Keeping a seizure diary
What would you like to find out?
What is a seizure diary?
A seizure diary is a good way of recording information about your epilepsy. It can help you to see progress or changes to your epilepsy over time.
You can share your diary with medical professionals such as your GP, epilepsy specialist or epilepsy nurse. This can help you and your medical professional to have a two-way conversation about what needs to happen next in your treatment.
Keeping a seizure diary can also be useful if you’ve had a suspected seizure but haven’t got a diagnosis yet. It can help you to explain the experiences you’re having to your GP or specialist.
You can use a seizure diary to make a note of:
- When your seizures are happening
- The types of seizures you’re having
- How long they last
- Whether you have any video evidence of the seizure
- Whether there are any possible triggers that might be affecting your seizures
- If you notice anything before your seizures (pre-ictal symptoms)
- How you feel after a seizure and how long your recovery takes (post-ictal symptoms)
- Your monthly periods, if you think they may affect when your seizures happen
- Tracking when you take your epilepsy medicines and any other medicines you take
- Possible side effects of your epilepsy medicines
- What effect any changes to your epilepsy medicine are having
- Anything else you’re noticing about your wellbeing
There are lots diaries and apps available, so it’s worth trying out a few different ones. This will help you find one that works for you or someone else to use regularly.
Online diaries and diary apps
Please note: Epilepsy Action can’t recommend any of the companies or products listed on this page. There may be other products and stockists available.
-
Online seizure diary and tracker
This is an online diary where you can track your seizures electronically. You can add videos and share your information with others.
-
Seizure diary apps
Some people tell us they prefer an app which they can use with a smart phone. There are a few apps around.
You may be able to get suggestions from others through our social media channels: Health Unlocked, Facebook, Instagram, Discord and Twitter.
Some examples include:
- Epilepsy Ireland smartphone seizure diary app for people with epilepsy and parents of children with epilepsy
- SUDEP Action have a self-monitoring app called EpSMon
- Epsy epilepsy management app
Got any questions?
Our expert advisors can help you with any questions you might have about seizures or anything else related to living with epilepsy.
