so sick of this........

[msuder0583]

I am so sick of my parents trying to avoid the fact that anti-convulsants can totally break down your mind and body. I am never in a good mood, when I'm not in class I am laying around, I am very short tempered, etc. I do currently need to get my wisdom teeth removed and it is painful at times, but my mom keeps blaming my bad moods on my wisdom teeth and I am so tired of explaining to her that its my meds. She just seems to shrug it off. Same with my dad - he just thinks I'm making these things up. It seems they don't understand. Just wish I could make them see......

[Nakamova]

Any chance you could get a letter from your doc explaining the side effects? Or even print out a page from the internet showing what anti-epileptic drugs can mess with? And then show them to your parents...

[msuder0583]

been done. if you only knew my parents

[Nakamova]

oy! So sorry you have to deal with that.

[travel bug]

I wish I had some helpful advice, but unfortunately, I face a similar situation with my dad and don't know what to do either. My dad, for whom I'm a full-time caregiver, understands about my feeling whickity (our word for when I feel like I'm on the verge of a seizure, but don't actually have one), and he even understands the irritability from Keppra - he's heard about the rage and I guess he's grateful I don't have that - at least not often. However, I become very easily exhausted and he doesn't seem to understand why. It hurts my feelings that he seems to think I'm just being lazy when I have to sit for a while after only doing a load of laundry, etc. I really, really wish I had more energy and could do more. I hate feeling so far behind on the things I need to do, let alone want to do.

Hang in there!

[survivor]

Dear msuder! U know sometimes parents know all but just to make us feel that we are all fine and the problem is not that big they behave as if there is no problem! They know the things, doctors do tell them dear! But as we suffer, they also suffer in a way, some are brave enough to get the point and start being very nice and some react in different ways! U know, some times when parents be very nice then also we dont like it, we feel-What man! I have a problem i know, why are they being over reactive!!! Deal with it! Talk ur heart off! Give them a written note! Start writing a diary! My dad used to behave in the same way but my mom was my help, the centre pillar of my life. This is like this only! Diferent people, different vies and ways of reacting. But dear just because of my dads attitude i m strong today and try to live a normal life. GGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT something! Cheer up! Smile! Please do!!

[Jfpinell]

Dr,
That only works so many times before it gets too frustrating to try anymore (especially with we sensitive kind). Just yesterday I ran into someone who I knew as a kid (friend of my brother more so than me) who was confused as to why Ma was always telling him not to rough house with me as a kid. He finally understood when I explained how sensitive my brain is getting knocked around, not to mention the shunt I have they were all concerned about. My parents were so overly sheltering for 20 years, then almost overnight, Pa is like; "There's nothing wrong with you. You should be able to get a job like everyone else did at that age!" Later it was "You can live on your own, there's nothing wrong with you!" This all boils down to denial and no doubt a blow to his ego he's trying to protect in his own mind. (To this day, I feel there's some resentment between me and the other 2 kids because I'm not anywhere near as successful as they are and why I was at home until I was 30.) There's only so much of that behavior anyone can take.

[msuder0583]

yeah, jf i agree with you. however, even though i've had two brain surgeries and i have epilepsy i can still rough house pretty hard. but the fact of the matter is, i still have to be pretty careful because if something would happen in which i would have a concussion, it would lower my seizure threshold. but us people with epilepsy have a difficult time living on our own, so therefore we are forced to live with our parents or other family until a much later age. others who don't have the disease or no compassion may see this as a sign of not trying to succeed in life or being lazy, but to us its more safety than anything. however, for the most part you hit the nail on the head

[survivor]

Dear msuder, succeeding in life is not really getting gud jobs and money! there are people with lots of money and gr8 jobs but still unsatisfied with their lives. Satisfaction is the key word. We should feel satisfied with what we have and try to live fully in those limits. Well after saying that let me confess that I know feeling satisfied is difficult for us. But dear lets try................................... and be happy! Happiness and positive thinking makes life easier.

[msuder0583]

i completely agree. but i am totally comfortable with myself as far as success is concerned (in college right now for elem. education) but i was speaking on the terms as how we are perceived by others by the definition of success

[elizzza811]

Seizure meds are associated with rages and a short temper? Wow, that explains my behavior, too. I feel for you.

[SevenC]

Any chance you could get a letter from your doc explaining the side effects? Or even print out a page from the internet showing what anti-epileptic drugs can mess with? And then show them to your parents...

I had to do this with my parents with a few of my medications.


Then read it to them because the terminology was too uninteresting to them.....

Didn't make much of a difference to them in the end but I sure felt better and didn't have to say ugly unladylike words.

been done. if you only knew my parents

I totally understand and am currently living that same situation.

[msuder0583]

im sorry to hear that cause i know what its like. my sister has cystic fibrosis and i have epilepsy, yet my 'rents are perfectly healthy so its difficult to get them to understand