New - Are my seizures really that serious?
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UPDATED: Wed, 02/20/2008 - 12:37pm
nik
Simple partial seizures and driving
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Do simple partial seizures automatically restrict you from driving? What's your experience with this?
I had a couple tonic-clonic seizures, the first of which was about a year ago. I've been on medication since then, and have not had another t-c seizure. However, I have had some infrequent (fewer than one per month) simple partial seizures, which are pretty minor in effect. (I have difficulty understanding words for a few minutes)
I used to get these partials daily or even multiple times each day, although I didn't recognize them for what they were until I had the t-c seizures. During that time, I drove, operated heavy machinery, etc. without any difficulty.
Now, my neurologist wants me to avoid driving until those minor seizures go away, even though they don't affect my driving ability at all.
Is this typical? Do any of you folks with simple seizures have to avoid driving, or does your neurologist give you the green light to drive if the symptoms don't affect your motor skills or general perceptions?
The reason I ask is that I have a job offer on the table, but it requires that I commute daily. If I can't show up at the office, I may lose the offer. (I'm not sure if working from home is considered reasonable accomodation per the ADA -- I suspect it might, as the company is MOSTLY at one site, but they have a few off-site workers in sales)
By nik at Wed, 02/20/2008 - 12:37pm | 331 views | 43 comments
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Recent Comments on this Discussion
Most states require you not to have any kind of seizure activity for at least 6 months beofer receiving a DL, no matter how small they may be.
I myself had not been able to get a drivers license from 1984-2006. The only reason I have a drivers license now is due to the fact I started having nocturnal seizures. My mother's health is not good so I started looking back in my seizure diary and discovered I began having nocturnal seizures in 1999. In 1984 I had a single car wreck due to a seizure without the aura, that is why I quit driving. I discussed with my father driving (he works overseas) and he immediately said yes. The only reason I wanted the license was to go to the stores, the night life I have no interest in. I hope you are thinking of others. Epilepsy is a tricky thing, just make sure you think of others before driving. I advise you to be seizure free during the day, but I am not your doctor, but I am one who has been an e since age 2. When I started taking felbatol and neurotin my seizures decided they would occur only while I am asleep. I now keep a video diary of my sleep patterns. I have a license to drive, but my truck might have 2000 miles on it and it is an 06 truck.
Good Luck, E_Loner
Well here is my story i first had a full blown seizure when i was pregant with my second daughter i had eclampsia(pregancy induce hypertenstion). That was in 2002 then in 2003 I had another seizure due to (viral menegitis) if spelled right lol.I was never put on medication because these situations cause you too have seizures.But after that last incident i started feeling like i was going crazy life was not real, scared all the time and forgetten things, studdering just thought it was stress. Until i went to the physciatrics I explained the symptoms which was in 2007. He said get an mri and catscan which i did and went back to him he didnot even get the results.
But stated that he believe i am having seizures i said your crazy and your crzy yourself because he had the window open and was shaking his head while i was talking to him. july 11,2008 i was food shopping with my daughter laughing pushing the cart and next thing i know i was in the ambulance blood dripping from my mouth and im dizzy i had a grandmal seizure for no apparent reason. This hopsital gave me dilantin, and lexapro which i have been taking for a month now. i went to my nuero and he told me the left side of my brain has scar tissue it could be from the mengitis because i have not had any trauma to my head before severe enough to cause this.
So i told him i was feeling better until the other day when i was driving with my daughter and son in the car i started to feel weird and was gonna pull over but in my mind usually these feeling wears off. All i know i was in the tree just got this new vehicle the whole front end damaged everybody was ok. Called my doctor and told them he said i also have obstructed sleep apnea from a previous test i took and he could have been because of lost of oxygen to my brain.
I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SINCE 2002 WITH NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IM LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS IT MUST BE GETTING WORSE NOW OR SOMETHING. Also i was on the train last week and knew where i was going because i took this route several times but for some reason i didnot know how to get back on the correct train i took three trains until i snapped out of it. i know this was a long story and i may have left some things out but i just want someone to hear and may be have some insite on this
GOD BLES
I am very sorry to hear about all of this. It sounds just plain awful, and yes, scary as well.
And as you can see from this thread, and elsewhere on the forums, you are not alone, and there are many good and supportive strangers who are eager to help you come to terms with what has happened.
