Medication and losing friends

[keaze]

Hey guys. I'm 24 years old. I've been diagnosed with epilepsy about 7 years ago. I've been taking tegretol generic since then. I used to flourish when i was younger and have an exciting life, with great friends by the dozen. Over the years, i've become quite the recluse. There is mainly only one person i talk to. I've been blessed with a magnificent girlfriend, who's been supporting me for 6 years. Thank god for her. She's an angel straight down from heaven. Apart from that, I have slowly lost all connections over the years (it happened i would say withing the first two years of medicating). Even my closest family members are almost strangers to me now. I don't talk to anybody apart from my mother, father and girlfriend. Not a single word exchanged with anybody else. Not even online.

Now i want to ask you guys. Is this just happening to me? Can I blame this on the pills (600mg x 2 tegretol XR), or is it actually not related at all? I know that I can't connect anymore because I keep forgetting any encouter i have, and I forget to what degree i am friends with someone, so I either overdo it, or I don't give enough credit to people, so basically it just doesn't work at all...

I find my situation absolutely ridiculous, especially for my age. I want to try to get out there more, but over the years I've become more and more afraid of rejection, and don't want to make the jump and try to connect anymore. It's getting really lonely by myself, and it's really taxing on my girlfriend. I'm currently transfering to lamictal, with my fingers crossed hoping it will make a change.

So...anyone else struggling like me?

But what i really want to know most is, is it really due to the pills?

Thanks

 

[epileric]

I've always had a similar social situation. I'm sure part of it was the seizures when I was younger & on high doses of 3 different AEDs at the same time.

I've been on tegretol CR for a long time and I know that in my situation the seizures are mostly to blame for people not wanting to talk to me. There is another thread about how people treat you when they find out you have epilepsy but a lot of it for me is just being too spaced out when I'm post-ictal.

I don't know to what degree the Tegretol is effecting my behaviour/personality but I know that there really is no other option & that Tegretol effects me less than most other AEDs.

Something that I have learned too (at least with me) is that when people do become friends they're like you're girlfriend & are true friends who are always there for me, nobody that I can say is just an acquaintance.

 

[Belinda1961]

With all the epilepsy drugs I've taken over the years the ones that have just left a little mark on my personality was Topamax in the beginning with behavior changes but it didn't last long.

Tegretol I've been taken so long the sleepiness with it and all meds I get over in like 3 weeks. I have found friends that have tried used my and tried say I must have bi-polar or adhd. But when I explain things to them later they understand.
A true friend I never had reject me when I had a seizure.They support me and they know I just came off a drug and there happy for me.

I try not to blame my pills for anything that happens with epilepsy that's is due to my personality but I'll explain to people how I feel once I have a seizure and how it makes me feel and how it can depress me.
Belinda

 

[Wobblez]

Keaze, i'm sorry to hear you feel that way! I wonder if you might be struggling with some depression? You shouldn't have to isolate yourself this way. The vast majority of people are accepting of epilepsy, maybe just a little curious or wary of it to start with. Are you upfront with people or do you prefer to keep it to yourself?

Do you have any hobbies or animals? Great way to meet people and get out and about. Please don't let this get you down, I don't think its the pills (completely). I think they won't be helping your situation but you sound like you are really down and stuck in a rut. Have you tried talking to a counsellor about this? There is a better way, you don't have to live like this.

Keep talking to us and we'll see if we can help you.

Big hugs x