If any of you have read my "Please Help" thread, and know anything about seizures, maybe you can help. <P>Background - H's older brother is epileptic - since childhood. When H was 15-16 years old he had 3 seizures - no grand mals, but seizures, nonetheless. Because of Tony's previous diagnosis, and WITHOUT extensive testing, he was put on the same anti-seizure med (Dilantin) and stayed on it for 10 years or more. No more seizures. More than 10 years ago, another doctor was disturbed w/ the lack of testing and since Dilantin has serious side-effects (worth it, however, if you're like Tony), weaned him off and followed up w/ intense physicals to make sure everything was fine. All this time, no more seizures - no problems at all.<P>Now, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, in the middle of the movie (and I might add, all this stress), he seizes again. We've set him up for a physical this week, he's had a terrible resp. infection SINCE HE LEFT 6 WEEKS AGO and almost sounds like he's dying when he tries to breath or talk. I'm contacting our dr. (yes, he's seeing her) to let her know about Friday (he was so embarrassed he may not tell her - yep, he's like that too, won't tell and hopes she'll just FIND something that will fix everything!)<P>Anyway, anybody got any knowledge of this stuff? I did a lot of research when he was coming off Dilantin but don't remember anything about them coming BACK!! Would appreciate any "expert" opinions out there. Heck, even take non-expert.<P>Thanks,<P>Lori<P>

Lori<BR>What kind of tests have been done?<BR>Was it ever diagnosed as anything or did he simply receive anticonvulsants?<BR>My experience with seizures is with animals so I'm probably not much help. I do know that stress can be a factor. I will try to find my info. I'm sure someone else can be more help but I'll see what I can find.

WS - NO medical tests when he was young. Stupid Dr never even asked about drug use (teenager in the late sixties/early 70's - give me a break!). Diagnosed epilepsy because of Tony's history - brilliant, huh? Once he started seeing my dr, she did ask (different - she's now moved). Since the kind of seizures and timing correlated with his teenage "experimentation", she assumed, as we already had, that that had a lot to do with them. At that point, drs were just beginning to find out that people who had been w/out an incident for 10 years or more COULD be removed from medication. After he was weaned, she watched him closely, did whatever brain tests they SHOULD have done to begin with, found no problems and he was FINE. Thanks for answering. I know that intense stress makes Tony susceptable to grand mal at any given time, even with Dilantin, nursed him through a few recoveries myself, but I had never heard of anything like this coming back after more than 20 years.<p>[This message has been edited by lostva (edited September 20, 1999).]

Hi Lori,<P> When you say movie was he sitting in a dark theater? I read some material once regarding people having siezures while in a movie theater or in a dark room playing video games. It has something to do with over stimulation. Just a thought.<P>Love,<BR>Jill