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Question I think...I hate figuring out titles

Tue, 01/17/2006 - 01:25
Hi Everyone, You know as odd as this may sound I never noticed most of what my doctors call seizures before. My EEG showed TLE, my MRI showed brain damage in the back of my brain where the visual area is (sorry I can't remember what it was called), apparently the two problematic areas combine and hence the variety of seizures I get. My doctors put me on 1200mg of trileptal, I figured since the seizures never greatly bothered me before that while on medication they'd be nonexistent. I think I might have figured wrong. I am driving, myself on and never with anyone else in the car. I work third shift and unfortunately, there's no one to drive me to work and I need to work. Since I was diagnosed I've become very cautious in my driving. But lately I've had a few close calls because something happens to me. I don't even know if these would be considered seizures. I'll be driving and all of a sudden I get hit with a wave of tiredness, my eyes jump all over the place(or feel like it) I have trouble seeing the road, trouble seeing any and I black out. These episodes are never long, I usually come to again in time to keep from hitting anything (although last week I ended up off the road and in the middle of a field, that god for fields). I know I'm going to have to tell my doctor, but I wasn't sure which doctor to tell. Anyone else ever have anything similar happen? I changed from second to third shift a week ago, could this be messing with my head? Is this a neurologist or regular doctor issues? I know I have to talk to my neurologist anyways because I have been having auras alot lately, rooms changing color on me and getting fuzzy. People talking to me sound like they're really far away. Zoning out. That type of deal. Thanks all. Sorry that was so long.

Comments

Re: Question I think...I hate figuring out titles

Submitted by txrhb1 on Tue, 2006-01-17 - 11:43
Hi Gina, Like you, I never really noticed, or understood, the incidents that my doctors finally diagnosed as seizures. I also have TLE, on the right side, with damage to the hippocampus. The first thing I absolutely urge you to do is to STOP DRIVING. I know you only have yourself in the car, but what if you have an accident and something happens to you, or to one of the thousands of other people on the road at the same time as you? Last week you could have ended up in another lane of traffic instead of a field. Please, you must stop taking such dangerous chances. The episodes you are experiencing driving sound like seizures to me. You need to contact your neurologist immediately, and let them know what is going on. Best wishes, Barbie *************************************** "We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can fly only by embracing each other." -lucian de crescenzo

Re: Re: Question I think...I hate figuring out titles

Submitted by Gina Marie on Thu, 2006-01-26 - 00:11
Thank you for your replies. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand you all are right, driving has become dangerous, I keep having episodes and tonight came to just before I hit a telephone pole. I know it's definately not sleep deprivation, I'm sleeping more now than I every did on either first or second shift. I'm not sure what is triggering this, I remember it happening a few times over the years, but now it seems to be happening more often. Because I work about an hour from home in the middle of nowhere basically, getting friends and family to drive me just isn't possible. Losing my job though would be bad too because my insurance is through this job. So not being able to drive to work...well it'd be a bad thing, but then again so would hitting some innocent person. This is so frustrating!

Re: Re: Re: Question I think...I hate figuring out titles

Submitted by tamme on Thu, 2006-01-26 - 11:25
Gina Marie, You know I haven't driven in 2 years. I still have my license. But my doc told me I shouldn't drive. Not that I listened to him right away. I would jump into my car and drive to the store. But why take that chance. I hard asking people for a ride here and there. But it's better than having a seizure and killing someone or myself. So, please think about it before you get behimd the wheel. Keep In Touch, Tamme

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