Balancing College with Seizures

[PixiDust]

Hey,
So I am having considerable problems balancing getting good grades ( As and Bs) so that I end up staying up WAY past 12- 2pm. We all know that is not good for epileptics. So far, I have been managing to walk a fine wire on sleep and semi good grades, but am slipping. Any suggestions? Experiences?

 

[AlohaBird]

My seizures started during the last quarter of my senior year at college. During that quarter my grades went from cum laude to crap. I wish I had known then the things I know now about health.

Make yourself get enough sleep. It's not optional. Cut out the caffeine, booze, sugar, and other junk foods that are the staples of college diets. Try to make some quiet time for meditation, just some deep breathing would help to de-stress.

I wish you well.

 

[masterjen]

Although you may feel that staying up late is getting more done, it is often counter-productive because you are too tired to give classes and studying the next day your full attention, therefore making you feel like you need to put in more hours of studying then you would otherwise need to. Other tips:
-Make time for exercise, at least 30 minutes a day, and a good portion of this should be cardio-based exercise. This was my "meditation" time.
-Consider reducing your course load and attending college for an extra semester or two if this is financially possible.
-Create or join study groups for the more troublesome courses to be sure you are on the right track with your studying, and so you can quiz each other.
-Never be afraid to approach a professor or instructor for extra assistance or further explanations. Don't waste time struggling; get the answer/explanations you need and move on.
-And finally, in the end all employers look at is the certificate in your hand. Unless you're applying to law school or something, rarely will a future employer look to see if you received an A or a B- in a course.

 

[PixiDust]

Thanks guys! I will definitely put this all into my schedule. Let you know the results.

 

[Matthew74]

PixiDust,

When I finish this semester I will have had 9 1/2 years of college; a bachelor's, master's, and certificate. I left school twice on account of my epilepsy. I took a couple trips in the ambulance, and spent a weekend in the hospital. I have never really recovered from the last time.

Do NOT stay up late. And all the stuff the others said. Good advice.

Everyone is different, and you have to make decisions for yourself based on what works for you, but my advice would be to take it easy. It's harder for someone with epilepsy to go to school for a variety or reasons. So you have to work harder than most other students to take the same number of classes and get the same grades. Unfortunately, you don't get credit for all the extra effort. That's just the way it is. College is designed for healthy people, who don't have seizures, who's brains work normally, and aren't taking AEDs. However, if you keep that in mind it makes it easier for you to be easy on yourself.

If you feel like you are pushing yourself too hard sooner or later you will probably end up in the emergency room. You might get warnings, or it may happen suddenly. You can get away with it for a long time, but eventually your body (or brain) just can't take it. You may have to approach things a little differently than your classmates, and there's nothing wrong with that.

For me I need the following, in no particular order...

1. A comfortable and quiet place to live. (Your living situation can be a huge source of stress - even if it's only from being different than what you are used to.)

2. Good, healthy, fresh food. (Stay away from caffeine, alcohol, ramen, and cheap take out. No MSG, etc.)

3. A reasonable schedule. (Consider taking 12 credits, rather than 15 or 18.)

4. Access to healthcare. (If you need to go to the doctor, make the time.)

5. A convenient location. (Pleasant walks are good for you. Waiting for your ride or the bus all the time, or spending lots of time trying to get around is stressful.)

Other suggestions:

When possible, take courses from only the professors you like.
Keep a regular active schedule, but get enough sleep.
Take time out for recreation, even if it's only a nice restaurant or movie.
Spend some time with nature.
Get away from the computer and tv.
Make quiet time.
Don't cram, just decide when you are going to go to bed, and then go to bed. Forget the rest. Like Jen says, it's better to be well rested.


:scholar:

 

[AlohaBird]

Good advice from Masterjen and Matthew.
@Pixidust: I forgot to mention that after I barely finished my undergrad senior year due to the onset of seizures, I went back and got both a masters and a doctorate. If you take care of your health, it is doable. Chin up.

 

[Garbo]

I definitely second what everyone above has said.

I'm currently working on my PhD and I teach undergrads. Since my undergrad years were rough-- medication changes, health insurance problems, and frequent hospitalizations-- one of your best tools is to learn how to time manage. As mentioned above, this often means taking care of yourself first and then doing work. I also learned how to do my homework in the hospital, which can help save time.

