How long is the average lifespan of a person with epilepsy?

On average, people with epilepsy live 10–12 years less than those who do not have the condition. Summary: On average, people with epilepsy live 10-12 years fewer than those who do not have the condition. Excess mortality is particularly pronounced among people with epilepsy and mental disorders.

Can you live a long life with epilepsy?

Many people with epilepsy can conduct a normal life. However, patients who have had epilepsy for a long time or whose epilepsy is difficult to control are at higher risk for unemployment. They may also need assistance in their daily life activities.

Do seizures shorten your life span?

Reduction in life expectancy can be up to 2 years for people with a diagnosis of idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy, and the reduction can be up to 10 years in people with symptomatic epilepsy. Reductions in life expectancy are highest at the time of diagnosis and diminish with time.

Does epilepsy worsen with age?

The incidence of any type of seizure increases substantially over the age of 60, commonly due to other neurological conditions such as dementia or stroke.

How old do epileptics live?

Ninety-six percent of these children reached the age of 10 years, 89% the age of 20 years and 80% the age of 40 years. In the same study, 87% of children with idiopathic seizures reached 40 years of age, compared with 93% of those with cryptogenic seizures and 73% of those with remote symptomatic seizures.

A patient's experience with epilepsy

Is epilepsy a death sentence?

Each year, more than 1 in 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP. This is the leading cause of death in people with uncontrolled seizures.

What is the death rate of epilepsy?

SUDEP is rare, but traumatic for families.

Researchers estimate that, for every 1,000 people with epilepsy, at least 1 person may die from SUDEP each year. This means that each year in the United States, there are about 3,000 deaths due to SUDEP.

What foods should epileptics avoid?

white bread; non-wholegrain cereals; biscuits and cakes; honey; high-sugar drinks and foods; fruit juices; chips; mashed potatoes; parsnips; dates and watermelon. In general, processed or overcooked foods and over-ripe fruits.

Does epilepsy damage the brain?

Prolonged seizures are clearly capable of injuring the brain. Isolated, brief seizures are likely to cause negative changes in brain function and possibly loss of specific brain cells.

Which famous person has epilepsy?

Vincent van Gogh suffered from seizures doctors believed were cause by temporal lobe epilepsy. Composer George Gershwin was diagnosed with epilepsy. Actress Margaux Hemingway had from epilepsy from the age of seven. Korn front man Jonathan Davis believes his epilepsy was induced by years of drug use.

Does epilepsy cause early death?

People with epilepsy have an increased risk of premature death. The risk is highest soon after onset of seizures.

How many hours should a person with epilepsy sleep?

People with epilepsy should get adequate sleep - enough to feel refreshed the next day. In general, adults should try for at least 7-8 hours a night. Going to bed late (for example, 3 a.m. instead of 11 p.m.) can be compensated for by sleeping late (10 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.) and thereby avoiding sleep deprivation.

Does exercise help epilepsy?

Exercise helps people to stay fit and healthy. If you have epilepsy, this may help to reduce the number of seizures you have. Exercise can also improve mood and relieve stress. As stress is a common trigger for seizures, exercise may help to prevent seizures for some people.

Is epilepsy a disability?

Is Epilepsy Considered A Disability? Epilepsy is considered a disability and it has a listing in the Social Security Administration (SSA) Blue Book. For epilepsy to qualify for disability benefits, it must meet the criteria of the Blue Book listing. There are different listings for epilepsy in the Blue Book.

Does epilepsy affect memory?

The epilepsy may cause difficulties with being able to store memories. Research has shown that people with epilepsy are prone to forget things more quickly than others.

Does epilepsy lead to dementia?

People with epilepsy develop Alzheimer's disease at a rate 6 times higher than the non-epileptic population, and seizures can damage the memory centers of the brain and contribute to dementia.

What causes sudden death in epilepsy?

A seizure may cause a person to have pauses in breathing (apnea). If these pauses last too long, they can reduce the oxygen in the blood to a life-threatening level. In addition, during a convulsive seizure a person's airway sometimes may get covered or obstructed, leading to suffocation.

What triggers epilepsy?

Can Covid affect epilepsy?

Some research suggests people with epilepsy could have a slightly increased risk of getting seriously ill or dying from coronavirus. Because of this increased risk, people with epilepsy aged 16-64 were invited to receive the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than people without underlying health conditions.

Is banana good for epilepsy?

The 2018 study was published in the ”Pharmacognosy Research”. The researchers tested the water extracts of banana stem on animals and found that it was able to reduce the onset and duration of seizures in animals with some forms of epilepsy under laboratory conditions.

What is the best vitamin for epilepsy?

Vitamin D May Help Seizure Control

Supplemental vitamin D may be necessary for people who have these risk factors to maintain normal blood levels. A study published in 2012 showed that correcting vitamin D deficiency reduced seizures in people with epilepsy.

Is chocolate good for epilepsy?

Abstract. While the consumption of caffeine and cocoa has been associated with a variety of health benefits to humans, some authors have proposed that excessive caffeine intake may increase the frequency of epileptic seizures in humans and reduce the efficiency of antiepileptic drugs.

Are you born with epilepsy or does it develop?

It can also happen during birth. You may not get epilepsy until long after your brain injury -- sometimes years later. Brain conditions. Most cases of epilepsy in people older than 35 happen because of brain damage from a stroke or even after brain surgery.

Can epilepsy come back after years?

After the 5-year period, a seizure is considered a “relapse” (Berg et al., 2014). Per the research, there is still potential to relapse after 5 years of being seizure and medication-free however, an individual who has been in remission for more than 10 years is unlikely to relapse.

What is it like living with epilepsy?

People with epilepsy often experience changes in their quality of life such as less mobility, as well as the impact on learning, school attendance, employment, relationships, and social interactions.