Fahamu Epilepsy Kenya Initiative

Continuation:
Q: What is a good way to remind yourself to take your medication?
A: Just set the alarm clock on your cell phone.
Q: What is another thing you should set on your cell phone?
A: Your I.C.E. Phone numbers- (I.C.E. is an acronym for In Case of Emergency)
Q: What are the five most important things people living with Epilepsy should do daily?
A: They should eat three meals a day. They should drink half their body weight in ounces of water. They should get no less than six hours of sleep.
Q: What can people living with Epilepsy use to relax?
A: Recommend 10 to 15 minutes of meditation, never longer than that. Listen to relaxing music. Breathing exercises or just 10 to 15 minutes of silence.

Frequently Asked Questions​ about Epilepsy
Q: What is Epilepsy?
A: Epilepsy is a neurological condition that from time to time produces brief disturbances in the normal electrical functions of the brain. Epilepsy affects more than 50 million people in the world
Q: What do you do when a person has a seizure?
A: Before we respond to this question, please understand this: calling for medical help(an emergency responder) is sometimes not necessary…but sometimes it is paramount. If you know the person well enough, what their seizures look like and how they react, then you may not need to call. If you don't know the person or are just unsure about the situation, call for medical help immediately. And then, do the following:
Clear the area and try to lay the person down. If you have a pillow, put it under their head. Even a cushion from a sofa, heavy coat, just improvise.
Check to see if the individual is wearing a Medic Alert Bracelet or something similar to it, like a wristband or neck chain.
Check the individual's cell phone for close contact, call if necessary.
Keep track of the time. After three minutes have passed from when the seizure started, be ready to call for help(medical or from health care giver).
When help arrives, please inform them of everything that happened.
Never put anything in a person's mouth. It is physically impossible to swallow one's tongue. That is a myth.
Q: Is there a cure for Epilepsy?
A: Unfortunately, there is not. However, advances have been made to determine what causes seizures and how medications, surgery, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and the ketogenic diet can reduce or eliminate them.
(But we also believe that what is impossible is possible with God, but one needs not be in denial. Acceptance is the first step of healing. )
Q: Are there medications for Epilepsy?
A: Presently there are over 50 medications for epilepsy, which come in tablet, capsule, liquid and re**al injection form.

Good afternoon everyone.

Today's discussion,
1. Can the shower 🚿 trigger epileptic seizures?

2. Is it safe to swim or use a bath tab, or lock a bathroom door, for a person living with epilepsy ?

Happy Sunday y'all!!

What causes epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition, not an infectious disease. This means you can’t ‘catch’ epilepsy.

The causes of epilepsy are complex and varied depending on the age at which the first seizure is experienced. Sadly, the exact cause of epilepsy is unknown in approximately 50 per cent of people living with the disorder. Causes can include serious head injuries sustained during motor vehicle accidents, trauma or serious falls, strokes or brain haemorrhages, prolonged oxygen deprivation, brain infections and abnormalities, tumours, degenerative conditions such as dementia and genetic factors.

Informative read.

◼️ What Is Epilepsy? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, & Treatment

Epilepsy can be defined as a neural and sensual brain disorder wherein the brain does not act properly and tend to behave unrepresentative and abnormal resulting in seizures. The brain becomes unaware and the sensations are not signaled well.

Common Epilepsy can be within anyone of us irrespective of someone’s age, gender, race, or others but it is very common in the youth. However, symptoms vary widely from one person to another.

Therefore, one needs to go for medications, surgeries, or therapies under the prescription of their doctor only. Although the reason for epilepsy is still not known, it is caused by many factors like alcohol consumption, brain injury, sugar level, trauma, and others. Epilepsy may or may not be hereditary.

◼️ Experts have basically classified seizures into the following two types.

1. Generalized seizures –

Generalized seizures cover seizures in all the brain parts. Generalized seizures can be of many types like tonic or atonic seizures, clonic or myoclonic seizures, and many others.

2. Focal seizures –

Focal seizures focus on seizures in only a particular part of the brain. Focal seizures can be without loss of consciousness or with impaired awareness.

◼️ Symptoms of epilepsy

Symptoms may vary depending on you’re the stage of your brain activity. Some of the common signs and symptoms that can be seen in almost all epilepsy patients can be –

• Fear of something
• Anxiety, trauma, depression
• Jerking
• Inflexible muscles
• Unconsciousness
• Confusion
• Peer spell

◼️ Common causes of epilepsy

• Brain injury
• Brain-related disorder by birth
• Dementia, autism, or Alzheimer’s disease
• Electrolyte difficulties
• Genetics or parental history
• Decrease in blood sugar level
• Suffering from infections like HIV or meningitis
• Stroke
• High fever in the past

◼️ Complications associated with Epilepsy disease

• Drowning
• Pregnancy complications
• Permanent brain damage
• Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy ( SUDEP )
• Depression and anger along with suicidal thoughts

◼️ Prevention steps –

The following measures are suggested by experts to prevent epilepsy –

• Have proper sleep
• Play mind games whenever free
• Quit smoking, alcoholism, or drugs
• Manage your stress
• Eat healthy, nutritional diet
• Protect your head
• Do not use flashlights

◼️ How do doctors diagnose epilepsy ?

Doctors take the following various tests to evaluate, determine and diagnose your epilepsy –

• Blood tests
• Study your medical history
• Electroencephalogram test
• CT scan
• Statistical parametric mapping test
• Functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
• SPECT scan
• Electrical source imaging and Magnetoencephalography tests

◼️ Treatments

Doctors provide various medications, surgeries, and therapies to treat your epilepsy. The first thing they go for is medication only. Surgeries are the end option taken.

Medications –: anti-epileptic medications and drugs are provided for the seizures. Some of the common drugs prescribed by the doctors can be clobazam, Neurontin, primidone, Banzel, and Sabril. ( please do not go for any without your doctor’s grant ).

Surgery – In case medications do not show their effect, Surgeries can be operated to remove the affected part away from the brain.
Therapies treatments – alternative therapies like Ketogenic diets, vagus nerve stimulation, deep brain stimulation, and neurostimulations are also provided on a timely basis.
Exercising

Joining an epilepsy support group can help.

Click here for more information

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🌐 www.todayhealthlife.com
📞7004 656 193

I am lucky to have been appointed as one of the International Epilepsy Chapters, in Kenya. As the leader of the Epilepsy International Kenya chapter, I'm required to work to organize community events to raise awareness about Epilepsy, breaking the status quo around treatment, and proper treatment. I will be involved in a cause that the organization has; the objective of Epilepsy International to combat the negative stigma and misinformation about Epilepsy.

Together with my Fahamu Epilepsy Kenya Initiative (FEK) team, we will work together with Epilepsy International, towards making our local communities aware of Epilepsy and related issues to epilepsy.

Many thanks to the founder of Epilepsy International, Rowan Haffner from Scarsdale NY, for teaming up with us.

To learn more about Epilepsy International, here's the link https://www.epilepsyinternational.com/bio

Fahamu Epilepsy Kenya Initiative. It is composed of :
1. People with epilepsy.
2. Populate living with epileptic relatives or close friends.
3. Individuals who have first aid expertise, are first responders by profession, or have healthcare experience.
We plan to train the public on how to manage epilepsy episodes, by helping those caught up with seizures, especially in public or at home. This we plan to do at no cost. The trainings can be done on a mutually agreed period of time and place.
It will be an opportunity for us to give back to the community by doing something constructive.
We want to change the attitude of the public, especially when it comes to negative stigma and misinformation about Epilepsy. This will be done through free trainings that will be free of charge.