Gran mal to partial?

[kellyOd]

Has anyone had an experience where they have mostly (and I mean like, 90+% of the time) gran mal - tonic clonic seizures, and then switch to having more partial?

Our story might be different.. but my boyfriend has seizures due to a craniotomy he had in his left temporal lobe.. and almost all of them up until this last month have been gran mal. He’s had 4 or 5 partial seizures since January. Usually people go from partial to gran mal right? Is it common to have two types of seizures like that? It’s all still so confusing any advice or experience would be awesome!

[Jules1711]

Kelly sorry i dont really have an answer for you but you are correct about it being s confusing. My daughter has doose syndrome and her seizures have always been generalised (myclonic, drops and absence) seizures until lately her seizures switched to focal ones. which in my view where better for her as she wasnt getting injured, but now her generalised seizures have also returned. Her epilepsy nurse is going to arranged another eeg for her and hopefully that will tell us more. She can't give us an answer either to why they switched.

[p-mcnally in reply to Jules1711]

My grandson who is 3 1/2 and also has dose too started to have mainly drops and absence now after having medication changed has really changed in himself put loads of weight and is very unsteady when walking how old us your daughter also keeps getting problems with breathing now xx

[Jules1711 in reply to p-mcnally]

Hi p-mcnally, my daughter is 5. what meds is your grandson on and are they controlling his seizures? It sounds like to me its his meds that are given these side effects to your grandson. My daughter was extremely unsteady on her feet and very shaky when she was on Keppra, once we changed her meds it went away.

[wxy123]

I have clusters of partial seizures and occasional grand mals which don't seem to be connected. My epilepsy is due to surgery for a tumour. Stress probably gives me more partials but grand mals come out of the blue. Probably not much help but shows that every variation of seizures can happen.

[kellyOd]

Thanks everyone for your stories. We unfortunately figured out why he was having a lot of partials.. he has a tumor growing back in his temporal lobe and a lot of brain swelling. Explains it a little.

[Jules1711 in reply to kellyOd]

Sorry to hear this kellyOd. How is your bf now?

[kellyOd in reply to Jules1711]

He’s doing okay surprisingly. The tumor in his brain is what caused his seizures. He had a 4cm melanoma tumor removed from his left temporal lobe. His brain recently swelled from immunotherapy he is getting which was causing all the partials. His last partial was July 1st, which is the longest he’s gone in a while. They addressed the swelling and he seems to be back on a good stride for now 😊 thanks so much for asking!

[Jules1711 in reply to kellyOd]

Thats great news! long me it continue for both of you. xx

[EpilepsyAction1 Partner Epilepsy Action]

Hi KellOd

It is possible to have two type of seizures. You are right, usually the focal seizure spread to a tonic-clonic seizure. But it is possible for someone seizure pattern to change. Some examples of why this may happen are:

•If the epilepsy medicine is controlling most of the epileptic activity but not all. This stops the tonic-clonic seizure but lets a partial seizure still happen.

•If there is a cause for someone’s seizures, the epileptic activity round this area may be more difficult to control. Possible causes of epilepsy include brain damage, for example damage caused by a stroke, head injury, brain surgery or infection

.

It would be best to talk to your partner’s doctor so they can decide what they think the reason is and then treat accordingly.

Regards

Diane

Epilepsy Action Helpline Team

[Hidden]

Hi I've had epilepsy for 45 years which most seizures were tonic clonic. The last 2 years have changed to more focal and partial seizures. I've now gone 22 months with no tonic clonics. I don't understand either.

[BENN12]

Kelly, Glad to hear your bf is doing well. I have had grand mal for years then past six months no grand mal just tonic down my left side. Hope u don't mind me asking but was there any other symptoms? I have had muscle spasms in just my left foot foot months and my headaches after a seizure have changed, also i used to get a horrid taste in my mouth but no more. Docs just dismiss everything here so looking into different things myself xx

[kellyOd in reply to BENN12]

I don’t mind any questions at all! Symptoms referring to what exactly?

[music501]

Hi I stated with partial or as I call petit mal at 17 which led to grand mal when I was 21, I have just turned 65, my epilepsy is genetic, it s on my dads line, my cousin had it when she was a kid and grew out of it, of her 2 kids, her son got it at 17 the same age as me,

we inherit a pre disposition you take it up or you dont