Life with Epilepsy

[CoffeeWC]

I am an epileptic.

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder. If you don't know what a seizure is well, you should do some research on it. I'm not here to define it for you.

I have three different types of seizures: Tonic-clonic, partial, and abscence. My case is really severe and I still have plenty of seizures. I was diagnosed when I was nine years old. Because of this school was even harder for me. If it wasn't for my high IQ, I probably wouldn't have been able to graduate high school. I graduated with a normal degree so there are benefits that I cannot claim.

I withdrew my first year in college, I wasn't able to finish a full term because of stress, much of it coming from my seizures and depression.

As a person with uncontrolled epilepsy, I cannot legally drive where I live. I do not have a license and I never learned to drive. I rely mostly on friends, family and public transportation.

I have tried most medicine out there and it's come to a point where I've given up and I'm just used to having seizures for the rest of my life. I'm on a high dose of medication right now. It used to be even higher but it heavily affected my mental state. It doesn't help that most medication used for treating seizures are depressants. Because of this I also suffer from depression.

I never played contact sports. Seizures make sports like football life-threatening.

Memory is also a big problem for me since seizures can damage the brain. I have frequently gone through multiple episodes of memory loss during my life with epilepsy.

I probably wouldn't be alive right now if not for the people who supported me. I just want to say thanks to them. If you or someone you know has epilepsy I wish the best of luck to you. I know it's tough for the family also. Thanks for the support!

[jennifer_bloom]

I had epilepsy too. My seizures were very painful. 1 in 200 people have seizures and 1 in 10 000 have seizures that are painful. My seizures were so painful I felt like I was being burned alive every time it happened. When I became a Christian I prayed to Jesus about my seizures and over the next 6-8 years I began to seek and worship God. I'm now 32 and have no thad a seizure in about 9 years. I feel compassion for you and I wish you the best. You are loved because you are precious and your unique experiences can function as a testimony of courage and strength to others. I wish you well and God loves you!

[CoffeeWC]

I once had a seizure in church

[HGG3805]

My ex wife had Epilepsy. I am very familiar with it. She took drugs to try to control the grand mal seizures. Sort of effective. I read recently that one thing that is common among most people with this is a gluten sensitivity. I have Celiac Sprue myself so I read about gluten issues. Check that out and see if that might be an issue for you. Gluten sensitivity is the most common cause for malnourishment in children.

[CoffeeWC]

I have gluten sensitivity. That's the reason I'm on a gluten free diet right now. I have less seizures now than I used to. I still have seizures, though.

[Anonymous]

On my old management team, I had an assistant manager who had epilepsy. It was something he didn't admit to us for a long time out of what is understandably fear that he would be forced to quit because we'd had someone who worked at the front desk who had had her first seizure ever in front of the public and the company had to let her go because it was a security and liability issue.

When he and I became friends outside of work, and knowing he had the condition, I began to see just how much stress was placed on his shoulders. He was on medications, couldn't drive (and was actually hit by a car riding his bike to work), and lived with the fear that he would have one at work to the point where he couldn't hide it because we never told anyone he had the condition. He told me that should he ever have one to not call 9-1-1 because he didn't want to be hauled off to the hospital which was kind of scary for me because although he had instructed me what to do if it happened, as someone who is not a doctor, I wouldn't know if this was "normal" or like get him to the ER stat situation.

Not being able to have control over your faculties or when or if they happen is terrifying to have to live with. We don't often think about not being in control of our bodies in that way, but for those that do have seizures, it happens. I'm sorry to hear about all that you are going through, but hopefully you have shed some light on what it's like so that you can in some way perhaps help others or just as you've said, say thank you to those that have supported you because that support and love is everything.

[azzntittiz]

I'm so sorry this is your situation and I am happy you have support. You will find a nice wife to support you and take care of the areas of life you can't. Do not give up on meds, take a break and then seek out new doctors that may help. I have bad sinuses for years, no meds helped until I took a break, suffered a lot and found a doctor who finally helped me. I have mini seizures as I drift into sleep, sometimes it twists my neck or jerk me back out of my sleep, but it's no where near as bad as yours as I go back to sleep easily, I must say I am grateful I don't have to worry about traveling by myself as I do that a lot and have no support. I had an aunt who was like you, and she eventually grew it out, I don't know how.