If you're not registered with your University's disability services, do so. This serves as protection for you, but often they can allow you extra time, especially if you have had a seizure(s). Also, don't be afraid to tell professors if you have epilepsy. 98% of my professors have been incredibly understanding and accommodating.

The main thing that has helped me has been time management. It not only helped my grades as an undergrad, and has helped me now as a grad student, but it alleviates stress, which in turn can help with seizure control. Whether it's studying or working on a paper, don't wait until the last minute! As mentioned above, don't cram-- tediously plan out your time so you know when you need to work (2-3 hours, let's say) and when you can take a break. Honestly, it helps so much. Many grad students are envious of my time management and I just tell them it's literally to save my life.

 

[Matthew74]

Garbo: I'm glad you worked it out with the professors. Mine were understanding when I ended up in the hospital and then was only half functional until the end of the semester ( new meds). But that wasn't with the disability office involved. Concerning the disability office and accommodations, I found my professors personally understanding and sympathetic, but academically/professionally they simply wrote me off. Things were never the same.

 

[Garbo]

Garbo: I'm glad you worked it out with the professors. Mine were understanding when I ended up in the hospital and then was only half functional until the end of the semester ( new meds). But that wasn't with the disability office involved. Concerning the disability office and accommodations, I found my professors personally understanding and sympathetic, but academically/professionally they simply wrote me off. Things were never the same.

Your professors wrote you off academically? I am very sorry to hear about this. I have noticed that there is certainly a misunderstanding toward certain disabilities, especially neurological-- many people tend to have misconceptions which result in a form of "coddling" (i.e. I will feel bad for you, but I won't see you as a human being capable of human abilities). Often, I have noticed that people see disabled individuals solely as "super crips" (a term commonly used in Disability Studies) or sub-humans (a term I use), which reinforces the ideology that the able-bodied individuals hold power over us (how often do I hear people without any information or knowledge about epilepsy correcting me or telling me what I can or cannot do?), but also won't allow us out of the preconfiguration of "Other/d" bodies, i.e. we are not allowed to be humans. It's all fine and dandy if we're sick or dying, but once we ask to play in the able-bodied field, we're often written off.

For the most part I have had no problems, and granted I do sometimes "pass" meaning I don't tell people I am epileptic. I did have two very serious situations happen with two professors, one once when I was an undergrad (the professor was actually fired because she commonly discriminated against disabled students for some weird reason) and recently, which I don't want to get into (if you message me, I will tell you). I think I have been fortunate, but I am very sorry to hear what you went through. No one should have to deal with that.

 

[AlohaBird]

It seems to me that many people who don't have seizures can be very sympathetic and understanding about the actual event of a seizure itself but just don't get that there are other consequences that can last for days beyond that.

I remember being in class and finding myself unable to form a coherent response to a professor's question because my tongue was still swollen and sore from the chomping it got several nights before. Not to mention the brain fog. And the Tegretol that felt like the world's worst hangover 24/7.

It's as if people say, "Oh you poor thing, that seizure must have been terrible." Then a few hours later their attitude has changed to, "Well, you're not having a seizure right now, why are you complaining about having a disability?"

 

[Garbo]

It seems to me that many people who don't have seizures can be very sympathetic and understanding about the actual event of a seizure itself but just don't get that there are other consequences that can last for days beyond that.

I remember being in class and finding myself unable to form a coherent response to a professor's question because my tongue was still swollen and sore from the chomping it got several nights before. Not to mention the brain fog. And the Tegretol that felt like the world's worst hangover 24/7.

It's as if people say, "Oh you poor thing, that seizure must have been terrible." Then a few hours later their attitude has changed to, "Well, you're not having a seizure right now, why are you complaining about having a disability?"

You hit the nail on the head and said more clearly and more eloquently what I wanted to say.

I wonder if some of their thinking stems from, "if we can't see it, then it's truly not there" (as though epileptics are not disabled enough)?

 

[AlohaBird]

I wonder if some of their thinking stems from, "if we can't see it, then it's truly not there"

This exactly. I encounter some of this because I have a dog who goes with me everywhere who can tell when I am going to have a seizure long before I do. People understand about a blind person and their guide dog or a person in a wheelchair who's dog fetches things for them. These things they can see. It's often just a matter of ignorance. I try to correct people's ignorance gently but sometimes get a little fed up and whip out a copy of the ADA for them to read.

