Driving And Epilepsy?

[Kate]

Okay, I am sooo baffled by this. I have seen many many many posts where people (like one where someone recently mentioned they had a seizure while driving and than a few weeks later had a seizure at work) have seizures yet continue to drive. The law in my state (Indiana) is that people who have seizures are allowed to drive whenever their doctors release them to. For me, since I have grand mal seizures, my doctor told me she wanted me to wait six months.

I'm a 19 year old whose first seizure was in July. I live in a TINY town in the middle of no where. ALL my friends went off to school about a year ago, and live at least an hour away. Most live about two or three hours away. My only source of communication with them is usually phone and internet. I get lonely a lot, and don't have much to do. A year ago now, I was an 18 year old girl in a sorority. I had a bad ankle, but I was as active as I could be. Was attending a good university, having the time of my life.. Now, I sit at home, I watch TV, I try to stay busy, and I DO try to stay positive.. but it gets hard sometimes.. especially being so dependent on everyone else.

My point about all that is ^^ I have no public transport, I can't grab a taxi or a train or a bus or something to go to town. If I tried to find a cab service people would laugh at me, lol. And, it IS a small town, but too spread out to walk through. Especially for someone recovering from a horrid ankle injury like me.

My only way of transportation is my parents.. and they are teachers, and also VERY active in our community. My dad also owns his own business, mom directs the church choir, she also is a private voice and piano instructor..the list goes on and on. They don't have the time to take me ANYWHERE other than necessary doctor appointments. I DO have a Granny who lives in this town, but she is much older and doesn't like to drive either... so I'm pretty much stuck.

Naturally I count down the days until I can drive. Until 8 days ago, I could drive on April 30th. NOW I have 5 months and 19 days until I can drive.

I'm having ankle surgery on January 9th and going to see a special team of neuros in Jan that are working with my neuro, and *crosses fingers* maybe they'll figure something out... and less how long it'll be till I can drive.

That's my main question. Say, they figure out what's wrong with me, this new medicine I'm on controls my seizures, and I never have a seizure again, SINCE the law in my state is NOT six months seizure free, it IS at my doctors choice, do you think there is an tiny little bitty chance I may get to drive?

Also.. are some of you with seizures able to drive? (Remember I just was diagnosed with epilepsy in July of this year - still SO new to all this.)

 

[speber]

Driving....*sigh*.......

This is a HOT topic for us persons with epilepsy. First of all, here's a quick link to a poll and a thread in the 'Back Fence' part of the house here entitled Do you think driving laws are fair with regards to epilepsy? where you can read more than I can tell you about what the members have to say on the subject of late!

For me, I'm in Texas. Six months seizure-free and I can drive. Is that safe? It depends. It changes from case to case. I get to drive, but let my wife drive as much as possible to be safe....what can I say? I have public transportation available...but it stinks.

Hang in there Kate and GOOD LUCK!
:rock:

 

[wonderdogs]

Hi Kate! I am even newer to the diagnosis than you! I was diagnosed 8 days ago. My neuro did not mention anything to me about not driving but that is on my list of things to ask her when I follow up with her on 12/31.

I had seizure activity all throughout my EEG but aside from that I have not been able to determine WHEN I have a seizure. I don't think I loose consiousness entirely and they must only last a few moments of which I have no memory. To my knowledge no one around me has witnessed a seizure either.

I don't think my driving is impared but I do worry about it.

 

[RobinN]

If you were my child, I wouldn't want you behind the wheel for a minimum of one year seizure free.

 

[Kate]

I can understand how you could think a year, but that's seems a little extreme to me. Especially if they find a cause for my seizures, and are able to control them. I'm a very experienced driver for someone my age. I may only be 19, but before all this happened, I worked as a nanny 13 hours away from my home town, I got used to VERY long drives, and am an excellent and defensive driver. I love driving, and I miss it.

Trust me, I will not be driving until I get a complete okay FROM my neurologist. It is entirely in HER hands, not mine. They never really turned me in for having seizures or anything here. If I wanted to run to Wal-Mart or something, I could.. but I WOULDNT. Because I wouldn't just be risking MY life, I would be risking OTHERS.

With the kind of seizures I have, I pass out entirely. Even though I have NEVER had a seizure before 9 PM, I'm terrified to drive. I almost never want to drive again. I'm almost 20, and I have thought about moving to a bigger city where there is easy public transportation so I never have to drive.

I feel like driving with my epilepsy is driving drunk. I know it's not the same for everyone, but MY seizures are SO bad and make me so out of it AND my medicine makes me so out it, that I might as well drink a few beers and take a joy ride.

The thing that sucks is, while I can't drive, I can't work. My parent's can't take me to work. They are too busy. I don't know anyone who I could car pool with. I live in too small and too spread out of a city.

I don't know how to work from home.

I guess for now I'll just focus on school.

Luckily my parents are okay with me not working as long as I'm in school, which doesn't need me to drive, because I'm doing school online.

Sometimes I think I never want to drive again..

Sometimes I just don't see how this is happening to me.. A few months ago I was a normal teenager.. *sigh*

Anyhow. Like I said, in the end, it will be in my neurologist's hands. If she says I can drive when I am six months seizure free, than I'm going to look for a job and drive to and from work. I won't drive unless I HAVE to, etc. I'm not going to be taking joy rides and driving just for fun like I used to. Not like you can do that with gas prices now days!

One of the hardest things.. I bought a brand new car in March of 2007.. had ankle surgery in June of 2007.. started having seizures in July of 2007.. got to drive my new car a few months. *sigh.

