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Seizure While Driving

Sat, 01/10/2009 - 00:00

I am 17 years old and about 2 years ago I was diagnosed with JME. On New Years I spent the night at my friends house and got only 2 hours of sleep. I didn't take my medicine that night (Keppra + Lamictal), or the next morning. As I left her house (only minutes after waking up) and began walking to my car I had a few blackouts and even shook a little. This happens to me if I don't take my medicine/don't get enought sleep but I didn't think of it as a big deal. I was just thinking about getting home and going to bed.

As I drove home, which was only 5 minutes away, I felt a little tired but that was all.  That was the last thing I remember because the next thing I know I was being pulled out of my car onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. I immediately knew I had one of my grandmal seizures. I was so confused, and so scared. Later I learned that I had a seizure, run off the road and crashed into a light pole going 45 MPH. My car was completely totalled but I thankfully was fine and was left with only a few bruises. I'm not able to drive for a while (and being 17 that feels like it's the worst thing in the world), but I understand that I should not be allowed behind the wheel of a car right now. I had been seizure free for about 6-8 months before the accident. This past week has been so hard for me and my family but I'm trying my hardest to move on. Anyway.... I am just wondering if anyone else has ever had a seizure while driving?

Comments

Re: Seizure While Driving

Submitted by jcroper on Mon, 2009-10-05 - 15:52

I totaled my car a few years ago, ran it across the oncoming traffic lane and slammed into a tree on the way to work. Luckily I was only going about 40, and the oncoming traffic was stopped at a light 50 feet further. I was 21. I read the police report once because I had to have it for some kind of documentation, and I'll never read it again. (I have grand mals and one of the eyewitness reports was a girl who said she 'tried to hold my head in place while I seized', and I was just imagining snapped tendons in my neck.) I woke up in the ambulance wondering why my whole body felt like hell and I could hardly talk. Spent the rest of the day in the hospital, and the next three months not driving.

My first seizure was a couple months after I turned sixteen. I couldn't drive for four months. It was absolutely horrible. But even worse, lately I've had medication problems. Driving privileges have been gone for over 5 months now, and assuming all goes well, it will be a solid 7 months at the earliest. This summer is in serious competition for the worst one of my life.

The most unfortunate thing is the nature of most of the US -- cities are spread out and far from everything when you're looking at only traveling by foot. Unlike Europe, where in most places everything is local and convenient within a short walk or bus/train ride. Excepting some major cities, even getting to public trans here is difficult, not to mention the limitations of where it can take you.If you live in the average rural or suburban America, you're stuck at home, relying on everyone else to take you somewhere. (It includes, ironically, doctor appointments, which can make it pretty difficult to get treatment.

I totaled my car a few years ago, ran it across the oncoming traffic lane and slammed into a tree on the way to work. Luckily I was only going about 40, and the oncoming traffic was stopped at a light 50 feet further. I was 21. I read the police report once because I had to have it for some kind of documentation, and I'll never read it again. (I have grand mals and one of the eyewitness reports was a girl who said she 'tried to hold my head in place while I seized', and I was just imagining snapped tendons in my neck.) I woke up in the ambulance wondering why my whole body felt like hell and I could hardly talk. Spent the rest of the day in the hospital, and the next three months not driving.

My first seizure was a couple months after I turned sixteen. I couldn't drive for four months. It was absolutely horrible. But even worse, lately I've had medication problems. Driving privileges have been gone for over 5 months now, and assuming all goes well, it will be a solid 7 months at the earliest. This summer is in serious competition for the worst one of my life.

The most unfortunate thing is the nature of most of the US -- cities are spread out and far from everything when you're looking at only traveling by foot. Unlike Europe, where in most places everything is local and convenient within a short walk or bus/train ride. Excepting some major cities, even getting to public trans here is difficult, not to mention the limitations of where it can take you.If you live in the average rural or suburban America, you're stuck at home, relying on everyone else to take you somewhere. (It includes, ironically, doctor appointments, which can make it pretty difficult to get treatment.

Re: Seizure While Driving

Submitted by jfoster57 on Mon, 2009-10-05 - 16:37

Absolutely - I too was not taking my meds, I hopped in a van to go do an errand down the street, and woke up screaming in agony in an ambulance with EMTs holding me down.  I had had a grand mal and totaled someone else's car along with the front end of my van.  My shoulder had dislocated and they wouldn't let me put it back in the whole ride to the hospital.  I popped it back in myself once they got their hands off me, didn't let anyone touch me at the ER, and called a relative to come pick me up.  They'll have you owing them $1K+ in no time for doing nothing...

Driving and having a seizure can kill you or someone else, period.  I have been driving despite having temporal lobe epilepsy, because other than the story above I absolutely never go careening into anything.  I have 1-2 seizuresa week, almost none of which are while driving.  When they are at the wheel, I just keep driving in a normal fashion.  My awareness is altered, but my ability to steer a vehicle and avoid obstacles is not impaired. 

HOWEVER, if you are skipping doses of anticonvulsants you will have a generalized seizure within 24 hours.  That is why I NEVER skip a dose of my seizure meds EVER.

Absolutely - I too was not taking my meds, I hopped in a van to go do an errand down the street, and woke up screaming in agony in an ambulance with EMTs holding me down.  I had had a grand mal and totaled someone else's car along with the front end of my van.  My shoulder had dislocated and they wouldn't let me put it back in the whole ride to the hospital.  I popped it back in myself once they got their hands off me, didn't let anyone touch me at the ER, and called a relative to come pick me up.  They'll have you owing them $1K+ in no time for doing nothing...

Driving and having a seizure can kill you or someone else, period.  I have been driving despite having temporal lobe epilepsy, because other than the story above I absolutely never go careening into anything.  I have 1-2 seizuresa week, almost none of which are while driving.  When they are at the wheel, I just keep driving in a normal fashion.  My awareness is altered, but my ability to steer a vehicle and avoid obstacles is not impaired. 

HOWEVER, if you are skipping doses of anticonvulsants you will have a generalized seizure within 24 hours.  That is why I NEVER skip a dose of my seizure meds EVER.

Re: Seizure While Driving

Submitted by duvexy on Tue, 2010-04-06 - 20:37

I had one the other day and I hit a curb while I was driving.  I do not remember having a seizure but, I do remember being put in the hospital.  My transmission is cracked now.  I am upset about this.  This is the first time I had one while actually driving.  I am so sorry that this happened to you.  I know how scary it is.  The fact that you are alive is awesome.  The next thing I got scared about is if I hurt anyone from being uncounscious and I did not.  Now I don't know what to do except move to a city where they have buses.

 

I had one the other day and I hit a curb while I was driving.  I do not remember having a seizure but, I do remember being put in the hospital.  My transmission is cracked now.  I am upset about this.  This is the first time I had one while actually driving.  I am so sorry that this happened to you.  I know how scary it is.  The fact that you are alive is awesome.  The next thing I got scared about is if I hurt anyone from being uncounscious and I did not.  Now I don't know what to do except move to a city where they have buses.

 

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