After years of uncertainty, Detroit resident has seizures under control thanks to RNS treatment

Shamieka Johnson was on her way to work at a Chrysler assembly plant in April, 2014, when the next thing she knew she was on the side of the road wondering what had just occurred. “It was my son’s birthday, and I remembered being on the side of the freeway next to Starbucks where someone said I was driving erratically. My car had blown all the tires but luckily I did not crash into anyone and no one was hurt,” she recalls. “When the police pulled up behind me, I was kind of disoriented and that's when I realized something was wrong.”

After calling her mother, Shamieka, a mother of three, went to a local hospital to undergo tests, where doctors suggested she may have had a seizure. “I had not had seizures that I was aware of prior to that incident, but I started having seizures soon after that initial incident. It progressed to the point where it was seriously affecting my life, including my ability to work,” she notes. Shamieka tried several anti-seizure medications, but their side effects took a toll. “The medications affected my appetite and I had mood swings where I would be irritable and angry.”

Determined to seek better solutions for her seizures, Shamieka met with specialists from the epilepsy team at Henry Ford Health, where doctors conducted several tests including electroencephalography (EEG) to record the brain’s electrical activity. Shamieka spent a few weeks in Henry Ford Hospital’s epilepsy monitoring unit so neurological experts could get a more accurate picture of her seizure activity.

New hope to manage seizures with responsive neurostimulation

After undergoing more extensive monitoring and testing, doctors determined Shamieka could benefit from responsive neurostimulation (RNS), where a device similar to a pacemaker is implanted and monitors brain activity continuously, using neurostimulation to prevent seizures before they start. Vibhangini S. Wasade, MD, a neurologist at the Henry Ford Epilepsy Center, explains Shamieka's seizures were drug-resistant, prompting her to undergo comprehensive presurgical diagnostic testing, including advanced imaging such as MRI and PET scans, as well as intracranial EEG monitoring.

“These tests were critical in identifying the precise area of the brain where her seizures originated and helped guide the next steps in treatment,” says Dr. Wasade. “Based on the findings, we determined that her seizures were coming from the left side of her brain. In 2020, Shamieka underwent implantation of a RNS device -- an FDA-approved therapy since 2014."

The RNS device is placed in the brain with leads targeting seizure onset zones and delivers real-time electrical stimulation to help prevent seizures before they spread. Dr. Wasade notes that since the device was implanted, Shamieka has experienced significant improvement in her seizure control.

“Henry Ford Health has been offering RNS therapy for nearly 20 years, having served as one of the original clinical trial sites. Today, it remains a key option of our comprehensive treatment approach for individuals living with drug-resistant epilepsy,” adds Dr. Wasade.

Since undergoing the procedure, Shameika has been able to reduce the number of anti-seizure medications she is taking and thankful she was a candidate for her life-changing procedure.

“I’m so appreciative of the Henry Ford team including Dr. Wasade, who is such an excellent neurologist and really takes the time to listen,” says Shamieka. “I’m feeling much better now thanks to the RNS device therapy, which has given me piece of mind to do everyday things like driving without the fear of having a major seizure episode. And I have hope that I can pursue things I love to do in the future, like travel the world,” she adds. “For anyone who has debilitating seizures, I would highly recommend doing your research and considering this procedure and other treatment alternatives. There are really good options to try out.”

For further information visit seizure surgery and treatment at Henry Ford Health.