track your medication side effects and if you are in the midst of a medication change, your progress and your process in terms of the switch. How are you reacting to the new meds? Most information is good information when it comes to a seizure log…so if you aren’t keeping track now, I hope you’ll join me and make the commitment!
- Tags: caregivers, epilepsy, Seizure Logs, Seizures, Tracking Seizures
One Response to “Your Seizure Log can help All of us…”
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Jeff Nelson
May 11th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Thank’s for giving the link to the tracker! I’ll have to try it out. In the past, I created my own tracker, and it never seemed to work so I gave it up. Memory loss and random seizes didn’t seem to find many new triggers other than say a few that I already knew of. Cartoon like visuals can cause them, some digital flashes, as well as high stress, but the ones that occur outside of that, I never figured out. They were so random. Have the time, I would wake up in the night with one (partials), in the morning, or after a nap. But, I just can’t always stop my nap time. My meds keep me fairly tired and sapped out. Again, although I remember some of them, I get my wife telling me I have them, when I don’t remember them even occuring! That can be scary, as I wonder when she’s not around how many I’m missing, since she’s the one who works. Though, on the bright side, I feel like I’ve had less since getting married. Maybe, she keeps the stress at bay. Thank’s again.