Grand Mal Seizure after a Brain Surgery: What Can I do About It?
Grand Mal Seizure is a signal that an abnormal electrical activity is happening inside the brain. Brain surgery, among other causes may result in seizures. The occurrence may happen right after surgery or months after the procedure is done.
There are two identified kinds of seizures that happen after brain surgery:
- Provoked seizure – happens directly after the surgery
- Unprovoked Seizure - happens long after surgery has been done ( months/ years)
What Causes The Seizure
Grand Mal Seizure after a Brain Surgery What Can I do About It
Seizures are directly linked to the abnormal growth of neural connections. Neurological tests should be taken to figure out the underlying cause of the occurrences of seizures. It may be due to:
- Altered blood circulation to the brain
- Changes in brain hormones production
- Injury to the brain nerves
Before the Surgery
For patients undergoing brain surgeries, the risk for long-term seizure disorder should be discussed with the attending physician/ surgeon. Options should be laid beforehand and clearly outlined. The objective of the surgical management should weigh more than its consequences (an example is to prevent paralysis or blindness). Neurological checks should be done and recorded to serve as a baseline data and comparison post surgery.
After the surgery
Grand mal seizures following a brain surgery are not common. However, after the brain heals, most of these underlying causes of seizures will resolve. Seizures, temporarily, may also be treated with anticonvulsant medications (as prescribed by attending doctor). Speeding up the recovery following the brain surgery should be prioritized to resolve the seizure disorder. To hasten the recuperation make sure that the patient follows the physician’s orders. A healthy lifestyle should add to it.
- Plenty of sleep
- Healthy diet
- Medications compliance to reduce pain, swelling and seizures
- Increased fluid and fiber ( to prevent constipation due to the adverse effects of anticonvulsant medications and prevent increase in intracranial pressure)
- Activities of daily living should be done as tolerated by the patient
YouTube Video: Seizure After Second Surgery
Grand Mal Seizures and Brain Damage
A lot of people are still wondering if grand mal seizures lead to brain damage. In the first place, on some people, the cause of grand mal seizure is already a brain injury or other illnesses. This makes it hard for physicians to conclude if the damage to the brain of the person is caused by the seizure or has already been there even before the seizure has begun. Through researches, it has been known that brain damage after an episode of grand mal seizure is rare. There are negative changes in the brain but there is a possibility of losing a few specific brain cells.
What Seizure Causes Brain Damage?
The type of seizure that is very much capable of doing brain damage to a person is status epilepticus. This is the reason why it is important to take note of the duration of the grand mal seizure the person experiences. Grand mal seizure can indeed cause brain damage if it has already lasted for more than 30 minutes, because it will now be known as status epilepticus. This is a medical emergency where aggressive medical interventions must be applied. Vital signs should be monitored all the time. A research has been made about how this type of seizurecauses brain damage. It has been observed that the prolonged seizure causes death of some brain cell structures, and these are the dendrites.
Grand Mal Seizures and Brain Damage
What Needs to be Done
If your loved one already has grand mal seizures from time to time, it is important to increase your collaboration with your physician. In this way, your loved one will be observed properly and timely interventions may be given to avoid the occurrence of status epilepticus that can cause brain damage.
Ketogenic Diet for Grand Mal Seizure Control
Having a healthy diet is an important part of keeping your body fit and strong. However, for some people who have illnesses, having a healthy diet alone, without any specifications, may not be enough. Just like in people with a grand mal seizure. There is a type of diet which is recommended for them because it decreases their seizure attacks. This diet is known as the ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diet for grand mal seizure control is a high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet. It is not simply prescribed by a physician but it is also closely monitored by a dietitian.
How the Ketogenic Diet Works
Ketogenic Diet for Grand Mal Seizure Control
The ketogenic diet helps in the production of ketones in the body. When the body uses fat as a source of energy, ketones are formed. Usually, carbohydrates are the primary fuel source of the body. The diet is low in carbohydrates, and because of this, there body is forced to use the fats that are stored in the body to form energy. Ketones are not harmful substances in the body. It can be normally found in the urine, breath and blood. It has shown in studies that higher ketone levels leads to improved control of seizures. However, there are also other theories on how this diet works.
Components of Ketogenic Diet
The amount of protein and carbohydrate in the diet must be strictly regulated. This is why a person who is undergoing this diet needs a dietitian. The meals are prepared carefully, and no other sources of carbohydrate must be taken. The foods that give high amount of fat that are usually given to people who are under the ketogenic diet for grand mal seizure control are heavy whipping cream, mayonnaise, butter and oils. The person is also closely monitored to balance out the cholesterol levels in the blood caused by the increase in the fat intake.
