Feel symptoms I've had w/kidney infection-- that usually leads to seizures - Epilepsy Message Board

neurowreck · 10-07-2005, 06:58 PM

One of my biggest triggers for a bad run of seizures is kidney/bladder infections, which I never had until moving back to my home state after 17 years elsewhere. I"m having left flank pain (on a Friday night, of course, so doc's office closed til Tues w/the holiday), and that "feeling".... I just hope this doesn't end up being bad again. Just got over a lousy several months of seizures after food poisoning, which triggered a cascade of autonomic stuff and seizures. I just hope this is some muscle thing, and maybe I slept funny or something. Because of the diabetes, I don't feel the normal symptoms of bladder infections (except after the time they inflated a catheter balloon right on my sphincter, and about came off the bed- ended up with horrible spasms with that that I could clearly feel to the point of almost passing out).
Just venting....this has to be something 'trivial' (meaning ibuprofen fixes it !). It takes so much out of me when a series of stuff gets started, then the docs always want to mess with the anticonvulsants, and not just fix the infection, since that's what stirs the seizures up to begin with.... wish they'd not mess with the AEDs unless the infection is clear, and there's still a problem. UGH...

kayakmom · 10-08-2005, 08:13 AM

Is there any way to try and really flush your kidneys over this long weekend? Drink LOTS of water and cranberry juice to see if the symptoms ease? I have sometimes had a little luck with this...

I am so sorry you are feeling this. Seizures are such a huge worry when it has happened before! Does your neuro have no on call person if you get bad? Can you get to a walk in clinic to check on the kidney infection issue?

Hang in there! I hope things do not get bad for you this weekend!

neurowreck · 10-08-2005, 09:33 AM

My neuro won't see me with no insurance, and I don't have the cash. She's made that VERY clear. And, I'm not inclined to go back.
My regular doc has people on call, but my medical history is such a mess, I'm better off going to the ER, where they have everything written down in front of them, if it gets that bad. I keep cranberry juice, among others, along with Gatorade and bottled water around here all the time (I hate plain water, so that will be hard), but can do 2/3 strength juices to at least get some water in.