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Seizure While Driving

Sat, 01/10/2009 - 00:00

I am 17 years old and about 2 years ago I was diagnosed with JME. On New Years I spent the night at my friends house and got only 2 hours of sleep. I didn't take my medicine that night (Keppra + Lamictal), or the next morning. As I left her house (only minutes after waking up) and began walking to my car I had a few blackouts and even shook a little. This happens to me if I don't take my medicine/don't get enought sleep but I didn't think of it as a big deal. I was just thinking about getting home and going to bed.

As I drove home, which was only 5 minutes away, I felt a little tired but that was all.  That was the last thing I remember because the next thing I know I was being pulled out of my car onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. I immediately knew I had one of my grandmal seizures. I was so confused, and so scared. Later I learned that I had a seizure, run off the road and crashed into a light pole going 45 MPH. My car was completely totalled but I thankfully was fine and was left with only a few bruises. I'm not able to drive for a while (and being 17 that feels like it's the worst thing in the world), but I understand that I should not be allowed behind the wheel of a car right now. I had been seizure free for about 6-8 months before the accident. This past week has been so hard for me and my family but I'm trying my hardest to move on. Anyway.... I am just wondering if anyone else has ever had a seizure while driving?

Comments

Re: Seizure While Driving

Submitted by seakats on Sat, 2009-01-10 - 01:20

Man, are you lucky that you survived and that you didn't kill or injure anyone else.  I have temporal lobe epilepsy and can't drive because my seizures just have not been controlled enough.  I'm still searching for the right medication.  I wouldn't dream of driving until they are under control...I have complex and simple partial seizures.  I wasn't born with it--I had a traumatic brain injury when a drunk driver hit me at 45mph and slammed me into a utility pole and electrical box.  I spent two weeks in the hospital (one of which was in ICU). 

I won't lecture you about taking your medication.  I'm sure you've heard that plenty, both from others and yourself.  I hate being lectured.  I get it all the time from my parents and husband and I know they mean well.  But I will say this.  One of the most irritating, frustrating, and sucky things about having epilepsy is the fact that you can't deviate from your routine.  You can't stay up late and not expect it to effect you because it will.  Tiredness is one of my worst triggers.  Not getting enough to eat or drink will effect your system as well.  Brain chemistry, metabolism, you name it, everything effects E.  I really hate having to go to bed before midnight on New Years Eve, sleeping in on Christmas, it does restrict your life to an extent.  But the bottom line is this:  Take care of yourself.  After all, there's only one you!

 Now to your question of having a seizure while driving...  I'm sure you know that there's a time limit after your last seizure as to when you can drive (it varies state-to-state).  I'm sure you feel like not driving is the worst thing in the world right now.  I certainly felt that way when I was told I couldn't drive.  But there are worse things in life.  Like what?  Hmmmm....  Imagine there was someone walking near that light pole you hit who was killed.  THAT would have been worse.  Or imagine a young couple with their year old child coming home from someone's house and you crashed into their car instead, instantly killing the mother.  Or crippling the father for life.  That would be worse too!  See, this is what helped me decide that my desire to drive wasn't nearly as important as others' right to drive safely.  I would be no better than that drunk driver that impacted me if I chose to ignore my doctor's warnings.  

I'm not trying to lecture, nor am I unsympathetic...that accident was horrific, I'm sure.  I just feel that I must tell you that there are many, many of us out there that don't drive because of events like what you have been through.  There are those that do.  It is a matter of personal choice, safety, and necessity.  The other thing I must tell you is, if you feel those signs, like blacking out, dizziness, shaking, you know, the preseizure signs, tell someone (anyone!) and get a ride home.  It doesn't mean you're less of a person, it means that you are showing responsibility for yourself (and others by not driving).  Or call home and have a roommate, parents, whoever, pick you up.  Very important.  Please take care of yourself!

So put yourself first.  Eat right, sleep right, take those thousands of pills (I know I take enough to rattle), and make sure that if and when you do decide to drive again that you are 100% every time you get behind the wheel.  Please take care of yourself and I hope that you've recovered well!

Man, are you lucky that you survived and that you didn't kill or injure anyone else.  I have temporal lobe epilepsy and can't drive because my seizures just have not been controlled enough.  I'm still searching for the right medication.  I wouldn't dream of driving until they are under control...I have complex and simple partial seizures.  I wasn't born with it--I had a traumatic brain injury when a drunk driver hit me at 45mph and slammed me into a utility pole and electrical box.  I spent two weeks in the hospital (one of which was in ICU). 

I won't lecture you about taking your medication.  I'm sure you've heard that plenty, both from others and yourself.  I hate being lectured.  I get it all the time from my parents and husband and I know they mean well.  But I will say this.  One of the most irritating, frustrating, and sucky things about having epilepsy is the fact that you can't deviate from your routine.  You can't stay up late and not expect it to effect you because it will.  Tiredness is one of my worst triggers.  Not getting enough to eat or drink will effect your system as well.  Brain chemistry, metabolism, you name it, everything effects E.  I really hate having to go to bed before midnight on New Years Eve, sleeping in on Christmas, it does restrict your life to an extent.  But the bottom line is this:  Take care of yourself.  After all, there's only one you!

