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TLE/Mesial Temporal Sclerosis - Trouble with Relationships?
Wed, 03/25/2015 - 19:41hey all i'm new here!
I've been diagnosed with MTS since my second seizure when I was 20, about 6 years ago. In these years I've had varying degrees of success, limiting seizures to 4 or less in a year (high score: seizure free for just over 1 year!) using a medication (vimpat currently) and cannabis.
One thing I've noticed in myself, and I'm wondering if anyone else out there experiences this, is an inability to emotionally connect with partners/potential partners. Now of course there are so many factors that could be causing this kind of feeling (medication, psychological), but the reason I ask is because of the link between the temporal lobe and emotions, the fact that I have scarring in there might be having an effect on my emotional states?
Some details;
- I don't feel I have ever been in love with a partner. I've only called one person my girlfriend, in all my relationships (few), and I never actually felt I truly loved her. Even when a seemingly "perfect" match comes into my life, after several months, there's nothing there.
- I cannot confidently say I've fallen in love. Now I do love my parents, siblings and family, and friends. I have extremely healthy relationships with all of them! But with relationships I don't feel it, and then I lose that person.
So I guess a broader question would be, have any of you with MTS and/or TLE experience something similar, or any effect on emotional states or otherwise?
sorry to ramble on!
I know where you are. I have
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2015-03-26 - 19:53
I know where you are. I have had two brain surgeries myself with one on the left temporal side. After a head injury and those surgeries i began to withdraw from others. I know part of it was because of not wanting to embarrass myself (at beginning gran-mals out of control) but some of it was because of the removal of that area. I became more angry (at GOD) and less emotional than i have ever been. I still got into relationships over time but i was willing to take just about anybody who would get over my epilepsy. Most of those people didn't love me. At that time i was a nurse who even though i didn't drive i was still able to keep my job and made plenty of money. A situation changed and the income decreased and seizures continued. No true love remained for years. I now take vimpat but with aptiom and trokendi xr. I have been seizure free for 8 months and just brought a truck. I am married now with someone who loves and accepted all of me. The seizures, the times i still disconnect but things are on the increase. I do love him. If you feel you get attacked in your mind about love (i love the person but not in love with them) this happened to me for years. I was used to so many things but i am a trustworthy person of GOD. If he allowed something to happened to me "all things work for my good". So i am thankful for this husband. One time he came home just in time as i was choking on my back from a grand-mal seizure. We will be celebrating our 3 year anniversary in 2 weeks and 5 years together. Keep the faith that love is out there for you. grace and peace.