[ThePragmaticRomantic]

Good take.
Also epileptic here.. First seizures hit when I was in my 20s, and was utterly uncontrolable for the first couple of years. And christ did it derail my life.
Its hard to explain to people how it cost me my job, my flat, my driving liscence, and was a major contributing factor to ending a long term relationship (in fact the relationship got pretty abusive and toxic partially because of the epilepsy).
So its good to hear someone else talk about how its effected them. Because while mine's currently under control its like a shadow always threatening to come back.

[jhoffer6669]

I have Epilepsy. After a operation I had a stroke in 2011 don't remember going in for the operation or leaving my house. I woke up and I didn't remember my family. But in time I did. Now I am on a bunch of meds and I have a short term memory problem, my long term is good I remember things from years ago and my childhood. I'm taking it more or less one day at a time. The doctors don't want me to drive anymore, I understand if I have a seizure while I'm driving I might hurt or kill someone and I could live with that.

[COCOCHANEL]

that sounds very hard. i've heard it gets better as you get older.

[CoffeeWC]

It's the worst for adolescents. Probably because it can be caused by stress.

[Compodulator]

Do you mind if I do my own version?
I suffer from audiogenic epilepsy of the left temporal lobe, fighting for a lobectomy.

[CoffeeWC]

sure I'd love to see it.

[Logorithim]

Good to hear what you've overcome and that you had the support you needed.

[CoffeeWC]

I still go through this today.

[Logorithim]

Yeah, I meant that you were able to get where you are today. My stepmother has epilepsy, by the way.

[CoffeeWC]

Okay, I hope for the best for your stepmom

[Logorithim]

Thanks...

[Anonymous]

Good post, thank you.
I am sorry you have to deal with this.
I have two very good friends of mine who both have epilepsy. One friend has had seizures since she was 7 years old she is now 23. She had an MRI of her head and found that she has a condition that may be the cause of the seizures and the reasons why medications to work. She is seeing a surgeon in two weeks.

[gothwriter79]

Just got back on gag and someone wrote this. I take Keppra, Trokendi, VIMPAT, and Fycompa. I don't know when my seizures happen. When they do, I always fall backwards. I never talk to woman, scared they freak out.

[edmonton]

Great take! I've been learning more and more about this as a family that I feel close to has a son with epilepsy, he's 9. I teach him and babysit him, and am realizing how his whole life and even behaviours are affected by it.

[Dog19]

This is just depressing. I feel even more pathetic now

[Nina12346]

my sister suffered from that when she was younger, but now she's okay, she acts really childish tho, but she's okay

[CoffeeWC]

good for her

[Nina12346]

you'll get better if you pray, its what got her better believe it or not.

[Anonymous]

My boyfriend's mother was diagnosed as a child, but before that the thought she was crazy. They put her in a mental hospital, an then realized that they could've killed her by giving her the wrong medicine.

Just never lose hope cause she never did and she now has a big family who loved her and a loving husband. Even though she takes a lot of medication, and can't drive because when she tries it gets bad, she still loves her life. I wish you all the best!

[Magasawa111]

My girlfriend has epilepsy she says she didn't want to be put in mental institution can you explain why she says this? I dont understand the correlation between mental institution and having epilepsy.

[opurba]

To reduce road accident, can we build a boat with wheels or auto foaming process to freeze the vehicle when it crashing.

[Anonymous]

I have epilepsy. I am on two medications. I have also tried to kill myself twice, but that part is over now.
Let me know if you want to private message.

[Premihoo]

How much time it takes to get normal as my father has seizuure and after attack he feels very nervous, fear, anxious and increased bowel

[Anonymous]

I had a number of seizures decades ago. I'm on medication since. Problem solved.

[omgjassy]

Interesting

[CoffeeWC]

Thank you

[CT_CD]

Great myTake

[Revolver_]

Define it for me