Possible seizure triggers
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A possible ‘seizure trigger’ is something which can make you more likely to have a seizure, particularly if you already have a tendency to have seizures. The term ‘seizure trigger’ does not mean something that could cause you to develop epilepsy in the first place.
Information about the causes of epilepsy
Everyone is born with a ‘seizure threshold’. If you have a high seizure threshold, it means that you are less likely to have seizures than someone with a low seizure threshold.
Epilepsy affects each person differently. The following is just a guide to some common seizure triggers. You may not feel that you have any particular seizure triggers. Or you may feel you have triggers which are not mentioned here. You may wish to discuss this with your doctor or epilepsy specialist. Keeping a seizure diary can be a good way of identifying possible seizure triggers.
Alcohol and recreational drugs
Excess alcohol or binge drinking can trigger seizures, even if you do not have epilepsy. Taking certain recreational drugs, for example cocaine, can also make you more likely to have a seizure.
- More information about alcohol and recreational drugs
Late nights & lack of sleep
Late nights, going without sleep and irregular sleep patterns can be possible seizure triggers.
Stress
You might find that you have more seizures during or after periods of anxiety or stress.
- More information about epilepsy and stress
Missing doses of anti-epileptic medication
If you miss a dose of your anti-epileptic drugs, or take them later than usual, this may trigger a seizure.
Flickering or flashing light
If you have photosensitive epilepsy, certain types of flickering or flashing light may be a seizure trigger for you.
Fewer than one in 20 people with epilepsy have photosensitive epilepsy, so for most people with epilepsy, flickering or flashing lights are not a seizure trigger.
- More information about photosensitive epilepsy
Illness
Having a high temperature (fever) can sometimes trigger seizures in young children if they are ill. This is less likely in adults, although generally being unwell can reduce your seizure threshold, and make you more likely to have a seizure.
Hormones
For some women, certain hormones seem to trigger seizures at particular times in their menstrual cycle. This is known as catamenial epilepsy.
If you are going through the menopause, you may find that the hormonal changes at this time may make you more likely to have seizures, (although for some women, seizures will not be affected or may become less frequent).
- More information about women, the menstrual cycle and the menopause
Food/fasting
There is no evidence to suggest certain foods can trigger seizures. Diet is not generally thought to have an effect on seizure control. Missing meals or fasting, however, can make someone more likely to have a seizure.
There are various situations in which someone may want to fast, be it for health or religious reasons. You will need to be aware of the risk of having seizures if you decide to fast.
Certain medications and supplements
Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can make you more likely to have a seizure, if you have epilepsy or a history of seizures. For example, anti-depressants and antihistamines can be possible seizure triggers.
Certain supplements, for example evening primrose oil, can also be possible seizure triggers.
It is always important to seek medical advice before starting any kind of treatment. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist to check if there are any cautions for people with epilepsy taking the medication or supplement.
December 2008
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Comments
My son has been diagnosed with epilepsy a year ago. He is now 4 y/o. He is also autistic so communication is an issue and I have to try to get information elsewhere. He has had seizures while playing with his Thomas the engine so I was wondering if the repetitive noise or movement of those trains would be a trigger. Has anyone had seizures caused by it?
Not sure if it was the same thing but I felt as if someone was pulling at my hair 3 times, straightaway I knew what it was. Perhaps if you are having judders almost as a warning you may have some time to remove yourself from embarrassing or stressful situations and make sure someone is with you?
I'd been taken off Epilim a few years ago to have children and had been seizure free for about 2 years then had one during pregnancy and one more 6 days later then another at 6 months (back on the Epilim now though). It seems to coincide with hormonal changes but I was diagnosed as having childhood juvenile epilepsy after years of being told it was temporal lobe epilepsy. I've been epileptic since 9 and am now 40, still nice to know I'm still young at heart! It was such a disappointment to have seizures after so many years of not having any, but such is life and I understand the fear of having another seizure. I was so terrified for a while of it happening again expecially with a young baby to look after, you will stop being so fearful especially if the docs manage to sort out your medication.
Another thing I will say is when I'm on the drugs there are no problems whatsoever so it's not unmanageable for myself and hopefully it will be for you, and I really do feel for those who have more difficulties.
