I need your help! Seizures and Driving in Michigan

Re: I need your help! Seizures and Driving in Michigan

Submitted by IBGECKO on Sat, 2007-03-24 - 19:14

Brad, I'm sorry to hear about your seizure. First, some epilepsy 101: You can be tested to see if you had a seizure. This would be an EEG, that reads seizure activity in the brain. The definition of epilepsy is anyone that has had a series of seizures, that may or may not be controlled with medication. Sometimes they know what causes the seizures (head injury, or in my case, scar tissue from surgery), and quite often there is no known cause for the recurrent seizures. Some doctors like to refer to epilepsy as a "seizure disorder", because it sounds less ominous, but they are the same thing. There is no "epilepsy" test. Only EEG's, and our own diligence in keeping track of anything out of the ordinary. Seizures can be very subtle. I was having them for months, and had no idea they were seizures at all, until one generalized, and landed me in the hospital for 4 days, where I was officially diagnosed. You will have to look up your state's rules as far as driving after a seizure goes. In most states, it is the law that your doctor report the episode to the DMV if you had a lapse of consciousness. If your doctor did report it to the DMV, you should be getting paperwork from the DMV 4-6 weeks after it was reported, advising you of what actions they want to take. I did not drive at all until I got my paperwork. I was put under medical re-evaluation, with full driving priviledges as long as I took my medication. I then had to retake the actual driving (not the written) exam and the eye exam, and once I had passed both, I got a letter stating that they would not be taking any action, and closing the file. There are links on this site, as well as Epilepsy.com that give info on state driving regulations. Bear in mind that if you have another seizure, be it Simple Partial or Grand Mal, you in all likelihood are epileptic. Lack of sleep and caffeine could be triggers, that you should be aware of. Karen 40 years old, dx'd with simple partial seizures from scar tissue on 9/26/06. Married 16 years, mother to Connor, 12 (Asperger's, ADD, Learning Disabilities) and Raymie, 5, bossy little princess.