How to Control Temporal Lobe Seizures
Take antiepileptic or anticonvulsant medications., Work with your doctor to create a personalized medication plan., Consider brain surgery if medications do not control your seizures., Consider vagus nerve stimulation., Talk to your doctor about...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take antiepileptic or anticonvulsant medications.
These medicines have a direct effect on the brain’s electrical activity.
A seizure occurs when too much electrical activity spreads from one part of the brain to the other areas.
This causes uncontrolled stimulation of nerves that supply many parts of your body.
Anticonvulsants minimize these abnormally high levels of electrical activity, thereby reducing symptoms of seizures.One of the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant medications is oxcarbazepine.
It works by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
The recommended dose for adults is 1200 mg/day orally.
For children ages 2 to 16 years, the recommended daily oral dose is 8-10 mg/kg. -
Step 2: Work with your doctor to create a personalized medication plan.
Antiepileptic drugs may take up to two months to show their effects.
During this time, try to remain patient and work with your doctor to create a plan for your use of medications, should the first medication you try not work.
Start with one first line drug (such as oxcarbazepine described above, or lamotrigine, carbamazepine, or phenytoin).
Begin at a low dose and gradually increase the dose until you no longer experience seizures.
If the first medication you try does not reduce your seizures, or you experience negative side effects (such as bowel disturbance, baldness, breast enlargement in males, abnormal hair growth in females, skin rash etc) then your doctor may add a second line drug to your medication regimen.
These second line drugs could include topiramate, zonisamide, valproic acid, tiagabine, gabapentin, lacosamide, or phenobarbital.
If the second line drug is not effective, then your doctor will phase you off of it and then start you on a different one.
Always consult your doctor before stopping or reducing a medication. , A brain surgery called temporal lobe resection may be an option for people whose seizures are not controlled by medication.
It may also be an option for patients whose seizures are disabling or when the side effects of medications are too severe and can greatly affect the quality of your life.
Brain surgery is only considered if the area of the brain where seizures usually start (called seizure focus) can be clearly identified.
Also, the area of the brain to be removed must not be responsible for any vital or critical functions such as movement, sensation and language.
In this procedure, the brain tissue in the temporal lobe is resected, or cut away in order to remove the seizure focus.
Nearly 90 percent of people with temporal lobe seizures see a significant reduction or cessation of seizures after getting this surgery.However, because the temporal lobe’s functions include organizing sensory input, language and speech production, auditory perception and memory association and formation, removing a portion of it increases the patient’s risks for:
Double vision Memory problems Motor skills and language problems Partial, one-sided weakness or paralysis of the body Reduced visual field , This type of surgery makes use of a vagus nerve stimulator, which is a small device that is surgically implanted under the skin near the collarbone.
The vagus nerve is one of the 12 cranial nerves in the body that is found in the neck and has many functions such as breathing, speech, sweating, regulating heartbeat and emptying of food.
A wire or lead under the skin connects the vagus nerve stimulator to the vagus nerve in the neck.The doctor programs the device to create weak electrical signals that travel along the vagus nerve to the brain at regular intervals.
These signals aid in preventing electrical bursts in the brain that cause seizures.
The vagus nerve stimulator can be activated right after surgery.
A slight bulge in the area of the collarbone can be noticed and the surgery will leave scars on the side of the neck. , Responsive neurostimulation (RNS) is a device that directly stimulates the brain to stop or control seizures.
The surgeon will surgically implant the stimulator in the skull that is connected to one or two electroencephalogram (EEG) leads which records the brain’s electrical activity.
These leads are surgically implanted in or on top of the brain where the abnormal electric activities start.The device is battery-operated and has special technology that is able to detect and record the brain’s electrical activity.
When the device detects a seizure, it automatically sends an electric current to disrupt the seizure activity.
The device is programmed by neurologist based on the EEG and response of the patient. , DBS therapy controls excess electrical activity in the brain through the use of regular electrical impulses to minimize the frequency and severity of seizures.
The surgery for DBS is done by a trained neurosurgeon under general anaesthetic.
During the first part of the surgical procedure, two leads are placed inside the brain through an incision in the skull.
The leads are connected to small wires and are attached to the neurostimulator.During the second part of the surgical procedure, the neurostimulator is implanted under the collarbone.
The neurostimulator contains a small battery and a computer chip that is programmed to send electrical current to the brain in case of seizures in order to disrupt it.
After the surgery, the stimulator is programmed by the doctor using a hand-held computer.
This sets the amount of electrical stimulation delivered.
It can take several months for doctors to determine the right level of stimulation because it varies from person to person, so careful monitoring and recording is done. -
Step 3: Consider brain surgery if medications do not control your seizures.
