Help coping with anxiety about having seizures!

[liskaeve]

So I have had siezures about 8 years now. i have not been diagnosed with epilepsy, instead the say it is a "siezure disorder". in 2002 I had major head tramua in a car accident and within a year 1/2 I developed siezures. They ONLY happen when I sleep. So now here's the dilemma. In 2008 I had my last seizure, that is until 2 weeks ago. I have been on Lamictal for about 5 years now. I actually had gotten to a point where I had forgotten all about it! 3 years is a LONG time to go. So then 2 weeks ago I had what felt like the WORST one I have ever had. I have been religious with my meds, and trying to be better about excersizing to destress. However, I have been having panic attacks. Not to mention I am AFRAID to go to sleep. I know this behavior is NOT going to help my scenario, but I am having such a hard time dealing with this. I know I have had some petit mal seizures since. Only thing that has changed is that I have a 3 year old. My husband works nights so this is adding to my stress level. I think about what the heck I'd do if i have a siezure in the middle of the night and I am the only one at home with my 3 year old and she needs something... Long story short. any advice on how to deal with the anxiety?

[CathyAnn31]

****hugs**** I haven't experienced anxiety so I'm really no help there. But you sounded like you could use a hug.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

[sixyearsold]

I had to stasrt taking Effexor XR or anxiety due to my seizures....

I took it temporarily(be careful because it can have a bad reactions with some anti-convulsents) and was able to go off of it after a year or so. Basically, I deal with the stress by prayer. I am not a Jesus freak or anything but meditation and finding serenity really helps me. I don;'t know if you have a higher power but turning this situation over to someone else and leaving it in their hands really helps me.
Whatever you do! Don't isolate. Just be very cautious about driving, cooking, etc...
I pray for you!!!

[Cint]

They may have said "seizure disorder" instead of "epilepsy", since that is what some people prefer to call it. But the truth is, they are one in the same. I've dealt with epilepsy now for 30+ years, with complex partial and tonic clonic seizures. I also have two now grown children who have witnessed their mommy having some bad seizures. I had to teach them at an early age what to do when/if I had a seizure. Plus their daddy was a pilot and was gone a lot, so I had to enlist the help of friends, neighbors and people from church. I wear a medic alert bracelet and also have a MedicAlertSystem in my home, where I just punch the button if I feel a seizure starting and the EMS is in contact with me immediately, just in case. And for anxiety/depression, I also take an anti-depressant. Try to find a counselor in your area you can speak with about your anxiety. Ask a friend to drive you. I had to do that many, many times.

[liskaeve]

Thank you for all your responses...My scenario is a little strange, I have never had a grand mal seizure while awake, knock on wood. And to be honest the first nuerologist was kind of a jerk and didnt believe I had one until they caught it on an EEG. As if the fact that I bit through my tounge wasnt proof enough! Idiots, anyway, the current neurologist believes my brain is misfiring when i transition into my REM sleep. I was on a no drive reccomendation for 2 years, but he beilieves it is not as dangerous for me since I had never had one while awake and also had gone so long without one... Now I have another question..has anyone every heard that acetometaphine (sure thats spelled wrong) can cancel out the affects of Lamictal? I read an article that said it could...and I had a root canal 2 months ago and was popping it like candy for 3 weeks before and a week after. Perhaps it had completly made my Lamictal not work??

[slayersophie]

I have suffered from generalized anxiety disorder. It can be crippling. I've had panic attacks and they are not pleasant to say the least. I started taking meds and saw a psychiatrist and it helped me immensely. It's so hard to have anxiety. It's even more stressful when the thought of a seizure looms around you constantly. The way I have coped is to lay down and slow my breathing and concentrate on the fact that just because I think it Can happen doesn't mean that it will. I'm sorry to hear about all this and I wish you the best of luck. Unfortunately I haven't taken lamictal. The best thing to do is to to call your doctor or go to the drug manufacturer website to look for interactions.

[liskaeve]

Thanks, I did call my doctor, who assured me that "it shouldnt have any affect on the Lamictal"...shouldnt not doesnt, not exactly the most reassuring thing..I have decided to just go with IBprofen to be safe..also makes me feel better, so regaurdless I'll do it I have only had 2 panic attacks in my life that are FULL blown, so I know how HORRIBLE they are. I am sorry to hear you have had to deal with this as well. I think this forum has helped me more than I thought it would. It helps to know that there are people out there who have an idea of what I've been to. I kinda wish I could find a doctor who had experiened an actual seizure...not that that is very nice to say, but they may see what happens, but theey have NO idea what it feels like...i dont know about many people, but i am WELL aware of what is going on and THAT is sooooo scary. I am going to the doctor this Thursday and I will ask for some kind of low dose anti-anxiety medicine. (even if he gave me a sugar pill at this point, I think it might help!)

[Cint]

I kinda wish I could find a doctor who had experiened an actual seizure...not that that is very nice to say, but they may see what happens, but theey have NO idea what it feels like...i dont know about many people, but i am WELL aware of what is going on and THAT is sooooo scary.

I've wished that at times, too. Most docs have only witnessed a seizure of their patients. But now I do have an epileptologist who does have a daughter with epilepsy, so it does help somewhat. She has much more empathy for her patients than other drs. I've been to.

[stormydys]

anxiety is horrible, I do bead embroidery for my anxiety and it seems to help as long as it doesn't get to out of hand, other than that I am on a low dose of klonopin .25 mg