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Driving with epilepsy

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 19:48
I could really use some advice and opinions.  Months ago I had a seizure while driving.  Luckily I wasnt hurt, I simply drove into the guide rail and no one else was involved.  I havent had a seizure since and have been feeling great.  Medicine levels are great too.  My question is at what point do I drive again?  I know the requirements legally and I have my license now.  But at what point is it "okay" for me to drive.  I spent 20 years of my life driving with epilepsy and never had a problem.  But now that this has happened to me I just dont know how I go back to driving.  If I go back to driving.  I live in a place where the only way to do anything is to drive.  Its a small town, luckily there is one very limited bus that I am able to take to at least get to the store.  But this has left me unable to work or have any sort of life.  So for anyone who may have had a seizure while driving or even anyone who worries about having one, how to you get to a place where you feel like its ok to get behind the wheel again?

Comments

Re: Driving with epilepsy

Submitted by izzy16323 on Tue, 2013-02-26 - 14:46
for right now driving isnt even possible.  when i had my accident i totaled my car and i am in no position to get a new one financially.  unfortunately i dont have any family nearby, they are 9 1/2 hrs away, and i really dont have friends here.  my town has a very limited bus that i can take to get to the one grocery store and to my family doctor.  i really want to find a new neurologist but because of my transportation issues its just not possible.  i am in the process of switcing medicine right now.  had been on depakote for over 20 years.  am in the process of  switching to keppra.  just started the process on friday and at the moment am absolutely exhausted all the time while i take both medicines.  hopefully once i get weaned off the depakote (if everything goes ok) this exhaustion will ease up.  i am sleeping better, have tried to lower my stress, have stopped taking the benadryl i had been taking to help me sleep (which i was told to take because they said it was fine).  not being able to drive has really changed my life.  i barely leave my apt, seeing my daughter has been greatly limited because i now have to rely on my ex to drive her back and forth (though believe me the thought of driving with her in the car makes me sick).  i feel like i have become a hermit. 

Re: Driving with epilepsy

Submitted by Fawn1981 on Thu, 2013-02-28 - 10:30

I did the same thing.  I drove, had a couple of accidents, minor, little rear ends and no one was hurt.  I normally have little blackouts, nothing major.  BUT about a year ago, I had two grand mal seizures.  They came out of no where and were back to back.  Luckily, I was not driving, but it was at the end of the day at work where I was about to be in my car!!  I definitely would have died and/or killed others.  It was a VERY scary thing to think of so I have not been driving since and will not until I get a surgery and can be sure I have my seizures under control, hopefully none again.  Fortunately, I do have a husband and friend who are willing to help out and drive me around.  I feel horrible though being so dependant on people like I am.  I am able to work though, but it is not an extremely stressful position.  I am a receptionist whereas before I was a paralegal/legal secretary which had its moments.  I would love to go back there though if/when I can!  I'd definitely advise you after that experience not to risk it!  Use the public transportation at least until you have some control, if not and end to your seizures (sometimes people are lucky and they just stop!).

 

Fawn M. Fox

I did the same thing.  I drove, had a couple of accidents, minor, little rear ends and no one was hurt.  I normally have little blackouts, nothing major.  BUT about a year ago, I had two grand mal seizures.  They came out of no where and were back to back.  Luckily, I was not driving, but it was at the end of the day at work where I was about to be in my car!!  I definitely would have died and/or killed others.  It was a VERY scary thing to think of so I have not been driving since and will not until I get a surgery and can be sure I have my seizures under control, hopefully none again.  Fortunately, I do have a husband and friend who are willing to help out and drive me around.  I feel horrible though being so dependant on people like I am.  I am able to work though, but it is not an extremely stressful position.  I am a receptionist whereas before I was a paralegal/legal secretary which had its moments.  I would love to go back there though if/when I can!  I'd definitely advise you after that experience not to risk it!  Use the public transportation at least until you have some control, if not and end to your seizures (sometimes people are lucky and they just stop!).

 

Fawn M. Fox

Re: Driving with epilepsy

Submitted by Wister on Thu, 2013-02-28 - 14:28

If you don't have 'auras' or seizure premonitions, I don't know whether I could honestly endorse you ever getting behind the wheel again. Pharmaceuticals are great until you have a break-through seizure. If I didn't have this 'advanced warning system' I would not even think about driving. Think about the lives that are at risk. I am also in a small town, limited bussing, unemployed, limited social life. I have had 3 seizures while driving, 2 of em I pulled over and called somebody before the seizure. And the one I didn't pull over for? Completely totaled the vehicle, split the back of my head open, broke ribs, fractured and broke a vertebrae, sprained everything else. Kinda fucked-up, but I felt it coming on for about a minute or more and just kept going. Oops! Happy to say no one else was hurt.   

If you don't have 'auras' or seizure premonitions, I don't know whether I could honestly endorse you ever getting behind the wheel again. Pharmaceuticals are great until you have a break-through seizure. If I didn't have this 'advanced warning system' I would not even think about driving. Think about the lives that are at risk. I am also in a small town, limited bussing, unemployed, limited social life. I have had 3 seizures while driving, 2 of em I pulled over and called somebody before the seizure. And the one I didn't pull over for? Completely totaled the vehicle, split the back of my head open, broke ribs, fractured and broke a vertebrae, sprained everything else. Kinda fucked-up, but I felt it coming on for about a minute or more and just kept going. Oops! Happy to say no one else was hurt.   

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