Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical impulses in the brain. Although our brains deal with electrical impulses all the time, sometimes a ‘short circuit’ causes seizures. This is more common in people who have a brain tumour, a scar, or have had an operation to the brain.
In addition to the information on this page, there are fact sheets to learn more about the types and causes of seizures, and about the first aid for seizures.
To learn more about managing seizures at home, watch this video from Looking forward after brain cancer:
First Aid for Seizures
Click here for seizure-related tips you can download from Epilepsy Action Australia.
Preventing Seizures
If your friend or relative has had a seizure in the past, the best thing to do to prevent further seizures is to ensure they continue to take their anti-seizure or anti-epileptic medication.
There are certain triggers that can make a seizure more likely, or cause a seizure. Medical staff refer to this as “lowering the seizure threshold”. Triggers include:
- Sleep deprivation
- Flashing bright lights
- Alcohol or illicit drug use
- Stress
- Fever or being unwell
- Some medications
If your friend or relative gets prescribed any new medication, please ensure that the prescribing doctor is aware that they are on anti-epileptic medications and that they have a history of seizures.
You may find that your friend or relative’s seizures are triggered by things such as: certain foods or looking out the window of a moving car. It is important for you to be aware of the patterns around your friend or relative’s seizures and to help them avoid potential triggers.
There are a variety of resources available to you on the internet. Be aware that a lot of websites have information about epilepsy patients without brain tumours and some of the information on these websites is not going to be relevant for your friend or relative’s situation.
If there are issues with managing your friend or relative’s seizures, please don’t hesitate to speak to your oncologist or cancer nurse coordinator about a referral to the Epilepsy and Movement Disorders clinic for additional information. A seizure diagnosis may also mean that you cannot drive unless discussed with the medical team.
Click here to view a detailed presentation on what causes seizures and associated treatments by neurooncologist, Dr Ronnie Freilich.
Here are a few state-specific clinic information is available at the following links:
QLD
- Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital: Neurology
- Brisbane Clinical Neuroscience Centre: Our Services & What We Treat
VIC
NSW
Anti-seizure medications
To learn about some anti-seizure medications and their side effects, please download the following Fact Sheets:
Stopping anti-seizure medication
If your friend or relative is on an anti-convulsant medication purely to prevent seizures around the time of a surgery, and has never had a seizure, it is common for the treating doctors to stop the medication at some point after surgery or when radiotherapy has finished.
If the person has not had a seizure on the anti-seizure medication for a long time (e.g. more than 12 months) the Oncologist may consider stopping this medication. However, it will depend on the site and control of the tumour and the type of seizures that were experienced. Usually, the medication will be reduced gradually before being stopped. It is not recommended to stop anti-convulsant medications suddenly. The risks and benefits of stopping anti-seizure medication will need to be discussed with the Oncologist or Neurologist first.