Describing seizure types
Last checked 27/05/2008
When making a diagnosis of epilepsy, the doctor may use one of the following terms: idiopathic, cryptogenic or symptomatic. Idiopathic means that there is no apparent cause.
Cryptogenic means that doctors believe there is likely to be a cause but they are unable to find it.
Symptomatic means that a cause has been found.
Seizures can also be described by which part or parts of the brain the epileptic activity starts in. The three groups are: partial (also called focal), secondary generalised, and generalised.
- Partial seizures involve epileptic activity in just a part of the brain. Partial seizures can be divided into simple partial and complex partial.
- In a simple partial seizure the person is fully conscious. They remain fully aware of their surroundings, despite seizure activity
- In a complex partial seizure a person partly loses consciousness and they are not aware of what they are doing. Because of this, they may not remember the seizure afterwards, or their memory of it will be unclear.
- Generalised seizures involve epileptic activity in both halves of the brain. The person loses consciousness during the seizure.
- Sometimes, the epileptic activity that starts as a partial seizure can spread to the rest of the brain. When this happens, the seizure is known as secondary generalised.
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Comments
My daughter experienced what she described as de ja vu and episodes of feeling strange, but couldn't explain what was happening to her. She would have these episodes just before her menstral cycle and could have as many as seven over the space of a couple of days. On one particular occasion she had one of her episodes and actually wet herself. After these episodes she becomes very tired and just sleeps, she also has difficulty remembering things prior to these attacks, which is becoming a problem at school as she forgets work projects she had learned prior to her attack.
Our GP arranged for her to see a consultant to try and diagnose if her symptoms are epilepsy or migraines. The consultant asked us to keep a diary of when these attacks occurred and what happens, whilst MRI scans and eeg tests were carried out. The results came back normal occording to the consultant who telephoned me at home, although failed to provide a follow up appointment.
I have studied the internet for advice on epilepsy and I believe my daughter has Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, but the consultant who dealt with my daughter didn't seem to take my concerns seriously and treated me as if I was being over the top. My daughter continues to have these episodes which is extreemely distressing as I can not do anything to help her, I have been advised to go back to the consultant we originally went to by our GP, but when we last spoke he said that if the tests failed to find anything , then we would have to go down the psycological route! I know my daughter as I live with her every single day, I have a dad that has extreemely violent epileptic fits and I've seen enough of his to know there are certain similarities in the way my daughter behaves during these episodes.
As anything I have written about my daughter's symptoms given you any idea what the problem could be and is it worth going back to my GP and requesting a second opinion with another consultant.
hi Julie
my 17 year old daughter has been having these funny turns since xmas 07 too, she has been hospitalised 3 times and a neurololgist discharged her march saying that they were faints!
After another two episodes fitting ect unconcious, then comin round with headache i demanded we see a different neurologist, lluckily my g.p did this for me and my daughter was diagnosed last week with epilepsy. An c t scan came back normal we are waiting the results from e e g. luckily emma is now on medication.
Go with your heart and push for another referal
Sue
In response to Julie Bartlets last comment, my mother and I experienced a similar situation nearly 10 years ago in Wellington, New Zealand. I was 10 years old and started to experience what my mother thought were seizures-semi conscious convulsive movements, in which I could hear, but not respond, or stop movement. As we had no history or understanding of epilepsy this was very hard to deal with, as I was young and scared, and mum felt helpless. We went to our local GP, who was well respected in the community, but who insisted that mum was being dramatic and I was craving attention. She said that I was too healthy and intelligent to be having seizures. Like you, mum did as much research as possible and went back to her several times, requesting the referral to a specialist. She said, quote "you would be wasting their time, and we would have to wait 3 months anyway." Mum ended up taking matters into her own hands and took me straight to a paediatrician who diagnosed epilepsy and started trying to find an appropriate treatment. My MRI and eeg came back inconclusive like your daughters, but I still received medication, the diagnosis had been made prior. Within 2 months I was seizure free and getting back on track at school.
Our message to you is to trust your instincts. like you said, you know your daughter best of all and if need be, do all you can to see a specialist. If they don't listen, insist, or try somewhere else.