possible breakthrough seizure yesterday

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greywolf

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Well, it's been almost a year since I had the tonic clonic seizure and car accident that left me with my diagnosis of epilepsy. Since then, I haven't missed a dose of medication, and things have been fine, until yesterday. I was at work, and I had a visual aura. The partial blindness and flashing lights building in my peripheral vision. I remember that happened to me before my big one hit last time, so I told my coworkers and went home for the day. Luckily I live close to my work, and my wife was able to pick me up. I went home and laid down on the bed, waiting for another tonic clonic to hit, but it never came...

I did get a pretty bad headache and got really tired after the visual aura stopped, as well as just a general feeling off. I slept most of the rest of the day, and even slept in this morning. I remember my neurologist telling me that these auras aren't just warning signs, these are seizure activity in themselves. Of course, this all happens on a Saturday, so now I'm hoping that I can contact my neurologist on Monday to let him know what happened. I guess it seems that I had a focal aware seizure?

Now I am wondering what happens next? I'm already on a fairly big dose of levetiracetam, but maybe that doesn't cover all types of seizures. Any words of wisdom or advice? Hoping that I won't have to lose my license again and be forced off work for another 6 months... At this point, it kind of confirms for me and my family that I might have to seriously look for a different job, where I don't have to drive or operate machinery.... Ah, so many questions now.
 
Hello. You're right about that--auras are actually simple partial seizures. I had complained of "weird feelings" in my head since I was 5, which were hard to describe in words. It wasn't until AFTER I had some grand mal seizures at the age of 14, & one of those "feelings" was caught on an EEG that the neuros diagnosed them as petit mal (simple partial) seizures. I began having complex partials about 27 years ago. I chose NOT to drive because the day I had my final behind-the-wheel practice, I had a simple partial right before class. I was fine in about 5 minutes, but felt I NEVER wanted to take that risk while driving.
Xcopri has GREATLY reduced both types of seizures for me (I didn't have any grand mals after those). The longest I've gone seizure-free (no complex partials) is 7 months.
 
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