Hello :)

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carolyn

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Hi there!
I came across your forum by googling some seizure stuff so here I am...

I have been having simple partial seizures since I can remember (mostly derealisation and depersonalisation episodes) but I had no idea what they were and I thought everyone else had them too. Only when I got my first 'grand mal' (age 17) and ended up having EEGs and neurologist's appointments, did it turn out that those were actually seizures.

Medication-wise, I was started on Topamax but it didn't work well. The first med that actually helped was Epilim (valproic acid) and I've been on it for a few years. It kept seizures at bay until last September when they started to get progressively worse. Increasing the dose didn't help because my blood levels were above therapeutic range (120 mg/L) and in result I was switched to Keppra a few weeks ago. I haven't had any grand mal seizures since but I still keep getting quite a lot of the complex partial ones. Anyway, I am still supposed to increase my dose so I hope to be seizure-free sometime soon...

So much for the medical history :rolleyes:

Apart from that I am just an ordinary girl I guess. Still at uni and trying to enjoy life as much as I can. I am currently doing Honours year in psychology and after that I want to do a PhD in clinical neuropsychology. We will see how it goes ;).

Hmm.. I am not really sure what else I should write here. Maybe it's enough for one post :).
 
Hi Carolyn!!

It is always nice to "see" a new face on the site. I hope you feel welcome and comfortable. This is a great place to hang out, ask questions, answer questions, rant or just come for a hug. :hello:
 
Hi Carolyn, welcome to CWE!

We have some other Aussie members, don't know if any of them are near Brisbane... Good luck in your psych and neuropsych studies. Definitely a growing field with enormous relevance to people with epilepsy. Have you done any studies related to neurofeedback? (either for academic or for personal reasons). If there's a practitioner near you, you might consider it for help with your complex partials.

Best,
Nakamova
 
Thanks for a warm greeting Nakamova and Huskymom! :D I feel very welcome :D

Nakamova- I haven't done any in-depth formal studies in neurofeedback (yet), but I have done several internships in a research EEG lab where I tested people and then analysed the data we obtained so that's a start :). One of my friends is a clinical psych and is going to start a biofeedback oriented psychological practice later this year and as he is an EEG researcher as well he will probably look into the neurofeedback side of it too.

When I finally finish my studies, I would like to work with people with epilepsy but for now I have to focus on completing each semester as it comes because otherwise I tend to freak out ;).

BTW. I am originally from Poland (Polish mom + German dad) but came to study here in Oz and I really like it :D
 
I never realized that derealization could be a seizure...I have experienced this most of my life...and I was not diagnosed with seizures until I was 14. It explains a lot! Thanks!
 
Welcome! As far as treatment options go, you might also want to do some research on vagus nerve stimulation. It's another nonpharmacological treatment that's been FDA approved since 1997, but it doesn't get a lot of press, so to speak. It seems to be especially indicated for refractory partial seizures (which is what I have), and there are several of us here who have the vns device implanted. I wish my neurologist would have told me about it a long time ago, if for no other reason than that I like to know all of my treatment options. Even if you don't think it's a viable option for you, I'm sure you would be interested in reading about it. I hope you enjoy your stay here at CWE. :)

Cheers!
 
Hello Carolyn,
I never like seeing someone else having sz's, but if we can help by answering any questions ask away.

Topamax can be a good med some time it has been for me.
 
Hi Carolyn.

The Googlez seems to bring plenty of people here. It brought me here. There is more knowledge here than I have been able to find anywhere else. Very cool place.

I was somewhere around that age when I had been diagnosed with simple partial seizures. I held off on the tonic clonic for later. ;)

Welcome to CWE.
 
Hi, Carolyn. Welcome. I'm from South Africa, just next door to you (and half my country lives in Australia as I'm sure you've noticed), so we aren't all from the US here. I've been the same as you--have at times gotten really good control of the tonic clonics but the partials have never gone away. Now that I've started on Neurontin I'm hoping that will get better. I'm learning from the forum members here that it's worthwhile to try cocktails of drugs instead of just one. This is the first time I'm on more than one anti-convulsant.
 
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