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Epilepsy, seizures...


Drumnut
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My mom has epilepsy, and has since she was my age (17). At first there was a scare I might have been developing it, too, a couple weeks ago, but I had an EEG and the neurologist thinks I'll be fine.

 

However, it's well-controlled and it's just become a part of life. When I was younger, though, she had at least a few a year. I think it's much scarier to witness a loved one having a seizure than to be the one having it, though, because you don't remember anything anyways.

 

Thanks to modern medicine and many technological/medical advancements, at least people aren't blaming seizures on witchcraft anymore. Knowledge is key!

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QUOTE (CMWriter @ Nov 12 2010, 07:22 PM)
My mom has epilepsy, and has since she was my age (17). At first there was a scare I might have been developing it, too, a couple weeks ago, but I had an EEG and the neurologist thinks I'll be fine.

However, it's well-controlled and it's just become a part of life. When I was younger, though, she had at least a few a year. I think it's much scarier to witness a loved one having a seizure than to be the one having it, though, because you don't remember anything anyways.

Thanks to modern medicine and many technological/medical advancements, at least people aren't blaming seizures on witchcraft anymore. Knowledge is key!

There are 26 types of seizures, many of which you are fully conscious during. Considering the fact that epilepsy has now past mental illness as the number one cause of suicide, I would say "no" to that. sad.gif Sorry. For many, you get used to living with a chronic illness, but for many others it's not that easy. For two of my seizures (I have four different kinds), I am fully aware and my auras are sometimes far freakier than my seizures.

 

Epilepsy is not hereditary. Because it has virtually no funding, researchers and neurologists are still not sure what even causes it. However, I am pleased to hear your tests came back negative. smile.gif I am also glad to hear your mother's is well controlled.

 

Yes, knowledge is key, but epilepsy still remains one of the most stigmatized illnesses (as well most under-funded).

 

I don't know. Part of me doesn't care, which sounds awful considering I live with it and it kills more than 30,000 Americans a year, but it's chronic and most people living with it learn to deal with it. Plus it's not a "cool" illness (anymore at least; although LTLE has been tied to high intelligence, like with Kierkegaard and the like. Plus Caesar and Alexander the Great had it and they tried taking over the world). I just wish it would go away, that's my opinion. I wish I didn't have it. Like, with guys. The moment a guy who is interested in me finds out I have it, they won't talk to me anymore. I have been single for over four years because of it and with my ex (my one boyfriend), one of the main reasons he broke up with me was because he was worried I couldn't have "his babies." At least if I had something terminal someone would pity me, or if I was autistic I would be "cool." Not that I want someone to pity me (trust me, I am super active), but it's just... grrr... it's frustrating! I've been dealing with this a lot lately because guys get really into me, lead me on and then find out and drop me.

 

That sounds so awful, I know, but epilepsy is like "leprosy" and guys look at me like I'm tainted and gross. Not fun. And I'm getting annoyed and am starting to feel very insecure.

Edited by garbo
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QUOTE (garbo @ Nov 14 2010, 02:52 PM)
There are 26 types of seizures, many of which you are fully conscious during. Considering the fact that epilepsy has now past mental illness as the number one cause of suicide, I would say "no" to that. sad.gif Sorry. For many, you get used to living with a chronic illness, but for many others it's not that easy. For two of my seizures (I have four different kinds), I am fully aware and my auras are sometimes far freakier than my seizures.

Epilepsy is not hereditary. Because it has virtually no funding, researchers and neurologists are still not sure what even causes it. However, I am pleased to hear your tests came back negative. smile.gif I am also glad to hear your mother's is well controlled.

Yes, knowledge is key, but epilepsy still remains one of the most stigmatized illnesses (as well most under-funded).

I don't know. Part of me doesn't care, which sounds awful considering I live with it and it kills more than 30,000 Americans a year, but it's chronic and most people living with it learn to deal with it. Plus it's not a "cool" illness (anymore at least; although LTLE has been tied to high intelligence, like with Kierkegaard and the like. Plus Caesar and Alexander the Great had it and they tried taking over the world). I just wish it would go away, that's my opinion. I wish I didn't have it. Like, with guys. The moment a guy who is interested in me finds out I have it, they won't talk to me anymore. I have been single for over four years because of it and with my ex (my one boyfriend), one of the main reasons he broke up with me was because he was worried I couldn't have "his babies." At least if I had something terminal someone would pity me, or if I was autistic I would be "cool." Not that I want someone to pity me (trust me, I am super active), but it's just... grrr... it's frustrating! I've been dealing with this a lot lately because guys get really into me, lead me on and then find out and drop me.

That sounds so awful, I know, but epilepsy is like "leprosy" and guys look at me like I'm tainted and gross. Not fun. And I'm getting annoyed and am starting to feel very insecure.