Grand Mal Seizures in Infants
Generalized tonic clonic seizure or grand mal seizures is a type of seizure that it caused by unusual and abnormal electrical activities in the brain. There are some health problems that cause this type of seizure. High body temperature of metabolism changes can be a cause of grand mal seizure in infants. It commonly occurs on toddlers and infants under the age of 2. The examples of metabolic changes are glucose, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6 and sodium. This occurs if there is an abnormal amount of the substances in the blood. However, if the cause is neither the metabolic changes nor the high temperature, it can be attributed to congenital conditions such as Down’s syndrome or a certain genetic defect.
Grand Mal Seizures in Infants
Signs of Grand Mal Seizures in Infants
Grand mal seizures in infants can be easily recognized because the baby will be probably having stiff movements of the arms and legs. His head may also drop forward together with rapid jerking of the arms and legs. The whole body of the infant will also shake with the knees high and the arms flexing forward. The baby may look as if he is trying to hold on or reach something from above. If your infant experiences these attacks, you need to consult your physician because it is very dangerous if left untreated.
How Valproate Prevents Grand Mal Seizures
Physicians prescribe valproate to patients who have different kinds of seizures such as grand mal seizure, myoclonic seizures, complex partial seizures and absence seizures. The effect of valproate to the body is preventing seizures from occurring. The exact mechanism of the drug is not yet clear, but it has been researched that it increases certain chemicals in the brain, thus preventing seizures. This drug was discovered in Europe during the 1960’s. The drug was first used clinically in the 1970’s in United States.
Side Effects to Expect from Valproate
Valproate Prevents Grand Mal Seizures
The side effects are not good enough reasons for a patient to stop taking valproate to prevent grand mal seizures. The side effects can cause some discomfort but the weight of its primary purpose is more important. Some of the common side effects of the drug are nausea, vomiting, weight gain, stomach cramps, temporary hair loss, tremors, shaking, and irregular menstrual cycle. The occurrence of the side effects depends on how large the dose of the drug is. The side effects may vary from day to day because there is a tendency that the valproate levels in the body may go up and down. Skin rash is a side effect that is commonly seen in people taking antiepileptic drugs. However, this particular side effect is less seen on patients taking valproate.
Precautions in Taking Valproate
Though valproate prevents grand mal seizures effectively, precautions must still be applied because there can be adverse effects of the drug that can risk the health of the person. First, patients with liver problems should not take the drug. The liver may have a hard time metabolizing the drug, and may cause more harm than good. For pregnant women, valproate is contraindicated because it can be teratogenic to the fetus. And lastly, the rule of thumb for prescribing medicines – if the patient is allergic to one drug, never administer it. Severe allergic reactions may compromise the patient’s respiratory functions, thus it can cause death.
Grand mal seizure is a serious condition that needs medical attention. Given the right drugs, a patient can live a normal life. However, the drugs taken by a patient should be prescribed by a physician. Regular consultation can also help so that the condition of the patient can be monitored properly.
Handling People Experiencing Grand Mal Seizures
Due to the abnormal electrical brain discharges, seizure, or the involuntary contraction of the muscle occurs. The cause for seizure varies with age. This can be a frightening experience for the person who is having seizure and for those who are witnessing it. The important thing to remember if you are the one who is witnessing the incident is to never let panic overwhelm you. Knowing how to handle a person having grand mal seizures can prevent untoward injuries and other problems that may occur.
Grand Mal Seizures: The Primary Concern You Should Take Note Of
Handling People Experiencing Grand Mal Seizures
When a person is having seizures, you should remember to give importance to the safety of the person. You should never try to restrain him, as this may cause harm to the person. It is better to clear the area from anything that may cause injury or harm to the patient such as hard and sharp objects. You should also take note of the time. The length of the seizure is very much important. This is because when the seizure exceeds 30 minutes, it is already considered as a medical emergency. While the person is having seizures, never put anything inside his mouth, as this can cause aspiration.
Why Is It Important
Though not all of us have been trained in the medical field, we should all know how to handle situations like this. These are simple interventions that we can do. However, no matter how simple these things are, this can actually save a person from experiencing the worse consequences because of his condition. Much like learning how to do first aid, knowing how to handle a person having grand mal seizures may save lives. It is better knowing what to do until you can get the help from a medical professional.