1. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Living With Epilepsy
SEIZURE
TRIGGER
SIGNS + CARE
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

2. Seizure Trigger Signs + Care
Triggers What is a trigger? How does it cause seizures for individuals living with epilepsy?
Reflex Epilepsy
Do seizures ever occur in response to a specific type of trigger?
Types of Triggers What types of triggers exist? Are there a lot of triggers that can cause seizures?
Diary How do you know for sure something is a trigger? Are there signs to look out for when identifying if something is a trigger?
Diary
Triggers
Types
Prevention
Reflex
Resources
Prevention Is there anything I can do to prevent having triggers that would cause a seizure for someone with epilepsy?
Resources If I am unsure if I have a trigger, is there anywhere I can go to seek help or find more information?
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

3. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Triggers
Triggers are situations that can bring on a seizure in some people with epilepsy. Although everyone is different, some people's seizures are brought on by certain situations like anxiety, stress, lack of sleep, alcohol, etc. For some people, if they know what triggers their seizures, they may be able to avoid these triggers and so lessen the chances of having a seizure.
Triggers
Types
Prevention
Diary
Reflex
Resources
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

4. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Types of Triggers
Sleep Deprivation
Fevers or Other Illnesses
Flashing Bright Lights or Patterns
Stress
Alcohol or Drug Use
Associated with menstrual cycle (women) or other hormonal changes
Not eating well, low blood sugar
Specific foods, excess caffeine or other products that may aggravate seizures
Use of Certain Medications
Diary
Triggers
Types
Prevention
Reflex
Resources
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

5. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Prevention
Although the underlying causes of epilepsy are not always known, certain factors are known to provoke seizures in people with epilepsy. Avoiding these triggers can help you avoid seizures and live better with epilepsy:
Missing medication doses
Alcohol use
Cocaine or other drug, such as ecstasy, use
Lack of sleep
Other drugs that interfere with seizure medications
For about one out of every two women with epilepsy, seizures tend to occur more around the time of menstrual periods. Changing or adding certain drugs before menstrual periods can help.
Diary
Triggers
Types
Reflex
Resources
Prevention
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

6. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Reflex Epilepsy
Some people may notice that their seizures occur in response to very specific stimuli or situations, as if the seizure is a "reflex." There is a type of epilepsy called 'reflex epilepsy' – in this type, seizures occur consistently in relation to a specific trigger.
For example, one type of reflex epilepsy is photosensitive epilepsy where seizures are triggered specifically by flashing lights.
Other types of reflex epilepsies may be seizures triggered by the act of reading or by noises.
These reflex epilepsies are not common but knowing if you have this form of epilepsy will help you learn how to manage them!
Prevention
Diary
Triggers
Types
Reflex
Resources
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

7. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Diary
Whenever you have a seizure, note what time of day it occurs, special situations surrounding it, or how you felt in a diary. Note if any of the commonly reported triggers were present. Do this consistently, for each seizure. Once you notice a situation or event is happening pretty consistently before seizures, you need to find out if it also happens at other times.
For example, you note that you were sleep deprived before 2 out of 3 seizures in the past 3 months. But when you look at your sleep patterns, you didn’t have seizures all the other times you were sleep deprived. And you don’t sleep well most of the time. In this situation, sleep deprivation isn’t good for you, but probably doesn’t trigger seizures all by itself. You still need to work on improving your sleep, but there may be other things going on too. Track a suspected trigger in your diary. Note whenever it happens and not just when you have a seizure.
Then you can see how often it happens with seizures as compared to other times.
If you have a form of reflex epilepsy, talk to your doctor about the trigger. Knowing the type of epilepsy and trigger can help you build in ways to avoid the triggers whenever possible or find ways to lessen their effect on you.
Diary
Triggers
Types
Prevention
Reflex
Resources
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..

8. © 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..
Resources
To find out more information about Epilepsy and how you can help, please contact the Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho,
Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho 100 Warm Springs Avenue Boise, ID 83712
Phone:
Diary
Triggers
Types
Prevention
Reflex
Resources
© 2019 Epilepsy Foundation Idaho. All Rights Reserved..