Hello everyone, my name is Amanda and I'm a 24 year old divorced/single mom of a 3 year old son. I'm also a student in the medical field and I live/work in Iowa.
My first seizure occured with I was 19, my parents found me having a grand mal. After testing, they determed that I had JME, strange at my age. I was then placed on Depakote ER and no breakthroughs occurred until I was pregnant with my son, I was driving and pulled over just in time to have another grande mal. At that time my dosage was increased and again everything was fine until a year later (now three years later).
I was at work, and had been complaining to my neuro about the depakote. So we tried Keppra with horrible results. I had over twenty seizures in one day, including two hospitalizations and numerous IV's full of atrovent and depakote. Since then my seizures have been controlled and I'm too terrified to try another med even though I hate the depakote. Lately I've been having a lot of break through twitching however, something that concerns both me and my boyfriend.
I have suffered depression for years however never linked it to epilepsy until some recent research was done. While I am on anti-depressants I have been having a lot of trouble lately. I've seen a lot of my patients come in with seizures, on ventilators and vegetables with very poor prognosis. It scares me to think that I could end up that way if something happens. Worse yet, leaving behind my son, or having family not sure what to do with me (even though i've told them, they don't like my decisions so it makes me afraid they won't follow my wishes). I know I should be grateful that my seizures are mostly controlled and that I do not have as many problems as most, but I feel as though no one understands what it's like. I use to be extremely smart, a straight A student. now some days I struggle to do anything, even getting awoken suddenly has horrible reprecussions.
I'm hoping that I can find some insight on this little corner of the internet, or at least meet with others who could possibly understand how frustrated and hopeless I feel. Thanks to anyone who read this very long drabble LOL.
- A. Rose :disco:
My first seizure occured with I was 19, my parents found me having a grand mal. After testing, they determed that I had JME, strange at my age. I was then placed on Depakote ER and no breakthroughs occurred until I was pregnant with my son, I was driving and pulled over just in time to have another grande mal. At that time my dosage was increased and again everything was fine until a year later (now three years later).
I was at work, and had been complaining to my neuro about the depakote. So we tried Keppra with horrible results. I had over twenty seizures in one day, including two hospitalizations and numerous IV's full of atrovent and depakote. Since then my seizures have been controlled and I'm too terrified to try another med even though I hate the depakote. Lately I've been having a lot of break through twitching however, something that concerns both me and my boyfriend.
I have suffered depression for years however never linked it to epilepsy until some recent research was done. While I am on anti-depressants I have been having a lot of trouble lately. I've seen a lot of my patients come in with seizures, on ventilators and vegetables with very poor prognosis. It scares me to think that I could end up that way if something happens. Worse yet, leaving behind my son, or having family not sure what to do with me (even though i've told them, they don't like my decisions so it makes me afraid they won't follow my wishes). I know I should be grateful that my seizures are mostly controlled and that I do not have as many problems as most, but I feel as though no one understands what it's like. I use to be extremely smart, a straight A student. now some days I struggle to do anything, even getting awoken suddenly has horrible reprecussions.
I'm hoping that I can find some insight on this little corner of the internet, or at least meet with others who could possibly understand how frustrated and hopeless I feel. Thanks to anyone who read this very long drabble LOL.
- A. Rose :disco: