Just curious, how many epileptics have a drivers license?

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Mlrisser

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My daughter 11.5 keeps asking me if she will get a DL. We live in Nevada where physicians must report epilepsy to the DMV. I can understand the reason, and I am on the fence as to wither or not I agree. I can see both sides for sure. Just wondering! I know California has the same law.

Certainly not trying to pry into anyone's personal business, I am curious tho if you feel like sharing.

Best wishes
-M
 
I'm an adult. I have a driver's license. I couldn't drive for about 9 months. I didn't relinquish my license, just put it in a drawer until I could drive.

I believe Robyn's daughter is at the point of getting a driver's license. I remember Robyn having some pretty reasonable criteria. You may want to ask her what that is.
 
I live in PA and you have to be seizure free for 6 months before the state will let you drive.

I don't know how bad her seizures are but you could try explaining to her that it would be better not to drive than to end up hurting herself or someone else if she were to have a seizure while driving. There's even a possibabilty that someone might end up getting killed.

I don't know when my seizures come on. I'll usually come out of one and who ever is there with me will tell me that I just had one. I'm sure that there have been times when I've been by myself and had them, but I don't remember that I have. Also when I have them I don't have any idea what is going on around me. I wouldn't want to be behind the wheel because I know that something seirous would happen.
 
I drive. I live in Texas, it is illegal for doctor to release your medical information to anyone here. When I got diagnosed, dr advised me that the state law is no driving for 6 months after a seizure. I explained to him, if I wasn't able to drive, I would have to quit my job and then the cycle starts...no job, no insurance, no meds, no doctors! I did quit driving at night. I have now been seizure free for 14 months...so I am totally legal! :woot:
 
Thank you both for your reply! I appreciate it... I have explained that too her, and even told her that if she doesn't get one when the time comes that I will drive her wherever she needs to go. It's certainly nothing new for me, my brother is legally blind and I have been his method of transportation for a while now.

The only reason I say I am on the fence about wither I agree with it or not is what happened to doctor/patient confidentiality? That seems to go right out the window with epileptics. But at the same time, I understand why they have to report it. It's a catch 22 if you ask me.
 
Congratulations, I am thrilled you've been seizure free for so long! I pray it continues!
 
I've never driven (& probably never will) but when I was 15 my Dad told me that I'd never be allowed to drive, however.... I could move to any country I want & not get drafted.

Try thinking along those lines for your daughter and think of something she might consider positive.
 
I have and will continue! I just pray she's a candidate for the ep surgery. We've got about a 6 month long battery of tests to go thru to find out if it's even an option. I still hold out hope that she'll maybe get there one day :paperbag:
 
In NC the Dr's are not required to tell the DMV unless they feel you might try to drive. I am glad I still have my license as I needed them last week to fly. I have not driving since early June and not sure how much longer it will be before I get behind the wheel. I have not desire to drive when I think about the fact I could hurt or kill my 6 year old. She is my world and I would be devastated if something happened to her and I was the root cause.

Good luck with the DMV in Nevada.
Bergoomay
 
In Massachusetts, there's no requirement for docs to tell the DMV either. I have never relinquished my driver's license and have even driven before the official 6 month post-seizure span. That said, I deliberately moved to a place where I can walk to get basic necessities and where public transportation is close at hand, just in case there may come a time when I can't or shouldn't drive.
 
I have

one, and have had the entire time I've had E.

HOWEVER, each time that I've gone through rough spots, I've put up my license voluntarily for up to a year at a time, and not driven until I was stable.

I am currently under total control, and any seizures that have occurred in the past have been strictly nocturnal (specifically when I'm sleeping).
 
I had to hand in my provisional (learners) license to the DVLA as soon as i got diagnosed with epilepsy. Here in the UK you have to be without any kind of seizure for 12 months before you can re-apply for it.

Mine will probably be expired by the time i get it back. Mind you, i got a free bus pass instead :p
 
I live in Minnesota. The requirement by the state is 6 months, and Dr's are not required to release medical info. I also am in the position that if I can't drive, I will have no job, no job, and the thing just keeps going. I live in a pretty rural area, and buses and cabs are pretty much none existant. I work shift work, 12 hour shifts, and don't have many friends who would be willing to be up at 6 am, to pick me up, either to or from work, or who would be happy recieving a call at 4 am to tell them I had just been called in to work and need a ride. I guess I justify my decision based on the fact that I know many people that are diabetics who are not supposed to drive either who drive. I also am of the opinion that at any given time, ANYONE could have something happen that would be just as disasterous. I know people who are in very poor health who have had heart problems who are also likely to have problems which could also have the same outcome. I know many of you will disagree with my logic, and have opinions about this that totally make sense to alot, this is just my opinion. Right or wrong.
 
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I live in Nebraska and I have a DL. Ive had one since I turned 16.
 
I have a driver's license, but i almost never drive. I never drive alone, or with somebody who isn't accustomed to picking up on pre-FDGB signs & Sx's, and then only if I really, really have to (e.g. when a designated driver falls through and we can't get a cab). I have a solid warning, but the stakes are just too high. My mother forwards me every account of somebody having a seizure and plowing into a convenience store or a lil old lady or something.