Hi Paul,
I’m not quite sure what my seizures would be labeled as because I only have them once or twice a year, if I’m lucky, but when I do feel them coming on I become very sensitive to sound as well. But I find that turning on the radio softly or the TV, having some sort of soft sound will decrease your sensitivity towards any loud sound that may occur unexpectedly. In my case when i have the radio on softly, I find myself getting sensitive to that as well at points, when that happens i simply turn it back off. If you just listen to your body and mind and what makes it feel most comfortable, go with it. I hope this helps.
~Crystal
Hey my names Danielle im 17 and the other day i had a weird experience. I was playing one of my pc games and suddenly everything started getting louder and i was scared. I have panic attacks so im on tablets for that but it felt completely different from a panic attack. It felt like it had happened before and i felt like i was moving at 100mph. I also had really bad pin and needles in my arm and my jaw felt really tight. I had to put my fingers in my ears and breathe because everything seemed so loud but it only lasted about 10 minutes after i started doing that. Then straight after that happened i had a panic attack. Wasn't the best day for me. Could it be something to do with epiliepsy?
I have a seizure about 20 to 30 mins. before it gets there. they say i have it while i am under the MRI machine and it last for 5 to 10 seconds. but I can not talk strait for around 8 to 10 hours can you tell me what kind of seizures i am having, and can this be cured. thanks. Truman.
Hi Sarah,
I empathise with what your saying here..as despite being cleared of epilepsy a few years ago now, i am still paranoid something is going to happen again one day! I was cleared of epilepsy about 3 years ago now after experiencing absence seizures and the odd grandmal throughout my childhood..when you speak of 'juddering'...What physical symptoms do you experience? I am curious as at times (often when i am stressed/in public and feeling under pressure) I wonder if i experience something similar...Cheers!
I am really worried about my son. I have taken him to doctors and hospitals but they have only seen him after a seizure and I am not convinced about their diagnoses. He seem to have seizures when he gets hurt mainly funny bone or knee. The pain knocks him out he froths at the mouth and is totally out of it with irregular breathing and after this he feels pain over his whole body so throws himself about and usually wets himself. I was told this is common in teens but I have never heard of anyone else doing this. I have five children and never come into contact with any other child who does this. Anyone got any advise???
yes, hot bath water is a recognized seizure trigger. Get a bath thermometer and determine the most moderate bath water temp possible for your child, and then always mix the water to that temp.
I've had a few seizures in my life. One in a mardi gras street parade setting. Baisically wall to wall people in the street.. and another a few years ago today.. st. Patricks day. Amplified bagpipes at a street festival were the cause. The last thing I remembered was covering one of my ears and telling my friend how obnoxious it was. Next thing I know I've got an EMT in my face yelling at me. Unfortunately I've never been able to enjoy the holliday since. So, to answer some questions yes, large crowds or CERTAIN music/frequencies (I'm fine at ridiculously loud rock concerts) can be triggers.
ok so ive been lookin all over the place for an explanation as to why i keep gettin this dam seizures! ive been to da doc and i dont have epilepsy but i take a medication which is called keppra. ive been takin it and i dont know if it works or not cuzz i keep gettin them. when i get a seizure i usually hear this noise in my ears im able to walk n think i just cant talk. theres been times where i panic n den have a seizure but oders i just settle down n after a few seconds im good again and not have one! im not sure why i get them i did have head injuries when i was young and when i had sum head exams the doc said i had sum fluid in my brain or something dat makes me have them. now my questions is WOULD I BE BETTER OF GETTIN OPERATED AND TAKIN IT OUT?
Hi My name is derek and i have been all over the place ending up in san fran to see a doctor. Every where i go the doctor sys the same thig, they dont know excactly what it is but its definatly seziures. I was 14 whin i had my first grandmall and it contuned for a nother 6 months getting worse and worse ( accruing more frequently together ) till i finaly found a medication that worked, Tryleptoal. I am now 20 and have been free of aney seziures, well sort of. Just this last week i have been scared because of the feeling i used to get, the feeling befor the sezure's. My right arm goes limp ( i can still move it and my, fingers just cant apply aney force). I used to laugh at this befor i had sezures, now that i have my own place, car, and life i am scard as to what this means. Whin i am actualy going to have a seziur i have almost no worning, less than a second. My hole body tightens, i can still here for about 15 sec but righ whin it happens the last imige i see is what stays in my head until that last 15 sec that i can hear. Then all i see is a scratchey tv screen the black and white dots all over. The pain is unbaraible!!! i slowly feel my self suficating and my lungs stop working. the only way i sotp sezing is due to lack of oxygen to my brain. Then ther is the body pain, i feel like my righ arm is being bent in half between my elbo and wrist. Whin it hapens for me i have all the signs. Foaming, the most aquard pos you could put you body in, loss of breath and starvation of oxygen and the worst part is once i wake up from it it just hapens again righ away. So my body is in a constant cycle of this. The only good thing that i have going is at least it only hapens whin i wake up in the morning or whin i am sleeping and wake up. This has allowed me to feal comfortabal walking around and hanging out with out worry of a seziure, but it is definatly terrfiying to go to sleep. I have been up hours and hours past normal tim of my sleeping cycle in feear of waking up to the pain and concquence to the seziures. If ther is aney one else who feels this thing whin this happens or has a similar story i would like to hear just to compare and see what you are dooing to help with this. O and sorry for spelling haha. Yes english is my first language, But Math has always been my thing lol.
