Seizure Diaries for Hypoparathyroidism

Seizures can be part of life for up to 70% of patients with hypoparathyroidism.

Hypoparathyroidism develops when your parathyroid glands don’t produce enough parathyroid hormone. This ultimately leads to low levels of calcium in your blood. Research suggests that seizures in these patients are caused by a calcium imbalance in and around nerve cells, or from the buildup of calcium deposits in the brain.

Seizure diaries can help you and your physician track your seizures and medication use, to determine what changes may be needed to improve your care.

What is a seizure diary?

A seizure diary is a way to keep a record of the number, and the nature, of the seizures you experience on a given day — rather than you and your doctor relying on your (or someone else’s) memory of what happened before, during, and after a seizure.

You can also use the diary to keep track of possible seizure triggers. These could include the amount of sleep you got the night before, or certain foods, smells, or activities that preceded a seizure.

It’s also a good place to keep track of which medications you are taking and when, as well as any side effects you may experience.

The information in a seizure diary can be very useful to your physician. It can help them in identifying your likely seizure triggers, so that you might avoid them, and in deciding if treatment adjustments would be helpful. For example, if a seizure diary shows a higher frequency of seizures in the afternoon, your doctor might want you to taken to an additional dose of an anti-seizure medication at midday.

Examples of seizure diaries

A number of different options exist when it comes to seizure diaries. Your physician may provide you with paper forms or booklets in which to record your seizures. You can also print paper copies from online sources, such as the websites of the Epilepsy Society or Epilepsy Action.

The Epilepsy Foundation offers an electronic diary, called My Seizure Diary, that you can access online or by downloading an app. The program allows you to record information about the seizure (like its type and duration), and related information like medication use, side effects, your medical history, and your mood just before the seizure. This self-management tool can also be programmed to also remind you to take your medications, and can be used to make a Seizure Action Plan.

You can print information from My Seizure Diary to take with you, or you can share it electronically with your physician, caregiver, and others close to you.

Other electronic seizure diaries include Seizure Tracker, which also allows you to detail medical information related to seizures, and to share this information in print or electronic form.

How do I use a seizure diary?

You or your caregiver should enter information about each seizure you have in your seizure diary. The more information you can provide about the seizure and the circumstances surrounding it, the more useful your information will be to a doctor.

In addition to a seizure’s nature (whether you lost consciousness, for instance) and how long it lasted, think of warning signs that preceded the seizure (like seeing auras or losing bladder control), or if you were ill or (for females) had your menstrual period just before that seizure.

One possible trigger for people with hypoparathyroidism is a drop in blood calcium levels. Be sure to document the foods and supplements you are taking and when they were taken. This way, your physician can see if changes to your diet might help to keep your calcium levels from dipping too low.

Last updated: Feb. 26, 2021

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Hypoparathyroidism News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.