15 Year Old Female Seizures Soon After Waking

[FGS]

My 15 year old granddaughter has started having grand mall seizures. Until recently it has always been in the morning just after she got up. She just had one this week in the afternoon after waking from a nap. She has been put on anti seizure meds and the doses are getting higher and higher but doing no good. What are some of the things that might cause this? She is a very special young woman, however, she can be a very difficult child, she is a cheerleader and VERY social.  She seems angry a lot of the time until she takes her medicine.  Her Parents are at their wits end and she seems out of control with her emotions.  We have been attributing this to "teen angst" but could there be a correlation? Another question: Could emotional trauma (sexual abuse) as an two year old child cause this type of trauma and seizures?

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

First it needs to be determined that these spells are epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures are caused by abnormal elecetrical activity within the brain. This can be documented by performing EEG's. One type of non-epileptic seizure is due to psychological conditions. Non-epileptic seizures can be caused by stress, such as sexual or physical abuse. It would be reasonable to have her evaluated by a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy. They can review her case and EEG's and recommend the appropriate treatment. Without having more information I cannot tell you what kind of epilepsy she has or what would be the recommended treatment. Good luck.

[FGS]

She has had EEG's and they seemed to be fairly normal.  The doctor she has been going to said it was not Epilepsy.  He also said that he did not know what could be causing the seizures and is trying the medications in hopes that something will work and it isn't working.  Her parents deny that she was sexually abused and it is only MY observations 13 years ago that make me say that.  But, if there is a possibility that I might be right. I will force the issue. If I do that, who should I recommend they send her to to find out.  She has never been to a GYN, would that help?

[ccfneuromd]

She first needs to have a diagnosis. A normal out-patient EEG does not exclude the possibility of epilepsy. If she is having these spells frequently she may require in-patient video/EEG monitoring over several days. During this she will be continuously monitored with EEG and video in hopes of recoridng a spell. Then it can be determined if these spells are epileptic or non-epileptic. Once that is determined a cause for the problem can be investigated. A consultation with an Epilepsy specialist would be a reasonable place to start. Good luck.

[dinky12]

Find another doctor .She has epilepsy .also I deal with mood swings and cannot control my anger sometimes but I try to deal with it also if she hasnt been on the medicine long ween her off or she will be on it the rest of her life and she will be in worse shape doctors wont tell you that and then she will keep having to up her dose.they will tell you its safer for her to be on it but its ****.  I have family plus myself who have it and we all have a mood disorder so she can get junk for that to but do you want her on that as well.Good luck and doctors do not know everything.

[memitch]

I have epilepsy since I was 17, similar in that they followed awakening. It took 3 years to get the correct medication but I can assure you that it lets me lead a normal life (for 20 years now) and for that I am grateful.
Epilepsy can be a scary diagnosis in someone young, perhaps she is also reacting to that, just a thought. I would say that an epitologist is your best bet.
I have also had three outpatient EEGs over the years, 2 showed some epileptic activity, one showed none. It only aids diagnosis.Hope it all works out.