I am glad that a change in diet has reduced the number of seizures. I am convinced that diet has everything to do with my sons epilepsy. All of his doctors and I do mean all of them say that diet has nothing to do with it. I have cut out sodas, mcdonalds, burgerking, whole milk, white flour, white bread, candy, sugar (white granular) foods with red, blue, yellow and all other dyes. I give him a multivitamin every day. Organic milk, a magnesium and zinc supplement once or twice a week. His seizures used to occur daily and for long durations of time, now maybe once or twice every three or four days and they never last more than 15 seconds. Usually no more than 5 seconds. His recuperation time has also improved, he now comes out of it and is back to "normal" within seconds. I have seen diet make a great improvement in his condition. He is on lamictal also. That seems to help. I also give him one (1) milligram of clonozapam at night to help him sleep. He used to have most of his multiple seizures at night.
I have recently learned this is quite normal. While the brain is active and engaged during the day, he has less seizures. While the brain is free to roam at night is when it causes the most trouble. He hasn't had an episode at night since starting the new medication. What a wonderful feeling it is to watch him sleep peacefully. He used to move around quite a bit and he would wake up suddenly, have a short seizure and lay back down. This would happen as many as six to ten times a night if not more. He wasn't getting proper rest. Now he wakes up rested. His behaviors in school have improved as well as at home. I wish you continued good health and many less seizures.
Hello Dan:
We had our son on adderall for adhd for three months and he developed epilepsy. I wouldn't worry to much about the past and why or how you did this to yourself. I felt this way about what I might have done to my six year old. I can't beat myself up about it because i'm past that now. I have to deal with what I have. I am trying to help him the best that I can. He does not take anything for adhd because we feel this was a misdiagnosis anyway. We have to concentrate on the seizures. Meds and a change of diet have helped trememdously. I am glad you don't take that supplement any more. I wish you continued good health.
I work with a woman who is epileptic. Some things that trigger her seizures are cheese (mainly processed), preservatives, pre-packed foods, and high proteins (such as peanuts or very lean meats).
Hope that helps for some of you.
I have 4 types of epilepsy now--and I've had the grand mals (tonic clonics) for 45 years. When I started cutting out wheat and dairy from my diet, there were was such a dramatic decrease in the number of seizures, the only thing it could be attributed to was my diet! Nothing else changed! Now, my I have gone from using the GARD diet to becoming a full-fledged celiac, but the diet isn't really that different.
Perhaps it's something for others to seriously consider.........
I'm undergoing tests at the moment with suspected TLE, this started when I used a perfectly legal gym supplment which is available over the counter to give me a 'kick' just before I go to the gym.
I was having 2 or 3 very mile seizures a month, which was the de ja vu and the sick feeling in my stomach. Until I had a bad one that put me on the floor. I recovered within 5 minutes (as I always have done).
It's been six weeks now since the bad seizure that put me down, I've not taken any of the gym supplements and feel fine.
I'm having my sleep EEG tomorrow, my first EEG came back inconclusive, my specialist says this is not unusual as sometimes you get false positives and sometimes you get false negatives.
I haven't driven since but haven't surrendered my licence due to conflicting views. My consultant and Doctor say it's down the DVLA to tell me how long to stay off the road for and the DVLA say they take their advice from my consultant and Doctor. The buck passing is really bringing me down.
I'm sure these seizures are provoked, they happened when I first took the supplement and have stopped now I have stopped using it.
