[Info] Genetic testing

[Endless]

Based on what I've learned since my diagnosis, and then talking with family members, we've all realized my father most probably had epilepsy, too, when he was alive. The symptoms my family observed in him and that he described to my mom were almost identical to mine. They just baffled everyone at the time, including him. Based on this there is a chance I may actually have Familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Genetic testing might answer the question.

Genetic testing would not be covered by my insurance. Has anyone had genetic testing for epilepsy? How reliable is it? What did it cost? Where can you get it done? And would I need a sample of my father's DNA, or is mine enough?

Not sure what it would tell me, or what we'd do differently if I knew. Maybe it's not worth it, I don't know.

[Nakamova]

My vote would be to skip it. Unless there's a treatment targeted to a specific hereditary strain of epilepsy (which there isn't as far as I know), how would the results benefit you? Hereditary epilepsy is still considered "ideopathic" -- i.e., of unknown cause -- so knowing that it runs in the family wouldn't answer that basic question.

If you feel like it would bring you peace of mind to know however, more power to you! I think prices for private genetic testing can vary quite a bit, so shop around.

[epileric]

I have to agree with Nakamova- that it won't make any difference in how you're seizures are treated medically.

As far as peace of mind goes, I can only speak on my experience of when I found out after 39 years what was causing my seizures (a lesion on the hypothalamus). It was interesting but didn't really change my feelings or perceptions of my seizures.