Headaches and Seizures: Can You Prevent Getting Them?

Headaches and Seizures: Can You Prevent Getting Them? | June 13, 2021

From RSC Diagnostics, an article for anyone who may have one of the four types of epilepsy headaches:

Headaches can happen before or after a seizure, even acting as a warning sign that a seizure is coming on.

This article examines the four types of headaches that are associated with epilepsy.

And even more importantly, possible treatment options.

http://www.rscdiagnosticservices.com/blog/headaches-and-seizures-can-you-prevent-getting-them

To subscribe to Epilepsy Talk and get the latest articles, simply go to the bottom box of the right column, enter your email address and click on “Follow”

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues, News, Research
Tags: 4 types of headaches, Ictal headaches, Migraine headaches, Post-ical headaches, Pre-ictal headaches, seizures, treatment options, warning sign

21 Comments »

Thanks as always, Phylis! I have had all of these at one point or another.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Mary Ellen Gambon — June 13, 2021 @ 10:33 AM

Reply
I don’t remember a headache… just very nauseois!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Pat — June 13, 2021 @ 11:15 AM

Reply
While I’ve been told that my migraines were associated with seizures, they began just before menopause started and ended shortly after it was over. The seizures, however, have been life-long. When I forgot my meds, a cup or two of espresso could hold a migraine off or stop it. So glad those days are over.

My mother also had migraines until her first pregnancy, after which no more. In our family, then, there’s been a strong if inconsistent hormonal link. If she had any kind of seizure disorder, it went unnoticed.

LikeLiked by 2 people

Comment by HoDo — June 13, 2021 @ 11:31 AM

Reply
- I’d say you’re right on the money HoDo, with the hormonal link. Damn those nasty little things.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 13, 2021 @ 12:25 PM
  
  Reply
  - I believe our mother took the hormone disrupter diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant with us. It was a popular pregnancy drug and a cynical scam (promised “perfect babies”) that made millions for its inventors. Daughters and granddaughters still live with the effects, which can include temporal lobe damage and seizures.
    
    The drug was banned for humans in the US in 1971. People born between 1939 and 1971 may be affected, males included.
    
    Knowing you fall into this group will not get you a cure, but it can help you make sense of your condition if you have a wide variety of hormonal issues. Thyroid comes to mind, especially.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Comment by HoDo — June 13, 2021 @ 2:58 PM
As someone who has a delicious order of generalized and focalized seizures with a side order of migraine, I highly recommend Botox treatment in addition to oral meds. Yes, 31 shots to the noggin every three months is no picnic (and they start wearing off towards the end of the cycle), but the relief they provide to not just migraine but the chronic headache that can/does come with epilepsy is phenomenal. I supplement mine with nightly Topamax on top of my Lamictal and Keppra, and when pain/nausea breaks through, Naratriptan and Promethazine also help. Daily full-spectrum CBD is useful for depression, anxiety, pain management, and seizure management as well for me, but ask your doctor before taking, obviously. Hope some of this is helpful. Thanks for all you do in our community, Phyllis…your information and advocacy doesn’t go unnoticed!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Vivacia K. Ahwen and Rachel Robbins — June 13, 2021 @ 12:09 PM

Reply
Vivacia and Rachel, thanks for your incredibly helpful advice. Everybody should read this. I think I’ll post it on the Facebook Epilepsy forums, too.

LikeLike

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 13, 2021 @ 12:28 PM

Reply
Hmmm…..this is good information but not really new. Topamax or Topiramate, it’s generic form is much more recommended to fight off migraines than Depakote. Although some people do like Depakote it made me dopey and lethargic.
I wish this article explained more than it does. It basically says if you are an epileptic you may have 1 or all 4 types of these headaches! Lucky me, I have them all. I also saw a neurologist, who is supposed to be good, tell me he never heard of a migraine being a trigger or a symptom of a seizure. I left his office in tears and never went back!! Oh well….
Janet

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Janet — June 13, 2021 @ 2:03 PM

Reply
- There are also several other anti-epileptic drugs that have been shown to lessen migraine headaches – such as Neurontin (Gabapentin), Keppra ( Levetiracetam) and Zonegran (Zonisamide).
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 13, 2021 @ 3:21 PM
  
  Reply
It’s very rare after any GRAND MAL from a FOCAL seizure that I have, that any type of a dull headache would happen. Sometimes they will and that is when again the herb LOBELIA is taken, and after 15 to 30 minutes later, the headache or dull pain is gone. No matter what, there is never any EXCITOTOXINS where I may be expecting may be in a food, drink or drug, getting into my digestive system, which would make my CNS / brain chemistry go crazy in 8 or less hours. I always try to stay STRESS FREE which makes any seizure happen.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by James D — June 13, 2021 @ 2:29 PM

Reply
- Well James, we all try to be stay stress-free. 🙂
  
  But the Lobelia is a great tip.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 13, 2021 @ 2:43 PM
  
  Reply
  - In what form do you take the lobelia, James? Pills? Drops? Thanks for the tip.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Comment by HoDo — June 13, 2021 @ 2:52 PM
I started getting really severe headaches in the back of my head.and then I would have seizures.so my dr. put me on tizanidine to help with the headaches.now I just get them 3 times a month not everyday.it’s helped me so much.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Angela Carter — June 13, 2021 @ 5:20 PM

Reply
- I never heard of tizanidine. What is it? Is it a muscle relaxer?
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 13, 2021 @ 6:03 PM
  
  Reply
  - It’s for stopping muscle spasms, for one thing. I’m taking it following hip surgery.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Comment by HoFo — June 13, 2021 @ 7:07 PM
I meant HoDo, not HoFo.

LikeLike

Comment by HoDo — June 13, 2021 @ 7:08 PM

Reply
REF TIZANIDINE

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tizanidine-oral-route/description/drg-20066921

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Michael H — June 13, 2021 @ 7:35 PM

Reply
Tizandine is the generic for zanaflex it is a muscle relaxer.my neurologist gave it to me because it has been effective to decrease the number of episodes and intensity and duration of headaches

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Angela Carter — June 13, 2021 @ 9:39 PM

Reply
Lobelia is a beautiful flowering herb that smells lovely. It’s a purplish blue in color and can be found in many gardens without ever knowing it’s really an herb! However, like many herbs if you decide to use it, it may take a while before it will have an effect. I would liken it to using aromatherapy which can be very effective. I tend to use aromatherapy in combination with regular medicine prescribed by my Dr as it has an overall calming effect and does help relieve and manage stress. I always “think” I’m doing a much better job at managing my stress until I find myself relaxing and get the behemoth of the migraine I eventually get. Then I have to pull out all the stops.James D. is correct but every person is different and eventually I believe we all find what works well for each of us if we just listen to our bodies!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Comment by Janet R. — June 14, 2021 @ 3:03 PM

Reply
- Lobelia info with warnings: https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lobelia
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Comment by HoDo — June 14, 2021 @ 4:52 PM
  
  Reply
As always, thank you HoDo!

LikeLike

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 14, 2021 @ 6:05 PM

Reply