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Step 4: Consider vagus nerve stimulation.
-
Step 5: Talk to your doctor about responsive neurostimulation.
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Step 6: Learn more about deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Detailed Guide
These medicines have a direct effect on the brain’s electrical activity.
A seizure occurs when too much electrical activity spreads from one part of the brain to the other areas.
This causes uncontrolled stimulation of nerves that supply many parts of your body.
Anticonvulsants minimize these abnormally high levels of electrical activity, thereby reducing symptoms of seizures.One of the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant medications is oxcarbazepine.
It works by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
The recommended dose for adults is 1200 mg/day orally.
For children ages 2 to 16 years, the recommended daily oral dose is 8-10 mg/kg.
Antiepileptic drugs may take up to two months to show their effects.
During this time, try to remain patient and work with your doctor to create a plan for your use of medications, should the first medication you try not work.
Start with one first line drug (such as oxcarbazepine described above, or lamotrigine, carbamazepine, or phenytoin).
Begin at a low dose and gradually increase the dose until you no longer experience seizures.
If the first medication you try does not reduce your seizures, or you experience negative side effects (such as bowel disturbance, baldness, breast enlargement in males, abnormal hair growth in females, skin rash etc) then your doctor may add a second line drug to your medication regimen.
These second line drugs could include topiramate, zonisamide, valproic acid, tiagabine, gabapentin, lacosamide, or phenobarbital.
If the second line drug is not effective, then your doctor will phase you off of it and then start you on a different one.
Always consult your doctor before stopping or reducing a medication. , A brain surgery called temporal lobe resection may be an option for people whose seizures are not controlled by medication.
It may also be an option for patients whose seizures are disabling or when the side effects of medications are too severe and can greatly affect the quality of your life.
Brain surgery is only considered if the area of the brain where seizures usually start (called seizure focus) can be clearly identified.
Also, the area of the brain to be removed must not be responsible for any vital or critical functions such as movement, sensation and language.
In this procedure, the brain tissue in the temporal lobe is resected, or cut away in order to remove the seizure focus.
Nearly 90 percent of people with temporal lobe seizures see a significant reduction or cessation of seizures after getting this surgery.However, because the temporal lobe’s functions include organizing sensory input, language and speech production, auditory perception and memory association and formation, removing a portion of it increases the patient’s risks for:
Double vision Memory problems Motor skills and language problems Partial, one-sided weakness or paralysis of the body Reduced visual field , This type of surgery makes use of a vagus nerve stimulator, which is a small device that is surgically implanted under the skin near the collarbone.
The vagus nerve is one of the 12 cranial nerves in the body that is found in the neck and has many functions such as breathing, speech, sweating, regulating heartbeat and emptying of food.
A wire or lead under the skin connects the vagus nerve stimulator to the vagus nerve in the neck.The doctor programs the device to create weak electrical signals that travel along the vagus nerve to the brain at regular intervals.
These signals aid in preventing electrical bursts in the brain that cause seizures.
The vagus nerve stimulator can be activated right after surgery.
A slight bulge in the area of the collarbone can be noticed and the surgery will leave scars on the side of the neck. , Responsive neurostimulation (RNS) is a device that directly stimulates the brain to stop or control seizures.
The surgeon will surgically implant the stimulator in the skull that is connected to one or two electroencephalogram (EEG) leads which records the brain’s electrical activity.
These leads are surgically implanted in or on top of the brain where the abnormal electric activities start.The device is battery-operated and has special technology that is able to detect and record the brain’s electrical activity.
When the device detects a seizure, it automatically sends an electric current to disrupt the seizure activity.
The device is programmed by neurologist based on the EEG and response of the patient. , DBS therapy controls excess electrical activity in the brain through the use of regular electrical impulses to minimize the frequency and severity of seizures.
The surgery for DBS is done by a trained neurosurgeon under general anaesthetic.
During the first part of the surgical procedure, two leads are placed inside the brain through an incision in the skull.
The leads are connected to small wires and are attached to the neurostimulator.During the second part of the surgical procedure, the neurostimulator is implanted under the collarbone.
The neurostimulator contains a small battery and a computer chip that is programmed to send electrical current to the brain in case of seizures in order to disrupt it.
After the surgery, the stimulator is programmed by the doctor using a hand-held computer.
This sets the amount of electrical stimulation delivered.
It can take several months for doctors to determine the right level of stimulation because it varies from person to person, so careful monitoring and recording is done.
About the Author
Ann Ford
Brings years of experience writing about pet care and related subjects.
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