I am sure no one is gladder than you that nobody has been seriously injured throughout all of this. With proper control (medical and otherwise) and care, I have full confidence that you and your loved ones can and will remain healthy and happy despite your seizures.
I encourage you to look around this site and get all the information you can. It may help you get some feeling of control and will make it much more productive to work with your physicians.
I wish you the very best,
Nik
I can't drive anymore at all. OMG does that suck. I've had to change careers and will probably have to move to a different city because of it. But even if my neurologist cleared me to drive again, I wouldn't do it, knowing what I know now. Here's the incident that got me to the neurologist in the first place: I was commuting to work on a residential bike boulevard. I woke up lying on somebody's lawn in my own vomit. Turns out, I had a SP followed quickly by an atonic seizure. That could've ended in tragedy for me and/or innocent people, since I ride alongside traffic the whole way. Imagine how much worse it could've been with a car! There's just no way I'll take that risk, even if the risk is very small. I'm not here to judge other peoples' driving/biking choices, just to share my cautionary tale.
Nik,
I checked your profile, looks like we have a lot in common (apart from being married, having kids, and a career, and little stuff like that). I have never had a drivers license. Although I'm no longer able, when my epilepsy was better, I did commute by bicycle.
If I were you I definitely would not drive. Even IF your light seizures really do not interfere with your driving (you might not be able to tell while you are having a seizure whether or not you are ok) there is always the possiblity of it getting worse. You never know when your simples might develop and make you loose conciousness or become incapable of controll, and there is the possiblity that your simples could develop into a tonic-clonic. Just because your seizures have not changed does not mean they won't. They can and do. If you wrecked, you could get way messed up or killed, you could take somebody out with you, and you have a family.
I know full well what it means not driving. You may have to balance risks against benefits, but if you are doing well now and are staying off the road, it might be a good idea to keep doing what you are doing now.
I used to be able to cycle ok, but it started giving me seizures a while ago, so I am waiting for some improvement.
I had a several come on while I was riding, but haven't gotten hurt. One was in CO where there were no cars around (although I almost fell off the bike), I had a few in town in VA, which were also ok, the last time however was on a main road in Boston. I was glad to be in the right lane, and got off just in time. If I had been in the left lane going fast in bumper to bumper, at night (as I was a few minutes earlier) I might have been squished. I wasn't out joy riding, or trying to be a hot shot bike messenger, I was just trying to get to church.
- Matthew
Thanks for the input on bicycling. That's honestly something I've barely even considered.
I did a little biking in the summer (which was pretty shortly after my t-c's) simply because I was going positively stir crazy at the time. I totally stayed off the road, for obvious reasons, and stuck to the many nice bike trails in town. Sure, I risked a crash, but I've had my share of those mountain biking, so I didn't figure it'd be any worse than that.
Exercising when you have a high risk of seizures seems like a tricky thing. I've found exercise to be the best preventative for my seizures, but early on I was really nervous about bonking out when I was far away from home.
A psychologist I was seeing shortly after my first two seizures told me a terrible story about a fellow who did exactly that and got picked up by the police and thrown into the drunk tank. He was apparently acting unsteady and belligerent in his post-ictal state.
Wow, I had no idea this thread would trigger so many responses (and emotions), but I'm so glad it did.
I really think that there should be some sort of professional emotional support provided for the people whose licenses have been suspended. In addition, free medical transportation should also be available, so they can get to their appts. Regardless of whether they are the sole provider for the family or the mom just trying to juggle her family's needs, much support is needed and should be addressed.
Thanks for sharing your stories, they were really touching. Would love to hear other's experiences as well.
I understand what you are saying. My seizures were controlled for several years. Then I started having them either before or after sleeping. So I continued driving thinking it's not bad. Then one day I fealt one coming on.
Thankfully I had gotten off the freeway early and took city streets. I was in the left lane of 4 when I fealt it come on. I tried to pull off the road on the right and by that time I was completely unconcious.
Thankfully I ended up in a field, past a huge wooden sign, between 4 trees. Two on each side. Thankfully noone was hurt! I had a 4 door and could only get out one of the back doors. Once again nobody was hurt before or after the accident.
My car was only 11 months old and completely totalled. It also saved my life, being buckled up. I haven't driven since. It's been 14 years.
I understand what you're saying. I just wanted to tell you what happened to me, because it could happen to you, and maybe not that lucky.
