hello from oz

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Luke

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Hello,

My name is Luke. I had a seizure in November Last year in my office.
To give you a background I had a stroke in 2010 caused by a blood clot.

I soon recovered from the stroke despite loosing vision out my left side.

Anyway fast forward to 2012 and I had an extremely stressful year with relationship breakdown, work etc etc.

Leading up to my seizure I was very stressed and also tired, often times I would be in the office until very late at night etc, The day before the seizure I was so tired.

2 weeks before the seizure I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. (my thought was that it may have been my vision turning back on) it was a quiet sickening pain last less than 20seconds.

Then the day before my seizure I told my business partner that I was exhausted to which he said I just needed to work harder. The next day I had that horrible pain again and turned on my computer.

Straight after I felt "off" and walked down to my assistant and asked her to call me an ambulance for the next minute or so I just kept shaking face twitching.

I was calm I guess, the next memory was waking up at hospital. I had a seizure blacked out etc.

The Dr's put me on tegrotol 200mg twice daily.

I then had the tests such as bloods, MRI which were all good.

My Dr's felt that the seizure was caused by stress and sleep deprivation I remember every night I would check my emails on my phone at like2am when I rolled over etc so also with the stress I can understand that decision.

I have been fine etc up until recently when just feel so so scared all the time about having anther seizure. I think to cause I have since sold my business and am now having a break.....my to much time to think.

It just happens very day and I swear it is about to happen.....then nothing.

My Dr said he see's a healthy young man (32) an that the chances are extremely slim of having another one because I am not epileptic and I hav changed my life.

Basically I am on hear for help and positivity as I cant discuss this with anyone as they haven't had the same thing.

Just over being so sacred that I cant be alone etc. {I am seeing a psyhc}

anyway I hope I can get some help and positive thoughts here? :}

Luke
 
Hi Luke,
Welcome to CWE, you will find some great information & meet some fantastic people here.

I hope the seizure you had last year was a one of but I do understand your worries about having more seizures. We never know if we will have another seizure so it is very easy to over stress about it but unfortunately stressing isn't good.

I had brain surgery in 2011, I have been seizure free since the surgery but last year I started having funny feelings in my head which felt a tiny bit like how my auras (simple partial seizures) I used to have before my surgery were.
At the time when the funny feelings started I was in a job which caused me a lot of stress so my specialists assured me that the funny feelings were not seizures but in fact my brains way of telling me it was under to much stress.

I have a neurolopsychologist who has been a great support both before surgery, during the recovery stage & even now 2 years post surgery. When I 1st started having the funny feelings in my head I was worried that the funny feelings I felt were a type of aura & started to over think it. My neuropsych taught me ways to deal with the stress & not to worry to much.

I ended up leaving the job that was causing me the stress, the funny feelings reduced alot once I left my job & got my stress levels down. I still have the very odd times where I will feel a bit funny but it only ever lasts a couple of seconds & it doesnt affect me so I now don't worry to much when I do have these episodes.
 
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Hello from oz

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me :)
Yes stress just isn't a great thing at all !!!
 
Luke said:
Yes stress just isn't a great thing at all !!!
Click to expand...
Stress can be a big trigger for alot of peoples seizures.
For me the 2 main triggers for my seizures were stress & fatigue (if I was really tired or was just doing to much).

I have never been good with stress, after my surgery I had to learn ways to deal with stress & to learn not to over think things to much.
 
I don't think there was really a night last year when I didn't go to sleep stressed and manly all due to work . I then was ok until I left the business and I guess it's part of my nature to just over think things
 
Hi Luke, welcome to the party! I will add another burger to the grill :)

Sorry to hear about your seizure, but I do like that you have been able to change your life style to try to lessen the amount of stress you are having. If my partner would have said that I just need to work harder when I tell him/her how tired I am, I think I would have had a hard time getting my fingers off of his neck! What a moron.

It is going to be hard, but try to just live each day by the moment. If we all give in to our worries about when/if we are having another seizure, then we wouldn't be able to get out of bed in the morning! When you feel that way, know that we are all here and have been there too. Hang in there!
 
