Counselling

[Howll]

Has anyone tried counselling to help them cope with the anxiety/stress that's brought on by living with epilepsy? Any success stories? Has it helped?

I've always suffered with anxiety but recently it's got to a point where all I want to do is stay at home in my "safe" place and hide from the world. I refuse to take medication due to the possible seizure related side effects, since a lot of my anxiety is to do with the epilepsy taking medication that could mess with that isn't probably the best thing to do.

Anyway, I had my first counselling session, just the basic "get to you know" initial thing, but I'm finding it hard to let go and open myself up to the idea that this will work. Too much of a control freak probably, haha.

 

[Frink]

I know a couple people with anxiety who were/are being helped by counseling. It takes a little while to get used to talking about stuff with a stranger but in time it does help.

1 weird thing is I do not have anxiety about my epilepsy or social anxiety but I rarely leave my home. I do go to Dr's appointments and I play with my dogs but that is about it.

 

[joey]

I think it's probably good to have someone to talk to because I don't like to talk to people who really don't want to listen.

 

[CQ:)]

I've always had trouble dealing with stress (even before my seizures returned) & stress is one of the main triggers of my epilepsy.

Last year I had a lot going in my life which was causing me a real lot of stress, I started seeing a psychologist in October last year to help me learn to cope with stress better.
She has been a great help, just talking to her helps plus she has taught me some great techniques to use with my stress / confidence.

My Nanna passed away earlier this month & it really hit me, I used some of the techniques my psychologist taught me when my Nan was dying which helped. I recently saw my psychologist which was the 1st time since my Nan passed away. Just talking to her helped.

 

[seagull]

I think with you counciling could help give you direction As far as medication maybe have chat with doc if he felt you needed them and you feel problems sz related due not taking meds all more reason for counciling

 

[Howll]

I think with you counciling could help give you direction As far as medication maybe have chat with doc if he felt you needed them and you feel problems sz related due not taking meds all more reason for counciling

I was more talking about anti anxiety meds or SSRIs, I did take them for three days and for those three days I felt weird and dizzy and then had a simple partial so I stopped. It was too much of a coincidence to carry on with them.

 

[Frink]

For those I know who did counseling/therapy it was the actual talking to the therapist and learning better tools for coping with stress that were helpful.
I do know 1 person who did not do the talking work with a therapist and lived on anti depressants and anti anxiety drugs to salve their symptoms.

 

[seagull]

Oh yes I understand anti anxiety well I take cloberzam was put on it one a night or if having e problems.I now abuse it and thought of it being stopped fills me with dread.I have given myself more problems.Yes don't end up like me you young.They have good place in medications if used wisely alas I did not

 

[Kgartner]

My daughter suffers from pretty severe anxiety as well as depression and has been seeing a wonderful therapist for about 18 months. It has helped TONS - it has not made her anxiety go away, and it still interferes with her life, but she is able to deal with it much more effectively. Her anxiety used to make her so overwhelmed that she would get hysterical, and basically be unable to cope with life. Her therapist has helped her to understand her anxiety and have compassion for herself, as well as taught her mindfulness and calming techniques. It has made a huge difference.

Epilepsy is awful in general, but I think it is a particularly difficult condition to deal with for someone with anxiety. I think so many people with epilepsy would benefit from working with a good therapist. I don't think my daughter's current life - junior in HS taking AP/honors classes, daily ballet classes, SATs etc. - would be possible without that support. But be aware that developing that relationship with a counselor or therapist takes time, and be patient. She loved her therapist from the start, but it was several months before we really started to feel confident that the therapy was making a difference.

We are now hoping to start her on an antidepressant soon to see if that helps with decreasing her overall level of depression and anxiety. She is coping much better but I would really love to see her have fewer symptoms that she needs to "cope" with! She is working with a psychiatrist at the same hospital as her neurological care, and they are very conservative about side effects - they would start her on an extremely low dose and ramp up slowly, and she has to see the psychiatrist weekly for a month to monitor how she is doing. Hopefully that will eliminate some of the issues that you had with it.

 

[Cint]

After my temporal lobectomy, I suffered from severe anxiety and depression. The EPi-Care Center I was going to did have a neuropsychiatrist and neuropsychologist at the center, so my neurologist sent me to the shrink when I told her I was NOT doing well psychologically. The shrink finally found a medication that would help alleviate the depression that does go along with epilepsy. I also found my own therapist to talk to.

