im new here and i am 35. i just started having grandmal seizures 2 years ago i have only had about 5 total.the dr said it was from genetics. can they just ever go away? im not a n emotional person at all but now all i do is cry and feel like just well like i dont even care about anything is this normal? im just so sad.
im new here.
- Thread starter skbeany
- Start date
Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy Forums
Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.
Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!
epileric
Veteran
- Messages
- 4,499
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 163
Welcome to the site
So sorry to hear that you got seizures. I can't help but think that I'm lucky to have had them all my life because having grown up with themit's just what is normal.
I have to tell you though that I do have a relatively normal life. The only real pain is when I have to get somewhere & it's cold. I do wish I could drive at times like that but otherwise I"m quite functional.
Also, what medication(s) are you on? There are some anti-epileptic drugs that have effects on emotions.
So sorry to hear that you got seizures. I can't help but think that I'm lucky to have had them all my life because having grown up with themit's just what is normal.
I have to tell you though that I do have a relatively normal life. The only real pain is when I have to get somewhere & it's cold. I do wish I could drive at times like that but otherwise I"m quite functional.
Also, what medication(s) are you on? There are some anti-epileptic drugs that have effects on emotions.
- Messages
- 17,355
- Reaction score
- 756
- Points
- 263
Hi skbeany, welcome!
I had my first seizure when I was 35 (a little over ten years ago). An epilepsy diagnosis can be scary and depressing at first -- it certainly was for me -- but I've reached a kind of equilibrium, and I'm lucky enough to have been seizure-free for nearly 3 years on meds. In my case, I guess you could say the seizures have "gone away" due to meds. (I'm considering neurofeedback treatment to see if that would help me eventually go med-free in the future.) While I'm always aware of my epilepsy, I don't let that awareness crowd out the things that I CAN control, and the many things out there that can give meaning and pleasure to my life. I hope you can find a way to do that too. There ARE some folks who "age out" of epilepsy, but the majority need meds and/or other approaches to control their seizures.
If you have a lowered seizure threshold, it's important to minimize the seizures you have if at all possible, since the brain can get in the habit of seizing -- seizures can increase in severity or frequency over time. If you are on meds, and they are making you miserable, talk to your neurologist about trying a different dosage or a different med altogether. As Eric says, a number of the AEDs can have side effects that effect mood.
This thread provides great info and suggestions that you may find helpful: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f22/proactive-prescription-epilepsy-1254/
Best,
Nakamova
I had my first seizure when I was 35 (a little over ten years ago). An epilepsy diagnosis can be scary and depressing at first -- it certainly was for me -- but I've reached a kind of equilibrium, and I'm lucky enough to have been seizure-free for nearly 3 years on meds. In my case, I guess you could say the seizures have "gone away" due to meds. (I'm considering neurofeedback treatment to see if that would help me eventually go med-free in the future.) While I'm always aware of my epilepsy, I don't let that awareness crowd out the things that I CAN control, and the many things out there that can give meaning and pleasure to my life. I hope you can find a way to do that too. There ARE some folks who "age out" of epilepsy, but the majority need meds and/or other approaches to control their seizures.
If you have a lowered seizure threshold, it's important to minimize the seizures you have if at all possible, since the brain can get in the habit of seizing -- seizures can increase in severity or frequency over time. If you are on meds, and they are making you miserable, talk to your neurologist about trying a different dosage or a different med altogether. As Eric says, a number of the AEDs can have side effects that effect mood.
This thread provides great info and suggestions that you may find helpful: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f22/proactive-prescription-epilepsy-1254/
Best,
Nakamova
alivenwell
Veteran
- Messages
- 1,604
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 156
Personally, I strongly feel in favor of brand name drugs. Even the slightest drop or raise in those medications can play havoc with seizure control, frustration, and break through seizures. Do you take the same generic company's medication(s) all the time? Or does that pharmacist switch its appearance for you?
I've not always had complete control, either. Lack of transportation feels like a penalty. I'm hoping they will soon produce cars that drive themselves to get us out the door and into a more social setting. Sometimes just getting out of our four walls can be a great escape. To be honest, walking is a great exercise. I'd suggest moving into a neighborhood that's near a lot of things like the grocery store, doctors, hospitals, malls, restaurants and convenience stores. I invested in a great dog who has been my best buddy since day one. Ironically, seizures have not returned since I got that dog. Maybe it's a therapeutic thing?