 

[epileric]

I could never drive but........

If you were my child, I wouldn't want you behind the wheel for a minimum of one year seizure free.

Heck, I'm an adult & I'd be scared to see me behind the wheel lol.

Actually I think I'm lucky because I was never allowed to drive so I've never felt that I've lost a privelege, I don't drive & that's just how things are for me.

I was lucky because when I lived in a small town everybody would offer me a lift if they saw me walking home alongside the hiway. Problem is that everyone knows where I'd been.

 

[RanMan]

Kate,
I know what you're feeling, losing your d-licence after driving your whole adult life (in my case) is like having your freedom taken away:

I went 23 yrs seizure free and I was of the strong opinion that if I were to have an "aura" or get that feeling just before a grande-mal while I was driving, I would be able to pull over in plenty of time, but since found out that it's like playing Russian Roulette, I was fooling myself. I had a minor incident in a parking lot and as a result, I had my licence suspended.I still drove for 2 yrs but I was just lucky that nothing happened. After driving my whole adult life and then having my licence stripped away, I felt like part of my freedom was taken away. It could happen at ANY time and you won't have time to pull over. So again I ask you is it worth the gamble?

Did you hear about the lady in Florida that had a siezure while driving and her licence was under suspention for medical reasons?

She drove her SUV through a school bus drop off area and hit some kids. (not sure how many were killed)

As well as facing criminal charges, she will be living with this guilt for the rest of her life and never be able to get insurance.

I'm sorry but I have a problem with people who have a KNOWN seizure condition and continue to drive and then there's me who has a siezure condition that has been under control for 25 yrs and I've had mine suspended. To me that seems very irresponsible.

I am also on disability for my epilepsy and ulcerative colitis so I really don't need to drive but I'd like to have that freedom again.

Randy

 

[RobinN]

I am suggesting now to my daughter that she consider cities that have a great public transport system.

Also, have you considered doing some volunteer work for those less fortunate. There are many jobs that can be done at home, and it just might make you feel better than sitting around watching TV. Rebecca and I knit squares for blanket for the elderly. We make crossword puzzle booklets from the free news puzzles. We make doggie treats for the humane society. We make blankets for the pediatric ward at the hospital.

Sometimes when you focus on your one seizure a week (or whatever it is for each of us , and then you realize there are some families that are dealing with 10-90 per day... it can put some things into perspective. Certainly not to diminish what you have going, but good to step back from time to time. There always will be something in life to challenge us.

 

[forward2007]

I have to go 3 months without a seizure before I can drive again. I still have 10 weeks to wait. onder:

 

[RobinN]

She drove her SUV through a school bus drop off area and hit some kids. (not sure how many were killed)

Hearing witness accounts of this really nailed this one to my heart.

 

[Meetz1064]

Like you, Kate, I live in Indiana, too. But I live in Purdue country.....

I DO drive, but I limit my driving......even though it's been more than 4 years since my last seizure, and 7 years before that, and they happen ONLY in my sleep, I still limit my driving. I drive only to and from work, and a few nearby errands, like the post office.

Usually the farthest away I drive for an errand is 2.5 miles, on occasion (to see the neuro or rehab doc) 10 miles. And if I'm not feeling well, I refuse to drive. Period. No ifs ands or buts about it.

Good luck!

Meetz

 

[stringbean]

I now do not drive at all, and I sure know how that can affect your life, especially when you drove for many years.
I have to admit and I am not happy with myself for doing so, but I really didn't have much of a choice, when I raising my oldest daughters all on my own, no child support, I had to work and I didn't have anyone that could take me to work and back everyday. I even lied to my neuro and he was very adamant that I did not drive he would even ask me who brought me and want me to go out in the waiting room and get them so he knew that someone brought me, so I did always make sure someone was me at my neuro appts.
Now, part of this time was before they diagnosed me with partial and complex partials, instead of panic attacks. I was having grandmals however not on a regular basis, I went more than a year without one.
I did not realize at that time exactly how dangerous to myself, my children and others my driving could be. I sure do now, luckily I never had an accident while driving because of a seizure. At my last job, before my E just kept getting worse and worse, I lived close enough to where I worked to walk, and if I didn't feel even the slighest bit right I would walk to work if they happened at work and I had drove, I called for a ride home.
Now, I have not drove in over 5 years.
I also live in a very small town, no bus and such, only cab service and honestly I hate taking cabs, especially in this town because honestly they do not drive to darn safe here, there have been many accidents involving cabs and their fault.
I have to depend on my sis, daughter and dad to take me where I need to go at this time because we have no vehicle and my hubby can't take me he couldn't take me to doc appts anyway without having to take the day off and we cannot afford that. My daughers car is broke down, my dad is in PA for awhile because he has to play cab for my brother, who also has E, that got caught driving under the influence and would lose his 50 thousand dollar a year job with no way to work.
I know some states neuros are required to report to the DMV that you have E and when you can't drive and they take your license. Here in WV they don't do that, but the neuros do tell you not to drive for a year.

 

[skillefer]

This is a tricky subject. I'll be honest. I drive. So does my classroom aide, who also happens to have epilepsy. I have grand mals, and until about 3 years ago, they were really well controlled. I drive because I have to. My family survives because of my income, and I'm responsible for raising 3 kids. If we didn't have my income, my family would be out on the street. Literally. Reporting seizures is something that not all people with epilepsy are eager to do. After all, it can have some serious repurcussions. But then again, so does being in a car accident. I can't tell you what to do, one way or the other. All I know is that every person that I've ever met with epilepsy had to deal with this. So you're not alone.