Driving and grand mals w/ no aura

Hi.. Firstly, know you have my admiration for not driving uncontrolled and my understanding re: not driving immediately. If controlled, you are able to drive but you likely realize that there is a psychological side to seizures also. The only advice I can give is my true experience in the hope that if/when driving you know what I didn't; so, should what happened to me occur, you don't experience the same results. I had E (simple & mostly complex partials) since I was a very young child and was never completely controlled until approx 13 years ago. It took me several years after beging legally able to drive to get past the psychological failure to trust myself, but I made it and began driving regularly after I'd been controlled for approx 4-5 years. Shortly after being controlled for about TEN years, I had the oddest feeling. While in my own home, for just a second, I had no idea where I was. I had this strange sensation twice.. approx 2 months apart. Yet, as I had never had a 'jamais vu' simple partial (and had never read about them) I didn't correlate the odd feelings with possible seizures & kept driving. I also knew zero about possibly developing a 'tolerance' to meds = another reason I never associated those strange feelings with possible seizures. Two months later, I had a complex partial while driving (I was very, very lucky not to have been killed or killed anyone else). When this happened, I drove through a stop sign, accross the busiest street in my subdivision, and crashed into a garage.. destroying the car in the process. Even then I was not aware I had had a seizure until I was told I'd had one in my kitchen a couple of days later. That is what made me realize what had caused the accident. My advice: Go for driving! Don't not life your life due to fear. BUT, read about other seizure types so you can realize if you should EVER get any new strange feelings that it 'could' be E and get yourself checked out immediately. After my accident I also learned that deveoping a tolerance to AEDs is not uncommon. (No, it doesn't happen to all.) Had I had known about that possibility, again chances are good I would have at least inquired about my strange feelings. Also, the chances of developing a tolerance are highest with meds that are benzodiazepines, and the med that got me controlled was from that group. Your physician is correct. There are people with many types of medical problems that 'could' cause harm, driving. That does NOT mean they will. Also, there are people with NO medical problems that are in accidents every day..so just as you have E, if you are controlled, don't avoid driving. Just be cautious. Know I wish you the best of luck and congrats on becoming controlled, ~sol

I also would like to congratulate you for not driving for such a lengthy period of time. It sounds like you are doing quite well. You did not state how you have been able to go 2.5 years without a seizure, whether you have accomplished this strictly through drugs or if through other means. I have been the recipient of tonic/clonic seizures, on an intermittent basis, but I have auras virtually all the time. I also have lots of side effects from the Keppra. I am looking into VNS because I just cannot see myself taking more and more drugs. It sounds like you are ready to begin driving again. I wish you the very best.