The worst feeling in the world is that I've done this to myself - and wrecked my life. =(
oh my. thank you for posting comments on other possible triggers... my new boyfriend is epileptic and i don't want to accidentally hurt him! .. or on purpose if that matter lol i just want him to be the safest he can be :) xxx thank you all xxx LoveYou xxx
hi ,
my names nicola and back in march 2007 my brother simon aged 27 was taken ill with tubercolousis (tb) of the lungs which traveld 2 the spine which left him with no movement in the right side of his body! it also traveld 2 his brain which left his severely brain damaged !! due to my brothers illness he now suffers from epilepsy !! atm hes in a hospital that specialises in brain injurys but me an my family hope 2 have him home soon !! he has 2 young daughters 12 & 7 which would like 2 no mre about epilepsy and so would i!! so all comments would help thanks x x
Constipation can be a trigger, as I've discoverd....all good fun eh?
I was diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy when i was 13 and i am now 23. After having a seizure today i am feeling really sorry for myself! I was catering at a very hectic party and i started to get stressed, this led to me having a judder which in turn made me more anxious and then i had a seizure in full view of a lot of people!! Does anyone else experience these "judders"? i am going to have to go to the docs to get medication revised as i have had 4 in a short space of time and had gone for over 18months without anything. I have a hen party booked in leeds in a couple of weeks and i am already starting to get anxious about lack of sleep - i dont drink to avoid this trigger but you cant always gaurentee a good nights sleep!!
Hello Paul,
I'm 43 and have had epilepsy all my life.... I too am on Tegretol along with Topiramote and Clobazam. I find noises drive me up the wall if they are of a constant nature such as ticking clocks, unfortunately, if my husband's snoring or breathing heavily. This tends to bring on one of my auras, but only when I am trying to sleep. My epilepsy is under control and I am able to drive, but it's on a night when I need complete silence or else I am driven to distraction by repetitive noise.
HI MY NAME IS JENNIFER AND I AM 24 YEARS OLD... I HAD A SEIZURE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE ONE NIGHT AGO... I WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SMOKE A CIGARETTE... I GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND WAS VERY OUT OF IT MY BODY JUST FELT LIKE I WAS SWAYING ALL OVER THE PLACE... I SAT ON THE TOILET AND MUST OF FALLEN OVER (SORRY FOR THE PERSONAL INFO) I WOKE UP LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DRYER AND THOUGHT I CANT BE THAT TIRED THAT I LAYED ON THE FLOOR?????.. I THAN GOT UP AND TRIED TO WALK TO THE LIVINGROOM TO MY BOYFRIEND WHO LATER TOLD ME THAT I LEANED AGAINST THE WALL TO GET DOWN THE HALLWAY.. I SAT DOWN NEXT TO HIM AND SAID MAKE ME BETTER HELP ME (I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF) AND THAN HE SAID I FELL TOWARD HIM AND WAS SHAKING.. HE THAN PUT ME DOWN ON THE COUCH AND GOT HIS ROOMATE... HE SAID MY ENTIRE BODY WAS CONVULGING AND MY ARMS WERE SO STIFF.... HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO .... I WOKE UP TO HIS ROOMATE SAYING MY NAME.... I HEARD MY NAME... BUT IT WAS THE WEIRDEST FEELING IN WHICH I HEARD IT... LIKE IN A DREAM... I JUST ASKED WHAT HAPPENED.... AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES... I FELT BETTER. THE NASEAU AND THE RUSH IN MY STOMACH IN WHICH I FIRST FELT WHEN I WOKE UP WAS GONE..... I AM SCARED... I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS... AND I AM AFRAID TO GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.. (IT HAPPEN AT 3:00 IN THEMORNING WHEN I WOKE UP) IM GOING TO THE DOCTORS TOMORROW... BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO....
I am 20 and I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 14. I have probably had 10-12 grand mal seizures. My first seizure occurred immediately after I took a hot shower. I do not remember what happened directly before the seizure, but I had a sense of "lost time", as if there were a few minutes where I blacked out. I woke up on the bathroom floor disoriented, I couldn't walk, my head was throbbing and I had a hard time remembering simple things. It had never happened before and I was alone, so I assumed I had just fainted; it never occurred to me that I had a seizure. Two months later I went to Utah for a snowboarding trip with my best friend and her family. My friend and I went into a jacuzzi and minutes after I got out I seized for a good five minutes. I couldn't remember my name, I was incredibly disoriented and terribly frightened. It was also very embarrassing for me because it was the first time that someone had witnessed me seize and I felt like epilepsy made me different from everyone else. I was immediately put on Lamictal, which kept me seizure free for almost a year.