 Now to your question of having a seizure while driving...  I'm sure you know that there's a time limit after your last seizure as to when you can drive (it varies state-to-state).  I'm sure you feel like not driving is the worst thing in the world right now.  I certainly felt that way when I was told I couldn't drive.  But there are worse things in life.  Like what?  Hmmmm....  Imagine there was someone walking near that light pole you hit who was killed.  THAT would have been worse.  Or imagine a young couple with their year old child coming home from someone's house and you crashed into their car instead, instantly killing the mother.  Or crippling the father for life.  That would be worse too!  See, this is what helped me decide that my desire to drive wasn't nearly as important as others' right to drive safely.  I would be no better than that drunk driver that impacted me if I chose to ignore my doctor's warnings.  

I'm not trying to lecture, nor am I unsympathetic...that accident was horrific, I'm sure.  I just feel that I must tell you that there are many, many of us out there that don't drive because of events like what you have been through.  There are those that do.  It is a matter of personal choice, safety, and necessity.  The other thing I must tell you is, if you feel those signs, like blacking out, dizziness, shaking, you know, the preseizure signs, tell someone (anyone!) and get a ride home.  It doesn't mean you're less of a person, it means that you are showing responsibility for yourself (and others by not driving).  Or call home and have a roommate, parents, whoever, pick you up.  Very important.  Please take care of yourself!

So put yourself first.  Eat right, sleep right, take those thousands of pills (I know I take enough to rattle), and make sure that if and when you do decide to drive again that you are 100% every time you get behind the wheel.  Please take care of yourself and I hope that you've recovered well!

Re: Seizure While Driving

Submitted by kayzak on Sat, 2009-01-10 - 03:01

 

I've not seized while driving, but twice it's been close. In Feb. 1992, over 2 years after my previous grand mal and 1 month after my neuro released me and told me I'd probably never have another, I had a stretch of 12 - 14 hour days at work, followed by 10 hour days with my Reserve unit. I drove our vehicle out to a work site. On the way home, I had another guy drive. All of a sudden the cars I was watching through the windshield were both coming at us and going away from us at the same time. Next thing I knew I was at a hospital talking to my then wife and my sister. It had taken them 2 hours to get to the hospital. I was supposed to be driving, but had forced the issue because of being tired. Side note: I had to pay the medical expenses for an illness that happened on reserve duty because it was considered a pre existing condition. With in just a few days, I was on Dilantin. The next close call was Christmas Eve 2008. After nearly 17 years of being seizure free, I got sloppy on getting my meds refilled. I would remember on my way to work and, because it would make me late, decide to "refill it tomorrow". Christmas Eve I met my sisters and my fiance for breakfast. Afterwards, I went and finally got the meds refilled (only 8 days late) and swallowed a day's worth in pharmacy's parking lot. My fiance met me at my apartment and drove me to a book store to begin my Christmas shopping. I started having visions at the store. My sweetie is an ICU nurse, so when I went down, she took care of me both at the store and later at the E.R (which happened to be the hospital where she works (nothing gets you in the dog house like screwing up and making your S.O. work for free tending to you).

Anyhow, the point of this is you can't screw around with sleep and meds. My M.D.s haven't lectured me or even rolled their eyes at me, but they both have made sure to explain just how lucky I and the motoring public were.  My kids (2 teen agers), however, have been less forgiving.

 

I've not seized while driving, but twice it's been close. In Feb. 1992, over 2 years after my previous grand mal and 1 month after my neuro released me and told me I'd probably never have another, I had a stretch of 12 - 14 hour days at work, followed by 10 hour days with my Reserve unit. I drove our vehicle out to a work site. On the way home, I had another guy drive. All of a sudden the cars I was watching through the windshield were both coming at us and going away from us at the same time. Next thing I knew I was at a hospital talking to my then wife and my sister. It had taken them 2 hours to get to the hospital. I was supposed to be driving, but had forced the issue because of being tired. Side note: I had to pay the medical expenses for an illness that happened on reserve duty because it was considered a pre existing condition. With in just a few days, I was on Dilantin. The next close call was Christmas Eve 2008. After nearly 17 years of being seizure free, I got sloppy on getting my meds refilled. I would remember on my way to work and, because it would make me late, decide to "refill it tomorrow". Christmas Eve I met my sisters and my fiance for breakfast. Afterwards, I went and finally got the meds refilled (only 8 days late) and swallowed a day's worth in pharmacy's parking lot. My fiance met me at my apartment and drove me to a book store to begin my Christmas shopping. I started having visions at the store. My sweetie is an ICU nurse, so when I went down, she took care of me both at the store and later at the E.R (which happened to be the hospital where she works (nothing gets you in the dog house like screwing up and making your S.O. work for free tending to you).

Anyhow, the point of this is you can't screw around with sleep and meds. My M.D.s haven't lectured me or even rolled their eyes at me, but they both have made sure to explain just how lucky I and the motoring public were.  My kids (2 teen agers), however, have been less forgiving.

Re: Seizure While Driving

Submitted by gwen57 on Mon, 2009-03-02 - 13:28
I have nocturnal seizures while sleeping, and have been seizure free for almost 5 years.  I have always had my drivers license.  I live in Texas, and have not been reported to the DMV by anyone.  I am a little astonished at the reaction people have to me when they find out I have a seizure disorder, and they ask why I drive.  I have been driving for about 35 years now, and have had zero accidents attributed to a seizure.  So my question to those individuals is, do you feel safer with me on the road, or the active drug addicts and alcoholics?  How about the illegals here from Mexico who live in "Sanctuary" cities and do not have to account for car accidents, a license, or car insurance.  They come from a country where it is not illegal to imbibe and drive.  To this day I have not had a doctor tell me not to drive.  Just a few thoughts on and off the subject.

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