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quality of life after surgery
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 19:02Hi
I'm a surgical candidate. I've had seizure for 28 years and tried many meds. I've always been reluctant about surgery, but there seems to be a lot of articles lately about how surgery is an underused option and how successful it can be. So in March I finally agreed to go through the testing. I've had a VEEG, MRI. I have a 50-60% chance of seizure freedom and a 90% chance of reduced seizures. I have a big decision to make about having the surgery at all. This all transpired in the last 4 months, I haven't even had a second opinion.
But my question is about quality of life. I know many people become seizure free and that's great, but once you get accostomed to not having seizures, does it really make all that much difference? Are you happier? My seizures are a nuisance, true, but there are alot of other nuisances in life. If I stopped having seizures I'd still have all the other problems of life. After all most people never have seizures and most people still have stress.
glorianna
Comments
Re: quality of life after surgery
Submitted by tonialpha on Mon, 2012-07-09 - 08:12
Find out where your seizure focus is.
I never knew. I had my first surgery when I was in college and I prayed I would be free of seizures. It was better but I found out in 1976. When the MRI was not being used that they did not find my seizure focus. They felt it was in my speech or Weirnekes area.
The Neurologist felt my seizures where better but my recall wasn't the same. I went back to college in 5 months. My grades were a little harder and I changed my major. He suggested getting a job because he felt I was intelligent. I became a Neurodiagnostic Technician. I worked at a University setting for 20 years. He noted I was having different seizures where I was hugging. I had new auras too. He had an MRI and suggested another surgery. I did that. I then got engaged. My husband to be said do it. I did have the 2nd. We have a 20 year old and a teenager very healthy.
We moved to the East Coast and I still having seizures and the last MRI noted my abnormality was from a birth defect and the surgeries I had earlier were close but were in the lobes. My abnormality was in the ventricle below the lobe. That is why my seizures have never been able to be under control.
That is why I tell you in honest truth to find out where the abnormality is. I was told it will improve but never got rid of your seizures in the past. I should of been patient and waited for the right time. This is my own opinion coming from heart. I have had good caring doctors. I should of been patient and waited!
Find out where your seizure focus is.
I never knew. I had my first surgery when I was in college and I prayed I would be free of seizures. It was better but I found out in 1976. When the MRI was not being used that they did not find my seizure focus. They felt it was in my speech or Weirnekes area.
The Neurologist felt my seizures where better but my recall wasn't the same. I went back to college in 5 months. My grades were a little harder and I changed my major. He suggested getting a job because he felt I was intelligent. I became a Neurodiagnostic Technician. I worked at a University setting for 20 years. He noted I was having different seizures where I was hugging. I had new auras too. He had an MRI and suggested another surgery. I did that. I then got engaged. My husband to be said do it. I did have the 2nd. We have a 20 year old and a teenager very healthy.
We moved to the East Coast and I still having seizures and the last MRI noted my abnormality was from a birth defect and the surgeries I had earlier were close but were in the lobes. My abnormality was in the ventricle below the lobe. That is why my seizures have never been able to be under control.
That is why I tell you in honest truth to find out where the abnormality is. I was told it will improve but never got rid of your seizures in the past. I should of been patient and waited for the right time. This is my own opinion coming from heart. I have had good caring doctors. I should of been patient and waited!
Re: quality of life after surgery
Submitted by Chrissyml on Sat, 2012-07-07 - 22:50
Hi glorianna. I've been posting here for several years and have not had surgery,though I am a candidate. A number of people have posted on here--you can go back through the various discussions--about how they've ended up having two or three surgeries and still have seizures and still need medication.Many people have also posted about memory loss after surgery.Some people also say they develop different kinds of seizures after surgery. Here is one of the discussions: http://my.epilepsy.com/discussion/980781 I work full-time and do pretty much everything I'd like to and so surgery isn't a risk I'm willing to take.