Yeah, I've heard it's not hereditary, but really, like you said, it's very under-researched. My mom's came out of absolutely nowhere, but I also suffer from depression and anxiety like she does.. so.. you can see where there was concern. I really don't know.

 

That's so terrible guys would hold epilepsy against you!! Shame, shame, SHAME on them for being so archaic and.. well, frankly, just rude and ignorant. It's just another form of prejudice and stereotyping in today's society; no different than racism, if you ask me. But that's another debate I could go on about.

 

I really hope you find a guy that will love you for who you are. To hold that against you is to not know who you really are. I know for a fact that any kind of illness doesn't define a person, and if one thinks it does, they're just being shallow.

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No seizures!!! cool.gif

 

I do have a sinus infection that has been giving me bad headaches in the morning. A hot cup of coffee usually helps clear my head. They only last for 20-25 minutes but my sinuses hurt like hell until I can breathe easily.

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I'm still having simple and partial complex seizures, which are both freakishly interesting types of seizures. Simple can manifest themselves, like, I was volunteering and I thought someone was making tomato soup and someone was obviously not. So, smells, sounds, etc. Partial complex are not as cool. I have about a hundred of those a day, which are not as frequent since I'm medicated. They last about thirty seconds and they can be a feeling of dread, deja vu, extreme anguish, religious anxiety, you name it. Bizarre. And I usually space out while I'm having them. I didn't know those were seizures until my neurologist asked and I told him and then he said, "Bingo. Seizures."

 

With my meds, though, they've stopped beyond anything worse (since seizures spread across the brain and can go from something like a complex into a tonic clonic).

 

So! My friend, who also has epilepsy, calls me and tells me that his medication is making him suicidal. He hasn't told anyone, but he knows I'll understand since I was in a similar situation with one of my meds. However, he doesn't want to tell his doctor because a. his doctor will call his parents (they're friends) and b. threats of suicide usually put you in the psyche ward. He's in grad school and I think the stress mixed with the medication are all contributing factors, but it worries me. He did tell me he is going to get his meds changed, so at least he is being proactive because he knows I would kick his ass if he didn't.

Edited by garbo
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QUOTE (garbo @ Dec 13 2010, 08:19 AM)
I'm still having simple and partial complex seizures, which are both freakishly interesting types of seizures.  Simple can manifest themselves, like, I was volunteering and I thought someone was making tomato soup and someone was obviously not.  So, smells, sounds, etc.  Partial complex are not as cool.  I have about a hundred of those a day, which are not as frequent since I'm medicated.  They last about thirty seconds and they can be a feeling of dread, deja vu, extreme anguish, religious anxiety, you name it.  Bizarre.  And I usually space out while I'm having them.  I didn't know those were seizures until my neurologist asked and I told him and then he said, "Bingo.  Seizures." 

With my meds, though, they've stopped beyond anything worse (since seizures spread across the brain and can go from something like a complex into a tonic clonic).

So!  My friend, who also has epilepsy, calls me and tells me that his medication is making him suicidal.  He hasn't told anyone, but he knows I'll understand since I was in a similar situation with one of my meds.  However, he doesn't want to tell his doctor because a. his doctor will call his parents (they're friends) and b. threats of suicide usually put you in the psyche ward.  He's in grad school and I think the stress mixed with the medication are all contributing factors, but it worries me.  He did tell me he is going to get his meds changed, so at least he is being proactive because he knows I would kick his ass if he didn't.

He should talk to someone, Epilepsy meds can make you think and do stupid things. I just refused to stop taking Lamictal anymore because it depressed me so bad. My Dr didn't want to take me off of it so I told him I refused to take it. My moods still aren't great but they are better than they were on Lamictal.

 

No seizures today, (yesterday now) I do have a headache from the cold wet weather outside though.

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Someone in 4th grade tripped me in recess and i had a seizure. They had to delay lunch for 40 minutes because the Ambulance had to get me.

 

my brother has a sugar thing when he has too much he has seizures

 

he had 7 in his lifetime and he is 9 now.

 

its pretty damn scary having seizures

 

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QUOTE (Nate2112 @ Dec 27 2010, 04:15 PM)
Someone in 4th grade tripped me in recess and i had a seizure. They had to delay lunch for 40 minutes because the Ambulance had to get me.

my brother has a sugar thing when he has too much he has seizures

he had 7 in his lifetime and he is 9 now.

its pretty damn scary having seizures

Sorry to hear that, seems to be the more I hear and experience, the things you do or don't eat have a lot to do with it. I know not eating right is a seizure trigger for me.

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I have had students that have suffered from seizures. It is a situation I know very little about. I feel for those of you that suffer from them and glad that there are meds to help you through them or to stave them off.
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