I've not always had complete control, either. Lack of transportation feels like a penalty. I'm hoping they will soon produce cars that drive themselves to get us out the door and into a more social setting. Sometimes just getting out of our four walls can be a great escape. To be honest, walking is a great exercise. I'd suggest moving into a neighborhood that's near a lot of things like the grocery store, doctors, hospitals, malls, restaurants and convenience stores. I invested in a great dog who has been my best buddy since day one. Ironically, seizures have not returned since I got that dog. Maybe it's a therapeutic thing?
- Messages
- 310
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Aloha SK- I was 37 when I had my first blackout, my kids were 15 and 11. I thought my world was ripped to shreds....fast foward 15years, life is ok. I still seize, still hate the side effects of the meds, been thru 4 or 5 neuros and umpteen med switches, but I am still standing (ok not all of the time). In fact hubby & I just got back from a cruise thru the Meditteranean. He never let go of my hand...I love that guy
Endless
Even Keel
- Messages
- 4,466
- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 0
Hi, skbeany,
Welcome to the forum! I'm so glad you are here.
It was hard for me, too, when I was first diagnosed about a year and a half ago. I had been living with seizures for decades before that, but didn't know they were seizures, or the cause. Just a lot of weird stuff happening.
Crying can be either from a very good and understandable reason - a diagnosis of epilepsy and dealing with that. OR, people with seizures have a higher rate of depression than the general public. Some seizure medications also cause depression. A side effect of Lamictal can be depression, seen 1% more often than the control group (people without the lamictal): http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=32038#nlm34084-4
You kind of have to dig for it - it's in the tables at the bottom.
I think it might be a good idea to call your neurologist and tell him that you are crying all the time. He needs to figure out if you are depressed, and whether it is the Lamictal. If it is, he may either change your meds or give you an anti-depressant. We could fill up Lake Mead with all the people on anti-depressants in here. In other words, it's common.
Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing, okay?
Welcome to the forum! I'm so glad you are here.
It was hard for me, too, when I was first diagnosed about a year and a half ago. I had been living with seizures for decades before that, but didn't know they were seizures, or the cause. Just a lot of weird stuff happening.
Crying can be either from a very good and understandable reason - a diagnosis of epilepsy and dealing with that. OR, people with seizures have a higher rate of depression than the general public. Some seizure medications also cause depression. A side effect of Lamictal can be depression, seen 1% more often than the control group (people without the lamictal): http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=32038#nlm34084-4
You kind of have to dig for it - it's in the tables at the bottom.
I think it might be a good idea to call your neurologist and tell him that you are crying all the time. He needs to figure out if you are depressed, and whether it is the Lamictal. If it is, he may either change your meds or give you an anti-depressant. We could fill up Lake Mead with all the people on anti-depressants in here. In other words, it's common.
Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing, okay?
Blue Cat
New
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Hi SKBeany. I completely understand, I just had my 4th seizure in January, spanning over almost 25 yrs. After the first they just said I had too much to drink. After the 2nd I was diagnosed and put on Lamictal and was fine. The 3rd was after 3 mos on generics and after doubling that dose a year and a half later another breakthrough. It's only after this last one that I joined the forum and have come to terms with the fact that I have epilepsy. And now more than ever have a constant awareness of it, even though so few seizures, it's always with me, and that is hard. I'm luckier than most in that I can drive (after 3 mo's with no sz's - 1 month to go). But I feel for you, and do know you're not alone. And you're much smarter than I to come to this forum so soon and have a community that understands. Best of luck on the Lamictal, it did wonders for me, just be careful if they move you to generic.
Hi There,
I feel so bad for you, being sad, I think comes along with seizures. Just think about it, it changes your entire life. We just have to learn to live our lives a different kind of way. We can do it if we just try. This site is great! After a while you'll feel comfortable because you're constantly learning from others that have seizures. I learn something new everyday. You'll get to laugh a little too, that always feels good. So, relax and converse with your new family. God Bless you!!!
I feel so bad for you, being sad, I think comes along with seizures. Just think about it, it changes your entire life. We just have to learn to live our lives a different kind of way. We can do it if we just try. This site is great! After a while you'll feel comfortable because you're constantly learning from others that have seizures. I learn something new everyday. You'll get to laugh a little too, that always feels good. So, relax and converse with your new family. God Bless you!!!