 

[lostfeathers]

I'm doing the school with epilepsy while in school thing myself. Currently in graduate school for my MFA and and managed a 4.0 all through undergrad.

Same general rules as you all
- SCHEDULE. By far the hardest part but the most crucial. I'm on campus 9-5 my prof/boss makes me go home at five. And prefers im in bed by ten. All nighters are a no go. (i'll go off the next day for sure)
- Our grads only take three classes plus our job so that works great. Dont over work yourself, if youre a career student so be it.
- my diet was the other hard part, no caffiene, low sugar, fresh food, no smoking, etc. aaaaand in an art department temptations rough.
- I walk everywhere that I can. and have my version of meditation.
- living situations are important too, a stressful environment wont do you any favors.
- a network of people to fall on even if they dont understand it effects you more than just the seizure itself, theyre trying.

with school though i've found yeah its important but not worth killing yourself over. at the end of the day classes can be retaken, incompletes can happen, just kinda have to roll with what youre going though. I'm making up three incompletes for last semester cause mine got so bad in fact i dont even really remember the last three months.

 

[Matthew74]

This is kind of obvious, but academic support for epilepsy is the pits. If nothing else, at least your doctor should make it a point to offer some practical suggestions like those above. You also need help making arrangements, like finding a decent quiet place to live. Expecting a teenager, living out of the house for the first time, to figure all that out is a bit much. When I first went to school I couldn't even figure out how to feed myself regularly! LOL. As an older student, especially at small schools, I was always running up against necessity, like loud people at night, having to take too many classes, bad food, and no public transportation. I couldn't do anything about these. In the end I just realized that some institutions were too limited (transportation, food, housing, scheduling), and that it was going to cost more (to take fewer classes each semester, or for things like a decent place to live.). I was certainly never going to get any credit for the extra effort. Even today, at 40 I deal with some of these things.

 

[Garbo]

I just returned last week to teaching and my seminars/teaching this week and I always forget how emotionally, physically, and mentally (duh) drained I get. I crashed last night and I am about to crash right now before I sink my teeth into reading and writing. I don't know if anyone else couldn't go a day without naps? I just get so incredibly exhausted and drained.

I have so much to do this semester I cannot yet quite fathom it all.

 

[Mr.21T]

I was written off at my first uni too. They didn't believe that I had a seizure during finals week because I didn't have anything

I graduated with e last spring with a 3.5 in Journalism & Mass Communications! Here's how I did it!

-Live ALONE or WITH FAMILY! No body else will positively affect your lifestyle, crashes and special moments!

-Afternoon and Early Evening classes. Keep your mornings free to avoid having to wake up early.

-If you're available to go on disability or unemployment, do it! Jobs make school harder due to the stress.

-Watch your diet. Avoid alcohol and tobacco.

-Take the television out of your home. Thank me later when your attention span is better in class and assignments are finished weeks ahead of schedule

-If you're going to pull the epilepsy card on your professor, do before midterms during office hours.

-Play an intramural sport or active extracurricular activity, do it regularly.

-Don't party. Don't party. Don't party. Okay party hard ONCE a semester, but study harder!

-Don't expect others, especially those working at the school, to give a shit about you. They don't. They're paid to pretend to.

-The smartest move I made my 2nd time at uni was getting into a "not so long distance relationship" with someone in my hometown and going to school about two hours away. I had the freedom to see her enough and talk to her every day, but still was able to go to sleep when I wanted and wasn't socially stressed out by her, at least until I graduated, lol. Seriously though a healthy sexual outlet never hurt anyone, especially guys.

-The 2nd smartest move was going into excessive amounts of debt to live in a good neighborhood.'

-Easier majors never hurt nobody, but make sure the skills you develop are employable! You'll understand when you graduate, believe me.

 

[George__]

^
lol I like your suggestions like the party one but if you just want to fly through school maybe college is the better option than university.

@OP are you getting into a co-op program? If not you need some real world job experience so if you can get government help work only in the summer and study your a*** off during winter/fall??? You may get spotted by a employer while in University!! Avoid too much coffee too!!

 

[bandmom]

My daughter signed up for disability services at her University because she was finding it hard to concentrate on medications. This allowed her more time to take tests and she usually was able to take tests in a room by herself to avoid distractions. It was very helpful to her. She completed her bachelor's degree and is planning to start graduate school this fall.

 

[Mr.21T]

That is awesome bandmom! I know you're one proud momma