However, I had several seizures during my later teenage years while I was medicated, and it turned out to be related to the birth control pills that I was simultaneously taking. I had no idea that birth control pills can decrease the effectiveness of anti-convulsants by up to 50%, so for women on birth control with epilepsy--this is very important information to know. Unfortunately I had a very incompetent neurologist at the time who did not give me all the facts. Once I got off birth control I was seizure free for almost two years.
In the last year I have had 4 seizures, which I am very concerned about. I know generally what have been triggers: sleep deprivation, stress, high altitudes, temperature changes and missing my doses. Almost all of my seizures have happened directly after I got out of the shower or a hot tub. Last year I had a seizure while I was using a hairdryer (after a shower) and had severe burns on my arms. My last seizure was two weeks ago and it may have been due to the fact that I had just been on an airplane, but ultimately, epilepsy is a mystery and you never know for sure what causes seizures. For me, getting adequate sleep every night and taking my meds at regular intervals is key. I hope this has been helpful. It's really nice to hear from others with epilepsy because it can be a very stigmatizing and isolating disorder.
I do have a question for those who have had seizures. When I am seizing I see visions and images, kind of like a dream--sometimes I am looking at myself seizing. It's almost an out-of-body experience. It's very strange and hard to explain to non-epileptics but I have never had the opportunity to ask other epileptics if they had a similar experience. Thoughts?
My name is Paul, I am 40 and have startle epilepsy. Toward evening, I become very uncomfortable about unexpected noises such as a loud bang, the phone ringing or other such noises. I cannot have a phone near me and have to make sure there is no door bell or mobile phone around me in the evenings. During the morning and daytime I am generally ok, its just evening. I take 1000mg Tegretol, but this doesnt seem to help with the shock bringing on auras despite an increase in dose. Does anyone know of helpful treatment for this type of epilepsy.
Thanks,
Paul
Whilst comments have been made regarding foods not triggering epillepsy, what about some chemicals (acetaldehyde In particular)? Knowing triggers for seizures include red wines (high in aldehydes) and that some light beers (partially fermented, producing acetaldehyde). Acetaldehyde can also form in the brain if there is insufficient oxygen to fully oxidise the carbohydrates. There are a number of other foods with oils or cheeses I have some questions over from personal experience. It is interesting that one type of anti-epilleptic drug is levitriacetam (in a similar group to acetaldehyde).
I had an epileptic convulsion, quite bad, for the first and so far only time in February this year at the age of 67. The only long term condition I have is heart arrythmia which is brought on by drinking too much coffee. (Its not a serious condition in itself.) When I had this seizure it was immediately after drinking a very strong coffee at a motorway service station. I had drunk another coffee two or so hours previously with breakfast at an hotel.
I felt myself start to shake a little, a symptom of arrythmia, and asked my wife to fill the car with fuel whilst I stayed in the cafe. Usually, I would have expected these "arrythmia" symptoms to subside after I had sat in the passenger seat for ten to fifteen minutes.
What actually happened, though I do not have any memory of it, is that I walked out on to the forecourt where my wife could see I was shaking and could not see her. She came and held me but I fell to the ground in a massive convulsion where I severely chewed my tongue.
Although my GP and the doctors at the hospital I was taken to disagree, my wife and I think the seizure was triggered by caffeine which I now avoid. Is there any evidence to support this?
Can a seizure be triggered by temperature changes either really cold or really hot? I have a child that seems to be affected by the change in temperature.
Hi All,
My boyfriend has eplilepsy and was diagnosed 4 years ago he has twitching and feels like he is 'spacing out' he finds that hard to describe but after these episodes he is left extreamly tired and usual needs a sleep is there anything that can help bring him out of these episodes or stop them before they begin I want to help him best I can he hasnt had a 'fit' since he was first diagnosed he has reduced his keppra and his tetrad i thnk it is called does the vitamin b help or any other vitamins or minerals
Thanks lou
Hi,
I have had epilepsy for around ten years now. I was perscribed depokote to control the seziures. I haven't had a seziure in about five to six years. I wasn't agreeing with my doctor so about a year ago I started tampering off the meds. Its been about six mounths sents I have taking my depokote. The questions I have is about my triggers I still get. The trigger feels like my hole left arm and leg stiffin up uncontrolably. Is this a Common trigger? Will anxity cause this to happen? Im trying to get some good awnsers cause Im talking to a new doctor that wants me to try a new medication and get another eeg. Whats some good advise?
Thanks, Matt