Hi Luke, welcome to CWE!

Quick question: Are you still on the Tegretol, or have your docs taken you off of it?

It's completely normal to worry about having another seizure, but you'll find that the longer you go seizure-free, the more that worry will lessen. Especially if you are proactive about finding ways to reduce your anxiety. This includes seeing a therapist as you are doing, and can also include things like music, sports, meditation, volunteering -- whatever can provide relaxation and distraction. If you find yourself getting anxious at the same time every day, get rid of your watch and plan relaxation breaks throughout the day. These can just be moments where you lie down, close your eyes, and listen to your breathing, or they can be moments where you are ripping up weeds in the garden. Consider getting a dog or other pet -- animal companions are good for our hearts, literally and figuratively.

Best,
Nakamova
 
Hey Luke,

Sleep Deprivation is a number one cause of seizures. Personally i go to sleep at 10 and wake at 6, or a little earlier depending on whether the sun is out or not. Having a good sleeping habit will help you control a lot of stress. It's amazing what a good nights rest will do to one's mental well being. In my state, we have medical cannabis and it's a great sleep aide.

Worrying about seizures will not help anything but may bring on Pychological or psydo seizures. The way i look at it is when it will come, it will come, can't do much about it, other than to live life as normal as you can.

You didn't mention if your seizures and other issue have alleviated since you left your stressful job? I totally agree with Huskymom about what your coworker said to you. :)

Zolt
 
Thank you

Thank you all for replying makes me feel better.
To answer some of the questions yes I am still on my meds .... Way to worried to get of them .

Sleep is overall better since last yr I wasn't living at home for a lot of last yr and it's good to be home getting at least 8hrs a night.

I have gotten worse with anxiety since I left work. Free the seizure I just accepted it was a one off and went about my business then just probably read to much on google which wasn't good and everyday I worry about another obeyed nothing has happened?

I think maybe the fact that I have left my fat passed world behind I am getting more time to think?

My physician was great he said I'm all good in his opinion. He has since left my town and each dr gives you mixed reports.

I believe it is all in my head which in turn leads to depression etc

I'm at the moment just struggling overall. I guess one factor is that some of my colleges made fun of the seizure which hasn't helped..... At my farewell party some of them said there "greatest memory of me" was the sounds I was making when I was comming too again.

I think having a stroke hasn't helped me either .... My neuro said to me at my last appointment after the stroke that I didn't have epilepsy as it woul have appeared by then.

I think just the tiredness and stress of last year caught up with me at the end.
 
I find excercise can be a great way to relieve stress and tension. Get in a routine of going for a jog or even join a gym. You feel lot better about yourself and not just because your justifying that burger but because it takes your mind off certain things and releases endorphins. Good luck mate, you'll be right
 
Thanks

Thank you luckyluke.
I have been trying to exercise often and I it does make you feel better.
Just got to keep doing it :bigsmile:
 
Gday luke
I was told by a old bloke that had been through alot " if you yourself can`t fix it don`t worry about it " the worry will cause stress and may make things worse ! don`t worry about the fella that made fun of your seizure , he must be a prick to to make fun of a person about that ( "bugger it" don`t worry about it )
From what i have found about myself , go for walks ect and talk to people helped , don`t sit watching tv ect .
all the best .
 
Thanks Marty. Yes I am trying that positive thinking. It's still a struggle for me In the back of my mind I know it's anxiety. Still bloody hard though.
I'm starting a new job on Thursday so it's fever pitch this week. Which is creating a big fear.
 
Tegretol made me really tired so if your working your butt off,it could be adding to your exhaustion.It also made me pretty anxious and depressed.I was always on edge worrying about oncoming seizures.I felt like one was just around the corner.It's a horrible feeling.It's been nearly 4 years and I've changed meds a few times now and I never worry about seizures now.sometimes I actually forget I have epilepsy!!!!! I hope you get to that point too :)
 
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