Heat - Is it a seizure trigger?

So this week, me and my family are at the beach! We've gone down to good ol' South Padre Island, Texas and we're having a ball. We're staying in a really nice condo with a private pool, pleasingly hot sauna, and the beach is right across the street.

Unfortunately, my seizures have not stopped to let me enjoy vacation like I hoped they would. My Epileptologist is slowly moving my Xanax dosage down, while in turn putting me on Klonopin. The Klonopin has helped quite a lot with my sleep, but the lack of Xanax is sending me into seizure after seizure. This happens especially if I don't take my medicine everyday at the same time. I can usually afford to be an hour late, but lately, it's 8:00am and 8:00pm or it's a seizure attack.



I've really learned to work around my seizures as far as being in the heat. Since they are mostly simple/complex partial seizures, they can be dealth with quickly and eliminated with the use of my VNS magnet. It's just such a hassle to have to use that magnet at all!

I find it really important to time how long I stay out in the sun. The heat's effects on my medicated body is just horrible. I usually stay out for an hour at a time, and then I head back to the condo to rest for half an hour. It's a little annoying to have to constantly be walking, but it's a small price to pay.

Although it is rumored, I personally believe that heat is a seizure trigger. Most of my worst seizures happen in or outside of a hot shower, and it happens everyday, no matter what time my hot shower takes place. So you can imagine what it's like being out here in the heat! I just tweeted with a person today on my personal Twitter account, and they sent me this link: http://www.epilepsymatters.com/english/safety2.html

The link comes from EpilepsyMatters.com and it literally says "Be wary of a very hot shower—some people find heat to be a seizure trigger. Keep your bathroom well-ventilated."

I found this astonishing, but at the same time I felt relieved. I have mentioned this symptom to my doctors many, many, many times. I always say "You know, it's funny, but I seem to have most/my worst seizures when I take a shower. Is this normal?" and he always claims that it is just bad timing.

And sitting here right now, looking back in my mind, I've realized that at least 95% of my Grand Mals happened inside of a hot shower... and 100% of them happened somewhere in the heat! My first seizure was in the back of a truck, on a hot summer day in Texas. I was dripping with sweat, sunburnt, and should have been inside resting. But instead, I insisted on driving to my best friend's basketball game... Silly me!

You really have to think about what heat does: it makes things expand. It can make ice melt, it can make water turn into vapor... and it can sure as hell make your brain go crazy. See this link for more proof: Heat Stress Physiology

"When the body's core temperature exceeds its norm (generally 98.6 degrees), veins and capillaries expand, the heart beats faster, and blood flow increases ... can impair strength and comfort. Increasing blood flow to the body surface reduces the volume carrying oxygen to muscles, brain, and other internal organs, which in turn accelerates fatigue and diminishes mental alertness. The loss of water volume through sweating also contributes to fatigue by increasing blood viscosity, making it more difficult for the heart to pump and reducing the body's capacity for subsequent cooling. Finally, because prolonged sweating depletes not only heat but also electrolytes that are needed for muscle functioning, it can cause cramping."

So with that said, we can see that heat causes stress - a HUGE factor and trigger when it comes to seizures.

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I guess a lot of Epilepsy is a mystery, since there are so many seizure types, and so many different triggers... But if heat is one of them, staying cool could solve a lot of people's problems! So what do you all think? Could heat really be a seizure trigger in itself? Are you someone else who experiences this? Comment about it below, send your thoughts via e-mail, or let me know on one of my social networking sites!

Here's a few summer tips for those of you who do experience these problems, and I wish you all a wonderful rest of your summer and NO seizures!

• Time how long you stay outside. Some may be able to stand more than an hour, but you should always take a break from the heat as soon as you start to feel weak, tired, thirsty, or any type of exhaustion. If you've reached two hours, you've been out too long. Even if you're feeling fine, it's a good idea to grab a cool drink and get somewhere shady.

• Keep hydrated. Take a water or Gatorade bottle with you wherever you go, and try to have an extra on hand. I prefer my drinks cold, as it can help cool down your overall body temperature. However, whether it be warm or cold, hydration is imporant. I try to have both water and Gatorade, as many Epilepsy medications cause your body to lose important sodium. Combine that with dehydration and you have immediate heat stroke and seizures!

• Dress lightly. Try to wear thin clothing, such as tank tops, short sleeves. White clothing is the best, as it reflects sunlight rather than absorbing it like other colors do.

• If you're a female, you may find that putting your hair in a ponytail or bun will relieve some of the heat that comes along with the summer sun. If you're a boy, you may want to think about a shorter cut for the summer. This will get rid of excess heat from your head, and help your whole body feel cooler.

• Eat light meals whenever possible. Foods that are heavier on your stomach take a lot of energy to digest, which slows down your body's natural cooling process. Eat salads, vegetables, and fruits frequently throughout the day in medium/small portions. I like to keep a small plastic snack bag filled with baby carrots, or chunks of watermelon in a tupperware bowl. Both are low in calorie, light on the stomach, full of vitamins, and keep you hydrated and energized.

• Enjoy water-based activies. Being anywhere near the water gives you the easy option of cooling off whenever you've had enough of the heat. Hang out at the lake, go swimming in your neighborhood, or play with water guns in the back yard! No matter what age you are, water balloon wars never get old!

• Rest frequently and avoid exhausting/overexerting yourself. If you aim to get a tan, make sure you are laying down relaxed. Get up every ten minutes or so to cool off under some water, and if you're in the pool, bring along a water raft to relax on. If you're staying at a condo like myself, go back every hour or two for a half an hour nap and some rehydration. It is very important!

• Make the purchase of a quality lunch bag that comes with an ice pack. This way, you can always have your snacks and drinks on hand - and cold. For example, these lunch  bags made by Reuseit.com. They are fashionable, come in different designs and colors, easy to carry and store, and come with their own removable ice pack. Keep a small gatorade, snack, and a bottled water inside to have when you need it.

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