Hi All
First posting as I wanted to ask the opinions of people with far more experience of epilepsy than I have.
My situation is nothing like what many have to live with day in day out, I do appreciate that and how lucky I am, but I suffer quite a lot of anxiety from seizures etc which I am guessing may well be familiar to many so just wanted to ask people's opinions.
I am 35 and had one TC seizure when i had just turned 17, so about 18 years ago. Have never had anything since.
On the one hand I am told that having gone so long with nothing and the fact I had only had one in the first place, means I am not likely to have anymore i.e. not have epilepsy. I even saw an epiletologist and a gen neurologist a few years ago and both said I do not have E and the epileptologist said my risk of further events was now down to the risk of the general population.
On the other i read a lot on the web (which I know can be a bad idea!) that seems to say having had one seizure puts me at at least a 30% chance of having another. I also read stories such as the one involving the US chief justice Roberts who had 2 seizures 14 yrs apart suggesting mild epilepsy so I convince myself it is not uncommon to go so long between events and I can never consider myself 'normal'.
Although I know no one has a crystal ball and can't say categorically nothing will ever happen again, do you think I can accept what the epileptologist said and rely on the fact of 18 yrs with no problems as very strong evidence I do not have E and should not have anymore problems?
Is there really such a thing as having an isolated unprovoked seizure without having E, even a mild form? Or does having a history for one attack mean I should always consider myself someone with a natural disposition for seizures?
I have read that up to 10% of the population can have a one off attack and that 3% of the population develop epilepsy, but assume the larger figure for one off seizures is due to people who have provoked seizures and if it was based on unprovoked, like mine, the figure would be much clsoer to the epilepsy incidence figure. Makes me then think an unprovoked single seizure is much more indicative of E than others.
Over the years I have many times been in situations of lack of sleep, stress, hangovers etc but nothing has happened. It just freaks me out that there was no cause found for the original attack and so I still worry a lot it could happen again at any time.
Would really appreciate some advice/reassurance!
Mt first episode was just after lunch while walking the dog. I wasn't tired, hungover or anything and it just happened randomly. EEG taken few days later was completely normal although I have read this really doesn't mean much.
Many thanks guys for any words of wisdom you may have for someone who isn't very well read about E (other than internet horror stories!) and so just wants to understand a bit more whether what happened to me is likely really just a one off event or could well indicate an underlying tendency.
Tom
First posting as I wanted to ask the opinions of people with far more experience of epilepsy than I have.
My situation is nothing like what many have to live with day in day out, I do appreciate that and how lucky I am, but I suffer quite a lot of anxiety from seizures etc which I am guessing may well be familiar to many so just wanted to ask people's opinions.
I am 35 and had one TC seizure when i had just turned 17, so about 18 years ago. Have never had anything since.
On the one hand I am told that having gone so long with nothing and the fact I had only had one in the first place, means I am not likely to have anymore i.e. not have epilepsy. I even saw an epiletologist and a gen neurologist a few years ago and both said I do not have E and the epileptologist said my risk of further events was now down to the risk of the general population.
On the other i read a lot on the web (which I know can be a bad idea!) that seems to say having had one seizure puts me at at least a 30% chance of having another. I also read stories such as the one involving the US chief justice Roberts who had 2 seizures 14 yrs apart suggesting mild epilepsy so I convince myself it is not uncommon to go so long between events and I can never consider myself 'normal'.
Although I know no one has a crystal ball and can't say categorically nothing will ever happen again, do you think I can accept what the epileptologist said and rely on the fact of 18 yrs with no problems as very strong evidence I do not have E and should not have anymore problems?
Is there really such a thing as having an isolated unprovoked seizure without having E, even a mild form? Or does having a history for one attack mean I should always consider myself someone with a natural disposition for seizures?
I have read that up to 10% of the population can have a one off attack and that 3% of the population develop epilepsy, but assume the larger figure for one off seizures is due to people who have provoked seizures and if it was based on unprovoked, like mine, the figure would be much clsoer to the epilepsy incidence figure. Makes me then think an unprovoked single seizure is much more indicative of E than others.
Over the years I have many times been in situations of lack of sleep, stress, hangovers etc but nothing has happened. It just freaks me out that there was no cause found for the original attack and so I still worry a lot it could happen again at any time.
Would really appreciate some advice/reassurance!
Mt first episode was just after lunch while walking the dog. I wasn't tired, hungover or anything and it just happened randomly. EEG taken few days later was completely normal although I have read this really doesn't mean much.
Many thanks guys for any words of wisdom you may have for someone who isn't very well read about E (other than internet horror stories!) and so just wants to understand a bit more whether what happened to me is likely really just a one off event or could well indicate an underlying tendency.
Tom
