Hello from Mike in VA - New member here

[Mike In Va]

Welcome to the forum,I signed up the other day after finding this board on another one of the forums that I regularly post in.

I was diagnosed back in 1993 & have been on Dilantin ever since.It's no fun having to be faced with medical restrictions & having to spend a lot of time & money every couple of months getting medication refills.I swear last time I went in for a Dilantin level check in January that lab tech really made a pin cushion outta me & my arm was really sore & a bit bruised as well from that experience.

Having the disorder has also really put a damper on my social life as well.Since I can't drive,or work I hardly get outside,and being a single guy in my early 30's that makes it next to impossible to meet anyone special if you know what I mean.

I've really become majorly depressed over that over the last couple weeks & am now in the process of getting some help for it,just what I need is to be stuck in yet another doctor's office once a week,and possibly placed on more medication in addition to what I'm already on LOL but I know that,in the end it's for the best.

I'm also stressed out over the problems I've been having with regards to my application for social security benefits....I was told after sending in the paperwork that I simply don't qualify & have since resubmitted my application for at least supplemantal security income,which I was told that I might at least qualify for but still have yet to recieve any response from them about it.

[Bernard]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum.

Stacy (my wife) is also taking Dilantin (many members here have also at one time or another).

Have you seen the good jobs for people with epilepsy discussion? Or the Segway transporters - no drivers license required thread?

There is a lot of info in here. Have a look around and feel free to jump in anywhere you want to make a comment or ask a question.

P.S. I split off your intro post so it would get more notice.

[brain]

Hello MIKE!




You are NOT alone! I suffer in the same boat as you
do as well as many others. Some are fortunate, but
there are millions of others who are unfortunate and
stuck.

AND - READ THIS (This is an old quote)
(I cannot remember if this was published in 1988
or 1989 - and I think this Rev was from East Point
Section in Atlanta Metro area in Georgia, but I may
be wrong - I only have this text in my 3.5 disc)

Rev. Mac Daniels, Associate Director of Homeless
Agency Project, Atlanta Metro Division:

We have people who have epilepsy who we are not
able to place them in public housing system because
of the long waiting list, nor under any special housing
programs as they do not meet the criteria, nor can we
keep them but for only specific amount of days per our
policy as with everyone else. As our mission is to get
them back working and on their feet.

These people receive vague and trivial assistance from
the State and Federal Governments; ranging from Food
Stamps to Social Security, that is if they receive any.
And yet, they wander out in the streets, homeless. It
is absolutely heartbreaking to see a man or a woman,
who have such epilepsies whom they cannot control,
and some, whom can ill afford their own medicine or
Doctor and in and out of the hospital they go.

They want help, but they're denied frequently, to a
point where it's blasphemous and inhumane. But there's
nothing that we can do, except these people speak up
and take action.

[POSITIVEPERSON]

Hi Mike , welcome to the boards !!!!I have applied in the past for disability and had szs in front of the person interviewing me and they had to call my father to come and get me and the Dr kept saying how good that was . Let me tell you I got rejected , you need to fight hard to get any assitance and I was in no shape at the time. Kinda like a catch 22. Hopefully they will change the laws .

I do believe that epilepsy is not an excuse and you can still have a friends ,lovers and a life . Your just as good as the next person !!!!!! Attitude is everything!!!!!!! And I will be happy to cheer you on!!!!

I also feel like a pin cushion when I go for blood levels. I ususally tell them in advance my veins are hard to get please be careful.

What are you doing for your teeth and the dialntin? I sure hope your brushing, flossing and using a water pik with warm water and hydrogen peroxide. Do you take vitamins?
The anti-epileptic drugs usually deplete the body of many of the vitamins needed. One of many Drs
had put me on a vitamin regime in 92. A multi vitamin, vit c , b complex, calcium magnesium citrate. I eventually added a green drink , green edge green drink . You can get all these discounted at www.vitacost.com

Don't give up!!!!!!

Riva

[Mike In Va]

Hi Mike , welcome to the boards !!!!I have applied in the past for disability and had szs in front of the person interviewing me and they had to call my father to come and get me and the Dr kept saying how good that was . Let me tell you I got rejected , you need to fight hard to get any assitance and I was in no shape at the time. Kinda like a catch 22. Hopefully they will change the laws .

I do believe that epilepsy is not an excuse and you can still have a friends ,lovers and a life . Your just as good as the next person !!!!!! Attitude is everything!!!!!!! And I will be happy to cheer you on!!!!

I also feel like a pin cushion when I go for blood levels. I ususally tell them in advance my veins are hard to get please be careful.

What are you doing for your teeth and the dialntin? I sure hope your brushing, flossing and using a water pik with warm water and hydrogen peroxide. Do you take vitamins?
The anti-epileptic drugs usually deplete the body of many of the vitamins needed. One of many Drs
had put me on a vitamin regime in 92. A multi vitamin, vit c , b complex, calcium magnesium citrate. I eventually added a green drink , green edge green drink . You can get all these discounted at www.vitacost.com

Don't give up!!!!!!

Riva

Thanks for the support.

I have another friend whom I met online on another board & communicate with every so often when she's online & she told me that she had one heck of a time in getting her SSI application approved.

After she'd been denied she simply took her case to court & won.When I first found the link to this board I sent it to her but I see she has yet to sign up,next time I manage to get a hold of her I'll ask her to do so although she might be having problems that require the hubby's assistance seeing as he's the computer expert in her household,or so she says especially after all the frustration she had when trying to create a myspace account last month.

Now I usually have no problem getting my levels checked but the lab tech who was on duty must've been real inexpereinced at doing her job because never in the 14 years that I've been on the meds has it hurt that much,or left that big of a mark....I just hope that such an incident is neverrepeated again in the future.