surgery? or not.

Gee Lisa.. re: "But you said you went seizure free for 11 months. You need to really think of what is happening before you make another decision." I'd tried every temporal lobe med since the 1950's and the first time I saw an epileptologist was the first time that I was ever controlled (in 36 years). Next I was seizure free for over 10 years! Then, out of the blue, I had 2 extrememely-short deja vu moments (I had no idea were seizures as I'd never had any before in my entire life of simple and complex partials) My seizure control was lost due to the fact that it is common for people to develop a tolerance to the work of AEDs. Such a situation isn't necessarily the result of anything 'done by the patient' as you infer. Having been controlled, I realized for the first time what most take for granted. Plus I'd developed osteoporosis (from being small boned & taking AEDs all my life) so I wanted to get off the drugs that worked against my osteoporosis drug. I opted to be tested for an operation. I passsed the tests and had surgery last January 12th. When I saw the surgeon in March, I learned that I had had ganglioglioma .. a rare, benign, slow-growing tumor that caused my lifetime of epilepsy. http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site938/mainpageS938P0.html Had I never been controlled I would never have been so adamant about surgery as "you can't miss a thing you never had", and even the surgeon was taken by surprise as the tumor was discovered during the surgery and not before. True, surgery doesn't always work. However I would suggest the risk is definitely worth it. The majority it works on. On some it isn't perfect but they are altered enough to be controlled with drugs. And, on a small % it has no effect. Jackie & Mary, I'd suggest you ladies take the tests and see if all is a 'go' (only 1/2 those that are tested qualify)... Then, if you aren't willing you can always opt out. I'm extremely glad I had surgery..it's been almost 4 months and I've had no seizures. Two months ago the surgeon told me he didn't expect me to seize ever again as he'd taken out the tumor. (But, after a lifetime of disappointment, I'll wait until I'm controlled for 'at the very least' 6 months, before I allow myself to become elated) ~sol

Sean, thank you for your imput. the thought of someone inside my head scares me so much i start crying and have to think about something else. i know i have to start dealing with it. my friends and family say whatever it takes, but it doesn't mean as much when they can't relate. i say that but in reality they see me and what it does. i know there is always risks. i am on the road from getting my daughter from college in montana, and taking the long way home to michigan, so i haven't been on line in a week or i would have responsed to your comment. what do the doctors say the success rate is? do you feel it has changed your personality or outlook on life in a negative way? thank you so much for talking to me. jackie