Epilepsy
'Why I need a good night's sleep'
Paul Clark, a father of two from Essex, developed epilepsy in his thirties. He wassurprisedto discover the likely cause.
"Discovering I had epilepsy at the age of 33 was a massive shock to the system and it has changed my life completely. It started when I returned to work after the Christmas break. Ibegan collapsing without warning. I would start to feel really hot and just go down like a sack of potatoes. I would be out for up to a minute and wake up in a cold sweat feeling exhausted and really sick.
"This happened five times in two weeks and, even though I was checked out by ambulance staff, an A&E doctor and my GP, no one could identify what was causing it.
"Then I collapsed in a bar and cut my head quite badly. An ambulance took me to A&E and I had another seizure in front of a doctor. When I came round, she told me I was epileptic. I felt a mixture of relief and shock. It was serious but at least I knew what I was dealing with.
"The following day, I met an epilepsy nurse who explained that I would have to change my lifestyle. I had to surrender my driving licence andstop cycling and swimming. At home I had to avoid baths and stop carrying my new baby daughter, Safia, until the seizures were under control.
"The drugs are now working efficiently and I'm getting used to the fact that I can't do anything without thinking, What if I have a seizure? It's impossible to know for sure what's behind it, but my three-year-old son, Sol, has never slept well and the long-term effects of sleep deprivation could be a factor. The doctors say that's the only reason that they can come up with, and apparently lack of sleep is a surprisingly common trigger. My poor partner, Michelle, has been brilliant. She now deals with the children on her own during the night because I need more rest."
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Jun 2016
Introduction
Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated seizures, which were sometimes previously referred to as "fits".
Symptoms of epilepsy
The main symptoms of epilepsy are repeated seizures. There are many different types of seizure, depending on the area of brain that is affected.
Causes of epilepsy
In over half of epilepsy cases, a cause cannot be found. If there is an identifiable cause, it usually involves the brain being affected by a condition.
Diagnosing epilepsy
Epilepsy is usually difficult to diagnose quickly. In most cases, it cannot usually be confirmed until you have had more than one seizure.
Treating epilepsy
Treatment for epilepsy is used to control seizures, although not everyone with the condition will need to be treated.
Living with epilepsy
As epilepsy can affect people in different ways, everyone's experience of living with the condition is different. However, there are some general points that can help.
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'Why I need a good night's sleep'
Paul Clark, a father of two from Essex, developed epilepsy in his thirties. He wassurprisedto discover the likely cause.
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