After that I took public transit - 2 hours compared to 1 hour by car to work each way. That was only 35 miles each way.
Good luck.....
Hi!
I am new to this group but your story struck a cord.
I lost my license for around 19months while my TLE was getting under control. I have been back driving for around 18months now but three days ago I had a mild episode. The doctor has asked me not to drive for 2 weeks to ensure it was a one-off.
I am now petrified to drive again (i wrote off a car a few years ago because of a blackout - before my TLE was diagnosed and know just how quickly these things can happen). I am trying hard to decide whether I will go back to driving again even if I get the all clear from the doc.
My family (wife and three kids) really heavily on me for driving and income and any descision not to drive is going to have life changing effcts. What to do?????????
I am also now getting treatment for depression and anxiety and wonder where this is all going to stop.
I really wonder whether the risk, no matter how small, is worth it.
I know I am goning to feel broken if I give away the driving but I know I won't survive if I injure someone I love, or an innocent bi-stander.
Peter,
It really is life-alterating when a license is taken away - especially when you are the provider for the family. I was only without my license for 6 months, and once I got the all-clear to drive, I was so happy, yet soooo scared. It has been a few months now, but the thought of having a seizure is always nipping in the back of my mind, even though I know I'm controlled with my meds. I guess as time passes, I will get more comfortable with my driving, but I drive so much slower now, so I have more reaction time - just in case I need it. Funny, I used to be a little speed demon, lol. Amazing the things we used to take for granted (such as driving) are no longer luxuries, but privileges. Has your doctor done an EEG on you recently? Has he made any adjustment to your seizure medications? I'm sure that your doctor will not let you drive if he feels you are not controlled. If he's only giving it two weeks, he's just being cautious.
Thanks for your comments. From day one none of the EEG's showed up anything. Apparently my TLE is so infrequent that we will be lucky for it to show up in the EEG's. They have confirmed epilepsy simply by my, and on-lookers descriptions of what happens, and that the siezures cleared up (or so we thought!) once on meds. I am on tegratol now after trying two others (kepra and another (the name escapes me now)). The level of tegratol is within range, so as far as they know all is well and this was a "break through" seizure. I should have pointed out that it was my GP and not my specialist who has advised two weeks. I am yet to seek advice from the specialist (waiting for my GP to refer me). I guess for me I am leaning towards not driving because the "break through" seizure came with no warning after so long without issue. My wife and I are working through the issues and hope to have made a descision before the two weeks are up. Saty tuned!!!!!!
Unlike you, I've never had a clear EEG, so you certainly have that as a positive on your side. Will definitely stay tuned to your updates. Please keep us all posted. Best of luck to you.
peter,
just so you know, you are not alone. it is very common with epilepsy to have depression and anxiety attacks. it can be caused by meds, brain activity or both. the best thing to do is let your neuro know if the meds they gave you work for you if not let him know so he can get you on a different antidepressant and a anxiety control pill like klonopin which also helps siezures. it doesnt hurt to talk to your neuro about this, i am sure he hears it all the time. my epilepy specialist is very familar with it and prescribed me meds that dont interfere with my other siezure drugs, topamax, lamictal, and the keppra i am slowly weaning off of.
antidepressants are like siezure meds, not all work for every one.
good luck and God bless,
banffgirl
life is fragile, handle with care.
Thanks for your input. So far my depression and anxiety are being treated only by counselling. I am due to see the GP shortly in regard to this and if he is not happy that I have made enough progress i will be put on meds (not looking forward to this - mainly because of the possible side-effects).
Just got to remember to thank God for the good days and for the support of those around me!
Peter,
I'm so sorry to hear that your having such a difficult time. I've been told not to drive just over 2wks ago and know how difficult it is when you have responsibilties. I luckily have a husband who works full time and can support our family during all this craziness and am currently out on disability. I'm sure your family wants only the best for youand your children need a father! so that being said I'm sure you will make the right decision. I know how depressing all this can be and how much it takes a toll on our personal lives. Be careful and safe and know you have support here in this forum.
Mary Beth
Thankyou for your input. I appreciate the counsel of those who have offered it.
At present I am the sole earner for our family. My wife looks after our children and we do not want her to go back to work until the youngest is at least four (3 1/2 years away). We were already thinking about selling the house to relocate to a quieter community (currently on the Gold Coast, Australia). I guess now we will be a lot more careful in choosing a home that is close to public transport and the like. You are right when you say my children need a father. Nothing compares to a complete family unit. I am certain that we can get through the obstacle of not driving, a small inconvenience compared to my wife bringing up the children on her own in the event of an accident!
