Stopping seizures…: by Phylis Feiner Johnson

Who wouldn’t want to stop — or even alleviate — a seizure? Well, you may be surprised at how many options there are. (I was surprised myself!) There are some methods that stop a seizure in it’s tracks. Some shorten seizures. And some relieve you of the dreaded after-effects. So, even though some may not be effective or attractive to you, you do have choices. The Natural Route The easiest way to stop your seizures — recommended by eforum members — is by placing your pointer finger on the dent above your upper lip (below your nose). This pressure point seems to immediately stop the seizure. How does it work? The pressure point under your nose is the end to many nerve endings…including certain cranial nerves. Probably the same proximity that makes the area vulnerable is what makes it an effective location for seizure disruption. (Note: Afterwards, you might try taking an Advil or Tylenol with a big glass of water, before you go to sleep to prevent the possibility of a headache.) Of course there’s behavior modification. Reports indicate that some people have learned to interrupt their seizure process by replacing the aura-induced perception with another pleasant thought. Focus on an enjoyable experience and transport your mind there. Although you may not prevent the seizure, it can be much easier to deal with just by easing the tension. Plus, you can possibly make your seizures shorter in duration and frequency. Mental imagery can go a long way in arresting a seizure – if you catch your aura in time… But first you have to get to know your triggers and the auras that usually follow them. Try keeping a daily diary to track the events that lead up to your seizures. Once you know your triggers, you can make the move to take control of your fear…distract yourself…or even change your emotional state. (I think of riding through Hayden Valley in Wyoming and do deep breathing exercises. Sometimes the Hayden Valley part doesn’t work, but the deep breathing never fails!) Medications Then there are the emergency medications. Again, some work better for people than others. Traditionally, the first line of fire in rescue meds for extreme cases has been Diastat (generically known as diazepam.) It’s available in a gel form that’s inserted into the patient’s rectum to stop a cluster of repeated seizures. (It’s absorbed quickly that way.) However, both children, adults and caretakers aren’t too keen about it, and you can understand why. But recently, it’s been made available in a liquid oral form that comes in a syringe and goes right into the cheek of your mouth. Ask your neuro or pharmacist about it, because it’s relatively new. But now Diastat has competition! In a recent study, the nasal spray Versed or Midazolam (generically known as benzodiazepine), a short-acting drug that is used for acute seizures was preferred to the rectal solution of Diastat by 16 of 21 caregivers and patients. The results were as equal in effectiveness, side-effects (usually drowsiness) and in suppressing prolonged seizures. Other people have found liquid Klonopin or Clonazepam, (members of the generic benzodiazepinesto family) successful in preventing seizures. However, it’s important to determine the correct dose. In short, you have these options plus a whole lot more AEDs which might help control seizure activity. Find out more about these (your pharmacist could be a terrific source because he/she’s worked with all of them before and knows the upsides and the downsides.) Because once you know your options, you can be less fearful and more in control when a seizure strikes. *Phylis Feiner Johnson has been a professional copywriter for 30 years. She also spent 20 years with epilepsy. She writes from the heart to increase education, awareness and funding for epilepsy research. For further information, contact The Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania at http://www.efepa.org/ and please make a contribution to become an advocate, too.