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New
Sat, 03/30/2013 - 15:28Hi! I am new here and new to epilepsy and really struggling. I'm struggling with the loss of independence, the loss of my life as I knew it, and the fear and anxiety of the unknown. I never had a seizure in my entire life until two weeks ago. I was driving home from college and had an episode. I sort of lost awareness of what I was doing, kept driving and accidentally accelerated to 55 in a 35. I was completely foolish and stupid and didn't go to a doctor or hospital. I was dizzy, had a headache and lingering confusion afterwards. Then this past Monday, I had another episode at school. I don't remember much about it, except I woke up on the floor. According to witnesses I was mumbling, and fidgeting before and then went down into a full out gran-mal. I went to the ER then to a neuro. I had a CT, MRI and EEG. The diagnosis was adult-onset epilepsy, specifically complex-partial, secondarily-generalized seizures originating in my temporal lobe. I've been put on tripletal and am so terrified!
Re: New
Submitted by ephyk on Wed, 2013-05-15 - 19:22
Hi, and welcome! I've had epilepsy since babyhood, but was pretty much in denial about it until the last 8 years or so...I'm 38. It's definitely an adjustment to work through as an adult.
As time goes on, I've had to accept that I can't do everything like I thought I could. Over the last year or so, I stopped driving (luckily I can commute to work on the bus). That's been the biggest adjustment, but I just can't bear the thought of creating an accident that clearly could have been prevented.
I've had to admit to myself that having a seizure is a bigger deal than I've considered it. I used to just experience them and move on with my day, but now I'll leave work when one comes through. I'll stay home if I have one upon waking. I'll let my neurologist know. I can't drive. I can't go hiking by myself. I wear a medical ID bracelet. I constantly suffer from tip-of-the-tongue syndrome.
This isn't trying to scare you...but to let you know life didn't stop despite all of these adjustments. I got married, and we went to Waikiki for our honeymoon (where I did do some drinking, I have to admit). I have a FT career plus a business I own on the side. I've learned to take good notes so the memory isn't so troublesome. My husband is in a band and I run the light show. We're going to see some live music tomorrow. Most of the people I know have no idea that I have epilepsy, it doesn't define who I am.
Hi, and welcome! I've had epilepsy since babyhood, but was pretty much in denial about it until the last 8 years or so...I'm 38. It's definitely an adjustment to work through as an adult.
As time goes on, I've had to accept that I can't do everything like I thought I could. Over the last year or so, I stopped driving (luckily I can commute to work on the bus). That's been the biggest adjustment, but I just can't bear the thought of creating an accident that clearly could have been prevented.
I've had to admit to myself that having a seizure is a bigger deal than I've considered it. I used to just experience them and move on with my day, but now I'll leave work when one comes through. I'll stay home if I have one upon waking. I'll let my neurologist know. I can't drive. I can't go hiking by myself. I wear a medical ID bracelet. I constantly suffer from tip-of-the-tongue syndrome.
This isn't trying to scare you...but to let you know life didn't stop despite all of these adjustments. I got married, and we went to Waikiki for our honeymoon (where I did do some drinking, I have to admit). I have a FT career plus a business I own on the side. I've learned to take good notes so the memory isn't so troublesome. My husband is in a band and I run the light show. We're going to see some live music tomorrow. Most of the people I know have no idea that I have epilepsy, it doesn't define who I am.