All of this really makes me wish that there was generally more investment in public transit. Most places I've lived in didn't have any at all.
Where I am now, I can take the bus, but it takes as much as three times as long to get places on the bus as it would driving. (Heck, I can usually out-run the bus cycling at a leisurely pace!) Plus there's typically an hour delay between buses, so if you're late, you're out of luck.
I used to live in Olympia, WA, and there was a fantastic bus system there. It went EVERYWHERE and was on a 15-minute delay schedule on all the main routes and no more than half an hour elsewhere. (plus it ran late, until 1 AM on Friday and Saturday nights!) I didn't even buy a car until I got a job in Seattle and needed to make that trip a few times a week. I gotta say, I miss that.
I have simple partials as well but I don't lose conciousness, just get twitching in my left hand and tongue/jaw... I still drive but not if I feel like I'm having an "off" day, scares me too much. I don't know what I'd do if I hurt other people because of my choices. I think if driving is absolutely neccessary and seizures are not controlled then a discussion probably needs to be had with your Dr. to get better control over them (I know, easier said than done!). BTW: I recently started getting B12 shots to help with the SP seizures and it seems to help alot! Life with E is difficult...
I agree with a lot of what banffigril said.
But then again, some people only have simple partial seizures for their entire lives. Perhaps the only symptoms is some tingling. Should they give up driving? Also, some people only have nocturnal seizures for their entire lives. Should they give up driving as well?
Some people also have migraines that can cause total blackouts and they are allowed to drive.
People who are caught with a DUI are allowed to drive in most states. I think this should be changed. I think that if you are caught with a DUI, even if it just the first one, then you should not be allowed to drive for 6 months to a year.
For the most part, you should not drive if your seizures are not under control but I think that it might be reasonable to make some exceptions depending on the individual situation.
Greetings,
I'm a new to this site and this is my first post. Since driving is such a hot button topic and it is also the life blood for many of us I would like to pose the following idea.
Would someone please devise a device that could detect a seizure and immediatly stop the vehicle and turn the flashes on. GM at a recent car show displayed a vehicle that could drive itself. Why can't something be done to allow at least some E patients to drive with an elevated level of safety? This country put a man on the moon almost 40 years ago. I know some trains and trolleys require the operator to keep their foot on what is called a dead man switch while moving. In the event that something happens to the operator, the switch would be released and the train shuts down.
This is can be done and I know it can.
That would be a horrible idea. I would not like my car to suddenly stop in the middle of the freeway. That would be more dangerous than having a simple partial seizure while driving.
the laws that govern driving and siezures are different from state to state, in texas it is 1 yr siezure free, regardless of the type of siezure. even a very short abscence siezure could be the difference of life or death for you or some unsuspecting motorist on the road with you. the neuros and hospitals are required to inform the state. when i have ended up in the er after a seizure in public, it is stated on the hospital paperwork that they send home with you after treatment that it is reported to dmv. it has been almost 5 yrs since i have driven. according to my neuro that if you do have a siezure while driving, and it is in your medical records that you are not siezure free for the states alotted time, then you can be charged with manslaughter if you kill someone. the dmv considers it a crime to drive without being siezure free, and justly so. also your insurance company will deny any claims due to an accident since it will be impossible to prove you didnt have a siezure.
as to the other commets made to your posting. regardless of if it is a short distance or long distance makes no difference its a split second to cause an accident. also siezure timing can change from on day to the next with no warning, i was completely nocturnal with mine, then one to the next i had a tonic clonic siezure in the middle of the day. good rest the night before, so you cant count on it being just at going to sleep or waking up. as for comparing epilepsy to a heart attack, sorry but no way is it remotely similar or discrimatory. we have our abscence, partials, t/cs or what ever kind and it is a life long condition, you can be under control for a long time and poof! uncontrolable siezures. heart attack victims are not prone to turn around and have another heart attack. many people have 1, some have more later on down the line but just because you had 1 heart attack doesnt mean you will have another. seizures on the other hand are tricky, bleeding said the recovery rate is faster with a siezure, yes for that siezure but what about the one the next day or the ones next week , or a series of siezures the following month? driving is a privilege, if you have siezures stay off the road or one day you may have to lvie with the fact that you killed a family on the road with you, or then again you might just run off the road and kill yourself. also people with neuros who dont follow the state or provience laws on driving need to have their medical liscence taken away. bad drivers and seizure patients also can not be lumped together. bad drivers are just that, and the patrol officers love giving them tickets. we can control our actions and stay out from behind the wheel. there is nothing more scary than someone writing that their doc or they themselves say that if they get an aura to pull over. auras are normally short, it doesnt gaurantee you safe passage off the road. there was some other person who wrote about driving and seizures in response to a similar question. boy did it ever get a lot of people on that responsers case for being so irresponsible.