Here is more info on the subject:

http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/impact/moods-and-behavior/mood-and-behavior-advanced/depression

 

[joey]

I was more talking about anti anxiety meds or SSRIs, I did take them for three days and for those three days I felt weird and dizzy and then had a simple partial so I stopped. It was too much of a coincidence to carry on with them.

A lot of anxiety doctors will give you whatever you ask for. I need a counselor to just listen and give me advice about myou e because it's hard just learning by making mistakes.

 

[masterjen]

I totally appreciate the issues and concerns surrounding A. E. D. side effects, but sometimes it is worth it if it increases one's chance of living a more normal life. Frequent monitoring blood testing of various factors including liver enzymes and scans such as bone density scans can alert one's doctor early to side effects. So with all that I am going to give an opinion you do not want to hear, and that is to take the plunge and take an anti-seizure medication. Since you are pretty sure this is the cause of your anxiety, why not treat the cause? Even anxiety counseling will not likely prevent a seizure from occurring (although I admit it is possible that the stress of worrying may be lowering your seizure threshold). If an A. E. D. will reduce the chances of a seizure, then that alone will potentially reduce your anxiety issues.

 

[Kgartner]

I totally appreciate the issues and concerns surrounding A. E. D. side effects, but sometimes it is worth it if it increases one's chance of living a more normal life. Frequent monitoring blood testing of various factors including liver enzymes and scans such as bone density scans can alert one's doctor early to side effects. So with all that I am going to give an opinion you do not want to hear, and that is to take the plunge and take an anti-seizure medication. Since you are pretty sure this is the cause of your anxiety, why not treat the cause? Even anxiety counseling will not likely prevent a seizure from occurring (although I admit it is possible that the stress of worrying may be lowering your seizure threshold). If an A. E. D. will reduce the chances of a seizure, then that alone will potentially reduce your anxiety issues.

I'm not sure if Howll takes A.E.D.s or not, but in this conversation he was discussing taking anti-anxiety drugs and/or SSRIs, not anti-seizure meds. But your point is a good one - that if you can reduce the worry about seizures by taking medication that may alleviate some of your anxiety all by itself.

Counseling will not prevent seizures! But it can help you to cope both with generalized anxiety or social anxiety, and with any anxiety/depression issues that are directly due to seizures and epilepsy.

 

[Howll]

I'm aware that counselling won't prevent seizures, I would need it regardless of whether I have epilepsy or not as I've always suffered with an anxiety disorder. I just wanted to know for the people who suffer both, did it improve the stress or anxiety surrounding the seizures.

As for AEDs, I've chosen not to take them yet (being the operative word) because of a few factors.
The rarity of the seizures being one, but more importantly when I was younger there was no extensive testing done, I'm not even sure I had an EEG. They did an MRI and basically forgot about me (and I forgot about them). Obviously six years later when I had another one, it's a different story because I now have more of a voice and understanding of epilepsy. So, I saw an epileptologist who firstly gave me Lamotrigine which I since told him that I didn't want to take until I had an MRI, EEG and until further investigation to an existing condition I have that affects my white blood count done before we do anything about this. The existing condition causing temporary growths to form in my skull, usually when I'm unwell, due to the white blood cells collecting in one place, it also figures that I've historically had seizures when unwell, so I'd rather if possible, something be done about the existing condition if it is the cause of the seizures.

I'm still waiting on MRI results and have yet to have an EEG (was referred in December) so I can't really do anything until then.

 

[seagull]

I understand now.It not good thing doc prescribing if you don't know what you got I would insist on getting tests updated before doing anything.You pay medical insurance so get best out of it

 

[Howll]

I understand now.It not good thing doc prescribing if you don't know what you got I would insist on getting tests updated before doing anything.You pay medical insurance so get best out of it

Yeah, I just want to get everything done right. I'm actually in the UK, so it's NHS, which probably explains why everything's taking so long. It took over 6 months to get the counselling referral and 4 to have the MRI.

 

[seagull]

I Uk aswel are you in London area if so try get to Kings College hospital Denmark Hill one best e units in world uk I use go there until I moved.You may have do bit haggling with GP but stick your ground

 

[seagull]

Oh and you have longgggg wait see counciller on nhs

 

[Howll]

Yeah my life feels like one big waiting game at the moment. I'm in Cardiff Wales so not too close to London but I'll keep that in mind if the need ever arises thanks

 

[seagull]

Cardif good hospitall my son and family live in Tenby my son who doc he reakons Swansea better.The Welsh Assembly screwed health service up in Wales .it slightly different in Wales to England far more screwed