Epilepsy & Seizure Care
Expert neurological evaluation, diagnosis, and management of epilepsy and seizure disorders — helping you achieve the best possible seizure control so you can live a full, safe, and active life.
What Is Epilepsy &
Seizure Disorder?
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures — sudden surges of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily disrupt normal brain function. It is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting people of all ages, and requires accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment to achieve the best possible quality of life.
Not all seizures are epilepsy. A single seizure triggered by a fever, low blood sugar, or alcohol withdrawal does not automatically mean epilepsy. Accurate diagnosis by a neurologist is essential to determine the seizure type, identify the underlying cause, and develop the right treatment approach.
Symptoms & Warning Signs
Seizures present in many different ways — from dramatic convulsions to brief staring spells that go unnoticed for years. Recognizing them is the first step toward accurate diagnosis and effective care.
Rhythmic jerking or stiffening of the limbs and body — the most recognizable form of seizure, often accompanied by loss of consciousness and falling to the ground.
Brief episodes of staring into space, unresponsiveness, and subtle eye blinking — often lasting just seconds and frequently missed or mistaken for daydreaming or inattention.
A period of confusion, unusual behavior, or inability to respond appropriately — occurring either during a seizure or immediately afterward in the postictal recovery phase.
A warning sign before a seizure — including unusual smells, tastes, visual disturbances, rising abdominal sensations, déjà vu, or intense fear or anxiety without clear cause.
Sudden and brief loss of awareness or consciousness — with no memory of the event afterward — which may occur with or without associated motor activity.
Brief, sudden muscle jerks or twitches — often occurring in the morning shortly after waking — commonly seen in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and other generalized syndromes.
A sudden loss of muscle tone causing the person to collapse without warning — often resulting in falls and injuries, particularly to the head and face.
Purposeless, repetitive movements such as lip smacking, hand rubbing, picking at clothing, or swallowing — called automatisms — occurring during focal impaired awareness seizures.
Deep exhaustion, headache, confusion, or muscle aches lasting minutes to hours after a seizure — known as the postictal state — often more disabling than the seizure itself.
No memory of the seizure itself or events immediately before and after — a common feature that can make self-reporting difficult and highlights the importance of witness accounts.
Psychiatric symptoms — including depression, anxiety, irritability, and mood swings — are significantly more common in people with epilepsy and are an essential part of comprehensive care.
Call 911 immediately if: a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, a second seizure follows without recovery, the person does not wake up after the seizure, or the person is injured. Dr. Gulraiz evaluates all types of seizure events — from the subtle to the dramatic — with the neurological expertise needed to reach the correct diagnosis and the right treatment plan.
How We Approach Your Epilepsy Care
Dr. Gulraiz takes a thorough, patient-centered approach to epilepsy — beginning with precise diagnosis and continuing through individualized treatment and long-term seizure management that evolves with your life.
A comprehensive review of seizure events — including triggers, frequency, duration, witness accounts, and associated symptoms — to accurately characterize your seizure type.
Full neurological exam combined with EEG interpretation, brain MRI review, and blood work to identify the seizure type, underlying cause, and appropriate epilepsy syndrome classification.
Selecting the right anti-seizure medication based on your specific epilepsy syndrome, age, sex, lifestyle, and comorbidities — with careful dose titration to achieve the best seizure control with minimal side effects.
Regular follow-up to monitor seizure frequency, adjust medications, manage side effects, track EEG changes, address lifestyle safety concerns, and support your quality of life long-term.
Dr. Gulraiz addresses the full impact of epilepsy on your life — including driving restrictions, employment, sleep, women's health, mental health, and practical safety strategies for everyday living.
Expert epilepsy consultations, medication management, EEG review, and second opinions available via secure telehealth across all 50 states — removing barriers to specialist care.
Services Included in
Epilepsy & Seizure Care
Our Epilepsy and Seizure Care program is comprehensive — covering accurate diagnosis, targeted treatment, medication optimization, safety planning, and the long-term partnership needed to live well with epilepsy.
Detailed neurological assessment covering seizure history, semiology, triggers, frequency, duration, and witness accounts to accurately classify seizure type and guide the diagnostic workup.
Expert review and interpretation of electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings to identify epileptiform activity, seizure patterns, and help determine the epilepsy syndrome and optimal treatment approach.
Detailed interpretation of MRI and CT brain imaging to identify structural causes of epilepsy — including lesions, cortical malformations, tumors, hippocampal sclerosis, or vascular abnormalities.
Evidence-based selection, initiation, dose titration, and ongoing optimization of anti-seizure medications — tailored to your epilepsy type, age, gender, lifestyle, comorbidities, and tolerability.
Ongoing blood level monitoring, metabolic panels, and organ function tests to ensure your anti-seizure medications are at therapeutic levels and not causing undetected systemic side effects.
Practical, personalized guidance on driving, swimming, employment, exercise, sleep, alcohol, seizure first aid for family members, and home safety modifications to reduce injury risk.
Specialized guidance on contraception, pregnancy planning, fetal risk, breastfeeding, and hormonal influences on seizure control — critical considerations for women of all reproductive ages living with epilepsy.
Expert review of your epilepsy diagnosis, current medication regimen, and EEG or imaging findings via secure telehealth — available across all 50 states for patients seeking a neurological second opinion.
Scheduled follow-up appointments to track seizure frequency, reassess medication efficacy, monitor for side effects, update your care plan, and support every aspect of living well with epilepsy.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Have a question about epilepsy, seizure management, or your care options? Our team is ready to help with expert answers and genuine compassion.
A seizure is a single episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition defined by the occurrence of two or more unprovoked seizures, or one seizure with a high risk of recurrence. Not everyone who has a seizure has epilepsy — accurate neurological evaluation is essential to determine whether epilepsy is the correct diagnosis and what type.
Some forms of epilepsy — particularly certain childhood epilepsy syndromes — do resolve over time. For many adults, epilepsy is a long-term condition that requires ongoing management. However, with the right medication, approximately 60-70% of people with epilepsy achieve seizure freedom. Some patients who remain seizure-free on medication for several years may be candidates for a monitored withdrawal from medication under neurological guidance.
There is no single best medication for epilepsy. Dr. Gulraiz selects anti-seizure medications based on your specific epilepsy syndrome, seizure type, age, gender, other medical conditions, and lifestyle. She carefully considers tolerability, drug interactions, and long-term safety — and adjusts your regimen as needed until the best balance of seizure control and quality of life is achieved.
Driving regulations for people with epilepsy vary by state — most require a seizure-free period (typically 3 to 12 months) before driving is permitted. Dr. Gulraiz will advise you on the specific regulations in your state, document your seizure-free status when appropriate, and work with you to achieve seizure control as safely and quickly as possible so that driving can be safely resumed.
Yes. Dr. Gulraiz provides comprehensive epilepsy consultations, EEG review, medication management, and second opinions via secure telehealth across all 50 states. Virtual epilepsy care is highly effective for the majority of management needs — including initial consultation, medication titration, side effect monitoring, seizure diary review, and ongoing neurological follow-up.
Stay calm, time the seizure, and keep the person safe by moving sharp objects away. Gently guide them to the ground, cushion their head, and turn them on their side to prevent choking. Do not restrain them or put anything in their mouth. Call 911 if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, they do not regain consciousness, or another seizure follows immediately. Dr. Gulraiz provides detailed seizure first aid guidance to all patients and their families.