banffgirl
life is fragile, handle with prayer.
I don't intend to single anyone out on these boards, nor anybody in this thread. But boy, I've seen some incredibly passionate responses on the topic of driving. Some of these responses can scare the bejeezus out of a person, and even shame them publicly. (well, publicly in terms of these forums)
When I first came to these boards, shortly after my diagnosis, and read some of the posts about driving, I was terrified. When my neuro. gave me leave to drive, I had a seizure (a small one, thankfully) immediately after getting to my destination; triggered, I have no doubt, by my stress and worry over driving.
I recognize the need for caution where driving's concerned, and completely agree that someone should stay off the road until they're seizure-free for a substantial time and have the oversight of a competent physician.
When people share these frightening (and sometimes shaming) worst-case-scenarios, it could make a person feel worse about their epilepsy than she would otherwise. I think it's important that we all be as supportive as we can be, and try to share our stories and advice supportively, and without judgment.
Nik I agree with you ! I dont drive now ,but I drove for years while I had sz (somewhat controlled).we should not judge eachother .We dont know the whole story.Regardless, this site is set up to support eachother.even if we should stay off the rode,but we know that.
Nik I agree with you ! I dont drive now ,but I drove for years while I had sz (somewhat controlled).we should not judge eachother .We dont know the whole story.Regardless, this site is set up to support eachother.even if we should stay off the rode,but we know that.
nik, we are not sharing frightening or sometimes shaming worst-case-scenarios. it is common sense not to drive if you are not fully under control with your siezures. as i said epilepsy is what it is, we have to except it and deal with the daily restictions in life that comes with it. if that makes you feel worse because you think people should support you driving with siezures which is against the law, make sure you let everyone know what city and provience you live in so we can avoid you. the reality is a 5 sec abscence siezure on the road could cause an accident. thats just reality. no judgment, just fact. people who drive with epilepsy not under control give the whole epilepsy community a bad name when they have accidents because of siezures. we are working hard to educate the public about epilepsy awareness to get rid of the fear, so do not promote it by not respecting your limitations. we all have to live with them. it baffles me why anyone would think that its ok to drive unless they are in denial of their epilepsy, which their are a lot of people that are. supportive advice in this situation would be "sure go ahead and drive, it doesnt matter that you had a siezure when you got to your distination" well so sorry to pop your bubble, that could have happened on the road just as easily. if thats the support you want then you are on the wrong website. we look out for each other, including talking about dangerous behaviors to avoid. that is supportive, we want you to live a long healthy life. the reason people with epilepsy died younger than the rest of the population, probably factors in dangerous behavior. a lot of us have been dealing with e all of are lifes and are just sharing our knowledge and experiences with you which is be responsible and respect your epilepsy!!!!
i hope this clears the air,
banffgirl
Very well said, banffgirl!
Shame???? Shame on me for scaring people about my experience with seizures and driving as stated in my other post??? Was I supposed to sugarcoat it or just not share it? I felt it was important enough to share so others may pick something up from that day - like following doctor's orders and obeying the law. I honestly didn't think "shame on me" was the message I'd get. (shaking my head in disbelief here!) sidenote: Safety on the road is the government's priority, not your inconvenience. Personally, I wouldn't want to be on the road when you're gambling whether you'll make it to your destination or not. I would hope that common sense would prevail before you get behind the wheel.
I'm sorry I offended you. I didn't mean to single any person out (and I said as much!), nor do I disagree with the common-sense stance that people with epilepsy should be darn cautious before engaging in any hazardous activity. I also don't discount the value of everyone's experiences and knowledge on this subject. I appreciate everything you folks and the others in this community have shared with me.
