Cavernous Angioma

[Alfonso-Camacho]

  Hello!
  First, thanks for providing such an detailed forum and excellent source
  of information. I never would have guessed one day I would find myself
  searching for answers on a Neurology Forum, but then again, I only recently
  had my first seizure - and first round of MRIs!
  After a grand mal seizure I was admitted for observation and several
  imgaging scans, including an enhanced MRI which revealed a 2mm lesion in
  the right frontal temporal lobe. The DX - to this point - is a cavernous
  angioma. Another more detailed and localized MRI will be done in December
  and I have since been prescribed 300mg of Dilantin per day. There has been
  no reoccurance of the seizures since, nor any other problems.
  My question is this: should I avoid exercise such as running, arobics and
  weight lifting? It is not an issue of vanity, rather a need to get rid of a
  lot of tension and make myself feel strong again.
  Perhaps this sounds like a silly question, but I am concerned about
  increasing the flow of blood and oxygen in my body at this point given the
  likely damaged blood vessels, and the risk of "triggering" another seizure
  or worse.
  Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated! Many thanks!
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Thanks for your question.  Without knowing your body weight it is difficult
to determine if your current dosage of Dilantin (phenytoin) is appropriate
or not.  I am assuming that your physician has arrived at your current
dosage after checking a blood level of Dilantin after the therapy was
initiated - the usual target is a level between 15 to 20.
The usual guidelines for new epilepsy patients is to avoid any activities
where a sudden loss of consciousness or motor control could result in injury.
This includes driving, climbing to high places, swimming alone.  From the
list of sport activities that you mentioned, I would be concerned about weight
lifting, especially if it involves free weights and you are alone.  It is
unclear if exercise actually increases the risk of seizures, so you don't
have to curtail your exercise habits, except for the precautions mentioned
above.
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.