A kid in my town recently had a seizure at the wheel and took out a few tractors sitting on a lot, totalling his vehicle in the process. I'd gone down about 20 minutes before. The first responders got called off the scene from my seizure party to his wreck. They say we come in two's or threes here.

Poor guy. I can't imagine how much $ it cost him. But it coulda been a lot worse...

Moreover, most days I'd rather ride my bike anyhow. When there's any traffic to speak of, biking's faster besides.
 
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First of all, let me say that I am not trying to be negative or belligerant, these are just my opinions. I am not saying they are absolute, and I am not trying to belittle anyone who is of a different oppinion.

That said, what about all the drunk drivers out there? We just had an incident recently in a town about 5 miles from here. The driver was drunk. Took out a car with 4 girls riding in it. All of them died. Not a pretty picture. Certainly, it could happen to any of us, at any given time, and maybe that's a little worse. But what about the people who "just lose control" for no apparent reason, and crash into another car or whatever. They are OK to drive, but I am not? No, I have no warning. And no, I can't control anything about when or how my seizures happen. They are few and far between. I am just not prepared or willing to give up the freedom that driving allows me. BTW, as I said there are barely any modes of public transportation available at the times when I would need them. Right now, where I live, the temp is -12, we have over a foot of snow on the ground, so walking or riding a bike is pretty much out of the question. That brings out another point from where I live. The roads here are very icy. Every driver out there has the chance of losing control over their vehicle at any given time Are they less of a danger than I? I just don't think so.

Again, these are just my opinions.:soap:
 
Sure there are alot of drunk drivers out there cjole. But is it legal to do it? No it isn't, and exactly for the reasons that you said above. Drunk drivers are more apt to have an accident and yes possibly end up killing someone, which is why drunks are not supposta drive. If you get caught driving drunk you will loose your licence.

People who loose control I really can't say too much about, they could get a flat tire while in the middle of driving or something like that happen to the car, but this is something that they have NO control over, unlike a drunk or someone with epilepsy who know that something COULD or WOULD happen that they HAVE control over to keep it from happening - just don't get behind the wheel (if that's how you want to word it).

People who can't drive in snow, icy roads and even possibly heavy rain shouldn't leave home if they can't handle it. This is also something that a person can control.

I also live out in the country with no public transportation either, however I'm very lucky that I have alot of family around that are able to take me places when I need to go.

I hate to say it but you might consider moving to an area where you would have an easier time getting around. I love where I live and it would just about kill me to have to move into town and live in an appartment instead of my house with a yard. But in order to live my life it's just something that I would have to do.

This is just my opionion and me standing on my soap box too.
 
I have worried about this alot myself, and my son is only 5:sad:

I live in Louisiana and the laws here are very confusing. Following is our DMV's stance:

Unlike most states, Louisiana does not impose a seizure-free period before you can start or resume driving. Your physician's recommendation to the Office of Motor Vehicles carries the most weight in determining your driving status.

And here is wikipedia's list. It has each state's laws listed (and many other countries), along with whether physicians have to report and seizure free period if applicable:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilepsy_and_driving#Laws_by_state


This is what it says about Louisiana:
Applicants for a new license with any disability must provide a physician certificate detailing their fitness to drive. This report is waived for renewals, except for commercial licenses.

It also says 6 months seizure free (which contradicts the 1st statement), but no physician reporting. I'm curious-how would they even know if you have epilepsy if there is no physician reporting? How can they get the so-called "recommendation" from a doctor regarding whether you can drive if there is no physician reporting? The lines aren't drawn clearly.

I don't think it's fair to restrict it for more than a few months, nor is it fair to violate an individual's privacy regarding medical records.

It's not right to invade the privacy of someone who has had a seizure, but not someone who is an alcoholic. If doctors aren't going to put restrictions on people whom they know are on recreational drugs, then it doesn't make sense to have a database of people on anti-convulsants to restrict either. Heck, I take several medications daily for my herniated disk that say I should use caution while driving, but there aren't actual laws restricting me.

I don't think it makes much sense, but there are plenty of other laws that are ridiculous. I have to pay a $250 fine if I drive without a seatbelt, but my kids ride on a bus twice a day that isn't even equipped with them.

I do think that morally a person shouldn't endanger themselves and others by getting behind the wheel if they know they're feeling loopy or think a seizure is possible based on a pattern of breakthroughs for example. It should be up to the individual to decide what is safe-which is what millions of people around the world do every day when they turn the key in the ignition anyway. For every other situation like medications, drugs, alcohol, etc. it isn't until you drive erratically or have an accident that you get restricted.
 
cjole

I am in agreement with your sentiment about driving drunk. I have the nocturnal seizure variety. Having E for over 40 years now, with zero seizures at the wheel, I would say you are fairly safe on the road with me. That is a question that pops up to me is - and you drive?? The same people will talk about going out and having a few drinks, and are then offended when asked if they then drove. Sad fact, even with numerous DUI's, if you can afford a good attorney - he/she can keep you on the road. Public transportation in my area is non existent, so we have sad to say, a garden variety of driver's on the road that should not be-E aside.
 
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