For some reason, when it comes to driving privileges, I feel like I see more "if you have siezures [sic] stay off the road or one day you may have to lvie [sic] with the fact that you killed a family on the road with you, or then again you might just run off the road and kill yourself." and less "I'm sorry you can't drive, that's super-frustrating." I think the combination of both is ideal, and that's why I raised the point.
Again, sorry for any offense, I surely didn't intend it.
i for one was not offended by you. i am just concerned that you feel that everyone should say i am sorry to you cuz you cant drive, well you said you did drive and had a siezure when you got to your destination. do you really think its easy for any of us not to be able to drive? i live in the suburbs, no public transportation. i have to work doctor visits, shopping, etc around my hubbys, sisters, kids and all the other dear people i know so someone can drive me. this has been going on for almost 5 years now, i show my appreciation with buying them a nice lunch out, paying for gas or whatever strikes their fancy. my sister always says lunch, then we can visit for a while and just relax. it is managable, but i dont expect anyone to say sorry you cant drive and never will again. its a fact of my life. period. would i like to drive, yes, would i ever do it, no!
nik you have just got to realize that we all have e, or a family member with e on this site. yes, the ones whose seizures are under control are luckier than we are, i use to be one of them. but i also did my neuro bidding and came in once a year for a check up including an eeg, to make sure my brain waves hadnt changed. i always had a few spikes all my life but no siezures after getting under control. then one day i go in and there are 30 epileptic spikes on a 20 min eeg. poof, no more driving till we figure this out, at that point i hadnt had a siezure. it was a month later that my siezures went totally bonkers with lots of abscence and then i started having t/cs again. my hubby has always watched me very closely about the abscence, and he was the first to say, your having them again, i am so glad the doc stopped you from driving after that last eeg. i had to go on disability from my job, then retirement a year later. no its not easy to adjust to that big of a change all at once when you have worked all your adult life, but you do what you have to do.
so yes we want you to stay off the road! you have seizures still! and yes we all know you are frustrated about the driving thing, so were we at one point. we see forums on this all the time and if we sound harsh to you, i am sorry but reality of life with e is something you better learn for your own sanity. i read one of your other comments on someone elses forum. you are a very angry young man. a lot of people will go to councilling to get help to learn how to deal with maor life changes such as epilepsy, and the driving and not being able to work any more, etc, etc, etc. try it, it helps, i had to do it. never be too proud to ask for help. the person i saw dealt with a lot of epileptics since she worked on major life style changes and adjusting to them. my epi spec suggested i go short term to help adjust from working to permanent disability in one swoop. i know from the other forum you are down on epi spec as well but they are very highly trained individuals that take extra training in epilepsy vs a neuro who is broad spectrum of neuro problems in general. so calm down and try to take things one day at a time, just dont drive.
banffgirl
life is fragile, handle with prayer.
'sam, banff', you both make good points. I am, of course, proceeding based on the advice and under the supervision of my neurologist. (As well as, of course, under the laws of my state, which are broader than some)
I am (based in no small part on y'all's advice!) hedging against disaster until I feel confident that things are 100% under control. I'm sticking to short trips on low-speed roads. Work's a short drive on country roads, and I don't do much driving at all outside of that.
In the end, I suppose, the law and your doctor's opinion are in no way
guarantees one way or the other. So we take our chances regardless.
It's hard to be patient, because I'm so eager to get back to some sort of normal. I have to remember that I've already made a lot of progress and that I have lots of years ahead of me provided I don't do something stupid in the next few of 'em.
And banff', just to set the record straight, I'm in no way opposed to epileptologists as such, but I've had the same diagnostic and treatment plan from those specialists as I have from general neurologists. What I am opposed to is doctors who are either behind the times in their training or who stick to the old-fashioned notion that they're the authority and I should take a passive role in my health. Thanks to people like you and the vast amount of resources at our disposal, I'm thankful that I can both identify poor treatment and sit in the driver's seat when it comes to my own life and well-being -- using my neurologist as a key expert resource and manager, if you will.
I understand what you're saying. It IS super frustrating when your freedom is taken away, no argument there. I wanted to pull my hair out when my license was taken away and I truly do sympathize with those in that situation. I have a problem with those who want to gamble because they've only had absence seizures or they've only had one tonic-clonic and don't think it'll happen again and will take a chance against the advice of their doctor. Seizures can and do change without warning and this isn't a scare tactic, it's a fact. As much as you think you have control over a situation during a seizure, even if consciousness isn't lost, I wouldn't be comfortable knowing you were in the car next to me driving 70 mph on the highway. Imagine losing 3-5 seconds of judgment while operating a 3,000 lb. vehicle - now THAT'S scary. I also apologize if you think I came down hard on you. I too, was trying to make a point.
