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Driving and Absence Seizures
Sun, 08/05/2012 - 23:24Since the end of 8th grade, I've had absence seizures, but I wasn't medically diagnosed until June of this year, and I just finised my Junior year of high school. When I turned 16, I did receive my learner's permit... I don't notice my seizures, but my family does, and from what I've heard, I have never had one while driving. When I snap out of it, I feel confused for a moment, and never once has that happened while driving, because I never felt confused like I normally do. But when I was diagnosed, thinking, since they are infrequent and mild, that I would be able to drive, even after the seizure specialist mentioned the driving with epilepsy law. I was wrong, it applies to me as well. And it totally sucks, being promised that I can use a spare car to drive to school my senior year, planning ahead what time I would leave for school, how I would get there, who I would drive, and then all of a sudden I told that I can't... until after my graduation (that's when the seizure free year would be over)... And to tell some of my close friends and family about it, to hear some say, it's for the safety of yourself, and others as well, made me feel like a complete hazard to the road! We learn in health class, that when you choose not to drink and drive, you will be saving yourself and others as well. I feel it's completely the same! It's been over a month, and I'm having a hard time grasping this... I constantly dwell on it, and I shouldn't be, but it was hard for me to hear...
Comments
Re: Driving and Absence Seizures
Submitted by kfontaine on Thu, 2012-08-30 - 10:47
Hi all -- very frustrating, yes. I was diagnosed 4 years ago, and I went about 8 months without driving, and then they diagnosed me as only having migraines and so I could drive again. It makes no sense.
Sarah - I'm interested in what you said about "sometimes I cannot tell if I'm having an absence seizure or just daydreaming" - can you explain that a little more? I've looked on this website a lot over the past couple of years and just wondering what that's like for you? I seem to "daydream" a lot... don't know any other way, but it just seems to me like I shouldn't be.... and the day dreams are SO real, sometimes I have to actually sit back and really think about it to find out if it really did happen that way or not... these happen when I'm completely involved in something or just kicking back relaxing; doesn't matter.
Not driving...yeah, it's for your own safety, and others, but still kind of a blow - anyone coudl have an accident at any time regardless of the timing or circumstances, and if we're only having like one, 4 second seizure a month, we're told we cannot drive. Hmmm lemme think about all the other distractions a "normal, healthy" driver would have come across their path while driving to the same place we would be???
Take care! - Kim
Hi all -- very frustrating, yes. I was diagnosed 4 years ago, and I went about 8 months without driving, and then they diagnosed me as only having migraines and so I could drive again. It makes no sense.
Sarah - I'm interested in what you said about "sometimes I cannot tell if I'm having an absence seizure or just daydreaming" - can you explain that a little more? I've looked on this website a lot over the past couple of years and just wondering what that's like for you? I seem to "daydream" a lot... don't know any other way, but it just seems to me like I shouldn't be.... and the day dreams are SO real, sometimes I have to actually sit back and really think about it to find out if it really did happen that way or not... these happen when I'm completely involved in something or just kicking back relaxing; doesn't matter.
Not driving...yeah, it's for your own safety, and others, but still kind of a blow - anyone coudl have an accident at any time regardless of the timing or circumstances, and if we're only having like one, 4 second seizure a month, we're told we cannot drive. Hmmm lemme think about all the other distractions a "normal, healthy" driver would have come across their path while driving to the same place we would be???
Take care! - Kim
Re: Driving and Absence Seizures
Submitted by SarahEmily_94 on Thu, 2012-08-30 - 21:11
Hia Kim!
Just to explain, I've had absences for 4 years and I've stayed on the lamotrigine, just increased my dose here and there..my absences are less frequent than they used to be - from 20 a day to once a month. But now they've also become shorter. A second, or even a split second. I just feel as if I've just blinked and I really can't tell whether its just normal or an actual absence. Stress and tiredness are my triggers so they could happen anytime so even though my medication controls them, they just happen out of the blue. Its hard to explain what they are like now as they are so short, whereas before they'd be quite long and everyone would notice if I had one and I'd be really confused afterwards. Its been so long since i had a long absence that I'm not sure if it is one any more as they are so brief but I do have a fuzzy feeling in my head when it happens so thats what makes me think that it was an absence. What I've noticed recently too is that when I'm in a conversation with someone, I hear some of it but then I forget some of the things that were said..as if my short term memory is affected somehow. Do you experience that too? I hope I've explained a little bit.
About the driving too, I really think that they should consider an indiviual's circumstance and decide that some people are fit to drive. Like you say, everyone experiences distractions while driving so a split second absence for me isn't too extreme and I've never had a tonic-clonic seizure either so I'm even less of a risk. I just think that they shouldn't set the law in black and white as everyone is different.
I hope you guys can relate to this! Sarah xx
Hia Kim!
Just to explain, I've had absences for 4 years and I've stayed on the lamotrigine, just increased my dose here and there..my absences are less frequent than they used to be - from 20 a day to once a month. But now they've also become shorter. A second, or even a split second. I just feel as if I've just blinked and I really can't tell whether its just normal or an actual absence. Stress and tiredness are my triggers so they could happen anytime so even though my medication controls them, they just happen out of the blue. Its hard to explain what they are like now as they are so short, whereas before they'd be quite long and everyone would notice if I had one and I'd be really confused afterwards. Its been so long since i had a long absence that I'm not sure if it is one any more as they are so brief but I do have a fuzzy feeling in my head when it happens so thats what makes me think that it was an absence. What I've noticed recently too is that when I'm in a conversation with someone, I hear some of it but then I forget some of the things that were said..as if my short term memory is affected somehow. Do you experience that too? I hope I've explained a little bit.
About the driving too, I really think that they should consider an indiviual's circumstance and decide that some people are fit to drive. Like you say, everyone experiences distractions while driving so a split second absence for me isn't too extreme and I've never had a tonic-clonic seizure either so I'm even less of a risk. I just think that they shouldn't set the law in black and white as everyone is different.
I hope you guys can relate to this! Sarah xx
Re: Driving and Absence Seizures
Submitted by SarahEmily_94 on Wed, 2012-08-29 - 18:48
Hello! I can totally agree with you here, its so frustrating! :( I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2008 when i was 14 and I have absence seizures just like you. I've never been allowed to learn to drive as its 'too risky' and against the law. I can't even apply for a provisional license! I've been on lamotrigine since i was diagnosed and my absences are well controlled, i have around 1 a month and they only last a split second and I'm fine after them. I even carry on what I'm doing when I'm having an absence so no one even notices them anymore, even I can't figure out if it was an absence or just me daydreaming! But the law says that we need to be a year seizure free before learning to drive or in your case, start to drive again. Its awful not being able to drive, I'm 18 and still have to rely on public transport and lifts everywhere. I can understand why they want us to be a year seizure free but I think they should consider the length of the absence and how the individual acts before, during and after the absence and asses whether or not they are fit to drive.