Generalized tonic-clonic seizure

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Central nervous system

Infrequent seizures may not severely restrict the patient's lifestyle. Work, school, and recreation do not necessarily need to be restricted.

• Recurrent seizures (seizure disorder)
• Prolonged or closely occurring seizures without returning to normal behavior(status epilepticus)
• Injury from falls, bumps, and biting oneself
• Injury to oneself or others if seizure occurs during driving or operating machinery
• Inhaling fluid into the lungs, pneumonia
• Permanent brain damage (stroke or other damage)
• Side effects of medications (with or without observable symptoms)
• Learning disorders (either from seizures or medications)

Women planning to get pregnant need to tell their doctor in advance in order to adjust their medications, since many anti-epileptic medications cause birth defects.

Call your local emergency number (911) if this the first time a person has had a seizure or a seizure is occurring in someone without a medical ID bracelet (instructions explaining what to do). In the case of someone who has had seizures before, call the ambulance for any of these emergency situations:

• This is a longer seizure than the person normally has, or an unusual number of seizures for the person
• Repeated seizures over a few minutes
• Repeated seizures where consciousness or normal behavior is not regained between them (status epilepticus)

Call your health care provider if any new symptoms occur, including possible side effects of medications (drowsiness, restlessness, confusion, sedation, or others), nausea/vomiting, rash, loss of hair, tremors or abnormal movements, or problems with coordination.

Review Date: 11/21/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.