AMEN JUST SAM!
banffgirl
life is fragile, handle with prayer.
My husband is unable to drive long distance. His neurologist reports in to DMV whenever he does have a seizure and leaves up to them to decide if he should or should not be behind the wheel. Only because I'm paranoid about him driving (I've been in the car when he's had a seizure behind the wheel and had to pull the car over in traffic!) I try drive more, but i definately do the long distance driving.
I have simple partial seizures, and I am still allowed to drive. I get worried sometimes behind the wheel, but I think its just my paranoia when I think about it. My seizures only occur when I am going to sleep or waking up though.
I too have similiar seizures however I'm not able to drive, it's really very hard to deal with.....I know few people that can drive with e still unable to understand how it can be determined who can/can not. As much as it hurts not being able to drive I would be too scared if given the OK.
Anyone who would put someone else in such danger does not know JUST how much harm they are doing.
I haven't been diagnosed with e, but my doctor and I know there isn't any other explanation. I think I'm allowed to drive partly because of that and because all my life I've had e, and I have NEVER had an episode happen while out of the bed, or with my eyes open while completely awake. Its only when I'm really tired, laying down, with my eyes closed for a good few minutes, so I'm a safe driver, in my and the people's around me perspective at least.
Just reading up on a lot of other people's e seems to make me think about it alot more during the day, which makes me feel unusual and paranoid, even though I have no reason really to worry. If I ever had an e episode while walking around in my normal day activities, then I would worry about my driving and probably wouldn't drive anymore, but that is not the case, so I feel like I am not doing any harm at all.
You said you've had similar seizures, but have you ever had one during normal daily activites besides when going to sleep/waking up? If you have, then that may be the reason you aren't able to drive. I'm sorry you are not able to drive, it must be very hard. I know it would be very hard for me to deal with.
Just an update: My neurologist gave me leave to drive. She said that since I'd gone half a year without any sort of seizures that would impair my ability to drive, I was good to go.
She recommended that if I do feel a small seizure coming on I should get off the road too sweet in case it's more severe than I expect or an aura prior to a grand mal.
Obviously different doctors have different points of view, but I think her take on it is sensible, if not wholly conservative. (But then, isn't everyone a potentially risky driver?)
Thanks for the update. Best of luck to you. Stay safe.
After going seizure free for a year in 1984-85 I got my driver's licence. Then I had an absence seizure a few months after that. I lost my licence and repetitive Tonic-Clonic seizures prevented me from achieving the privilege of a driver's license for 5 years. I had a seizure in 2004 while undergoing a doctor's supervised medication withdrawal. With a doctor's letter and my own, I was able to convince the superintendent of motor vehicles to give me my licence back within 5 weeks of losing it. In my province it can cause the loss of your licence for 6 months if you have any kind of seizure. But I find it discriminatory that a person who had a heart attack can drive sooner when people with epilepsy recover faster from a seizure and are left without the same privilege.
I'm going to agree with the other poster. I was having the same type of seizures that you were describing and driving all around the neighborhood. I noticed that they started changing and there were little lapses, like broken sequences in my driving and it scared me. It was like a record skipping. Seizures can change and you may not even be aware of it. I had to give up my license for 6 months until my seizures were under control. I was not happy, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Trust your doctor. Life is too precious. There will be other jobs.
Thanks for the input. I agree wholeheartedly that it is preferable to err on the side of caution.
I was mostly
I had recently learned that there are plenty of people with minor seizures who do not actively treat them because they are minor and had no effect on their general daily activities. So that made me curious about what guidance other people received, how it worked out for them, and what the typical course of treatment is.
I have the same sort. No your the last person who should even consider being behind a wheel of a car. if for a few seconds you dont even know your having an absence seizure, as i dont when they happen, could you forgive yourself when you snap out of it and see the beautiful child or loved parent or grandparent you have just maimed or worse? The loss to your own family as you face the results of your knowing actions? Could you really live with that every day for the rest of your life? Much better just to check out the public transport system and sit back and safely relax. I would be the first to admit, its not as convinenient, but its worth someones life and your sanity isnt it?