Fell running with epilepsy

[Mike T]

I have known Philip (post #6) for about 25 of the 40 years he had epilepsy, so he suggested I might post a few comments as someone who has 'witnessed more seizures than most fell runners'. Fortunately most of them have had little lasting effect - just a case of waiting a few minutes while he had a bite to eat and recovered, remind him which direction we were heading in, and set off again. Within a short time he was usually running just as well as before the seizure (i.e. usually a bit faster than me!). Interestingly I can recall far more seizures during mountain marathons than on walking trips, so it could be that prolonged strenuous activity was a trigger, at least some of the time.

There were however one or two where things could have worked out badly - I remember well the time he had a seizure descending the Pyg track - no problem, but glad we had made a last minute decision to miss out Crib Goch! Another time (I wasn't there, but my wife was) he ended up in a stream, and had to be practically dragged out as in his post-seizure confusion he didn't want to get out.

Clearly running with epilepsy has its risks, but so does everything else - Philip mentioned getting hit by a car in Manchester, I also remember him burning himself when he had a seizure while ironing, so even staying at home isn't completely safe! At the end of the day you have to weigh up the risks and make your own decision, but I for one am glad Philip decided to go for it.

Thankyou to Philip for letting us have this information.

[dav657]

Only just picked up on this.
One of the problems about Epilepsy is that people have their own quite unique seizures.
Some are limited to what is now known as Absence Seizure (formerly Petit Mal) whilst others have Tonic Clonic Seizure (Formerly Grand Mal) and some have both.
My wife has both, but went 12 years totally Seizure free until a couple of weeks ago when, she became vacant and confused for a couple of days before suffering two seizures one evening. Fortunately she has only ever had the full blown Tonic Clonic seizures when sitting. Why she had these last two is a mystery, it was as if to remind us that she still had Epilepsy, as I must admit we had both become complacent.
The 12 year clear spell began the moment her medication changed to Lamotrogine after I went to our GP and told him things weren't right. Before that she had been on Phenytoin for 9 years, and suffered fairly constant Absence Seizure.
Of course due to lack of info and follow up, we had no idea that these periods of confusion were in fact Seizures, and only learned the fact after those 9 years by our own research.

[Mike T]

Only just picked up on this.
One of the problems about Epilepsy is that people have their own quite unique seizures.
Some are limited to what is now known as Absence Seizure (formerly Petit Mal) whilst others have Tonic Clonic Seizure (Formerly Grand Mal) and some have both.
My wife has both, but went 12 years totally Seizure free until a couple of weeks ago when, she became vacant and confused for a couple of days before suffering two seizures one evening. Fortunately she has only ever had the full blown Tonic Clonic seizures when sitting. Why she had these last two is a mystery, it was as if to remind us that she still had Epilepsy, as I must admit we had both become complacent.
The 12 year clear spell began the moment her medication changed to Lamotrogine after I went to our GP and told him things weren't right. Before that she had been on Phenytoin for 9 years, and suffered fairly constant Absence Seizure.
Of course due to lack of info and follow up, we had no idea that these periods of confusion were in fact Seizures, and only learned the fact after those 9 years by our own research.

No missed doses? No new drugs? No febrile illness? No change in routine with less sleep/more stress/more alcohol? Does your wife drive - as this may mean a period when she shouldn't until things come under control again.

[dav657]

Hi Mike,
She doesn't drive. She gave up on that after suffering her first Seizure in he early forties. No, to all other questions, except that in her state of confusion the evening she had her seizure, she had missed her medication, however she was in a similar but not as bad a state the day before, but took her meds that evening. I should add that these recent Seizures were the most aggressive she has ever had and more prolonged.
She had occasionally forgotten to take her meds before with no ill effects.
She says nothing had changed out of the ordinary, except that we had both had a bit of a cold for a couple of weeks beforehand, so she may have been a little vulnerable due to this, but again she has had worst before, with no further problems. I guess it's just a case of being more aware that no matter how long since the last Seizure, the vulnerability is still there.
Dave.

[Mike T]

Hi Mike,
She doesn't drive. She gave up on that after suffering her first Seizure in he early forties. No, to all other questions, except that in her state of confusion the evening she had her seizure, she had missed her medication, however she was in a similar but not as bad a state the day before, but took her meds that evening. I should add that these recent Seizures were the most aggressive she has ever had and more prolonged.
She had occasionally forgotten to take her meds before with no ill effects.
She says nothing had changed out of the ordinary, except that we had both had a bit of a cold for a couple of weeks beforehand, so she may have been a little vulnerable due to this, but again she has had worst before, with no further problems. I guess it's just a case of being more aware that no matter how long since the last Seizure, the vulnerability is still there.
Dave.

It is a shame it has "reared it's head" again, but as you say, the vulnerability will always be there.