Reactions to epilepsy

How do other people react to epilepsy for you?

  • Overreaction

    Votes: 23 25.0%

  • Under Reaction

    Votes: 8 8.7%

  • Just Right

    Votes: 15 16.3%

  • They don't know

    Votes: 18 19.6%

  • They don't care

    Votes: 10 10.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 18 19.6%
  • Total voters
    92
  • Poll closed .

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occb said:
I remember that ad!

Okay, this sounds odd, but that ad is part of the reason why we've figured out partner's issue. That ad, and Degrassi Jr. High (anyone else remember Kate's absence seizures?).

Could I get more Canadian?
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No!
I missed out on alot of the good episodes due to my need to be in musical theatre. blah! I will need to start finding the seasons. HMV or Walmart??
 
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Ummm, Rae, I can't see the you tube vid. Is it my PC or did you not load it properly?
 
occb said:
I remember that ad!

Okay, this sounds odd, but that ad is part of the reason why we've figured out partner's issue. That ad, and Degrassi Jr. High (anyone else remember Kate's absence seizures?).

Could I get more Canadian?
Click to expand...

I loved watching Degrassi! I'm not a fan of the current one, but the original was great. I think we learned a lot from it, it was great to watch while growing up.

Remember the zit remedy? Everybody wants something they'll never give up...

lol!

I need to buy the seasons too Rae. Let me know if you find them anywhere.
 
cool.
Or if i find them you can borrow them. But as of this moment I am watching Buffy then Angel. Then DEgrassi when I find it.
 
I would have to say over-reaction. i mean , i've been discriminated against at work because of it and i'm a doctor for cryin' out loud. my boss is one and is supposed to know that it's no big deal. it was ok to hire me to take care of 150 patients a night but apparently i "lacked" a certain something when it came to offering me a residency. i've moved to a different hospital and have learned the hard way not to wear epilepsy on my sleeves. I'm assuming that this poll measures the reaction of the average joe-blow. close friends who found out i was epileptic later didn't care and never judged me for it. some people have been overprotective (grade school teachers - will never live that down) and others downright irritating ("would you like a glass of water?")
 
alivenwell said:
How do people react to epilepsy?
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I've said it before, but I strongly believe that most people (ie. those who know nothing about epilepsy) take their cues on how to react from you when you (ie. how you) disclose it.

My wife is very open and matter of fact about it. She'll mention it with the same demeaner that she would use to tell you that she had pancakes for breakfast. It's no big deal.
 
It's either, over-reaction, or complete silent reaction. I hate both.

The teachers overreact. Always coming in on clases to check on me, whenever I lay my head down they place their hands on my back (scaring the crap out of me!) and sometimes they'll stand behind me and start scratching my back saying "It's Ok..." (seriously that's just weird) And I'm like. Seriously teachers, I understand. However I know when I'm fine I know when I'm not and I'll tell you. They give me far to much special treatment in school.

When I get auras (I get really bad auras) then the kids just have this *complete silence* reaction while the teachers drag me into another room (since I cant walk when I have one) to have the seizure. It's just strange...they're are like 10 teens in a class. 10 bodies, ten brains, ten thoughts. What do they think when something like that happens to another fellow classmate?
 
:e:

Hi All,

I get all the available reactions stated in the poll hence I picked other! It really depends upon the person - their personality, their knowledge or lack of it, timing, how you state you have epilepsy, etc, etc, etc I think!!!

Miss Choccy

Susan

:e:
 
I've had a few different reactions too...

I was at a job centre after losing my second job in the space of a few months, & I was told that I should take tablets for it & then it wouldn't be a problem. He didn't believe me when I said I was on meds & they don't work for me & told me that wasn't possible...he knew NOTHING about epilepsy, he didn't even know it was to do with seizures. In this day & age It's ridiculous that people can be quite so clueless. It made me so mad! :soap: Sorry about the rant!
 
Complex partials/absence - if I am standing they always want me to sit down and rest when I come to. Frequently I don't want to sit down, I want to carry on with what was going on beforehand as soon as possible. But people are really forceful about making me sit down and rest when I feel quite fine. Seriously annoying.
 
Aubrey said:
Complex partials/absence - if I am standing they always want me to sit down and rest when I come to. Frequently I don't want to sit down, I want to carry on with what was going on beforehand as soon as possible. But people are really forceful about making me sit down and rest when I feel quite fine. Seriously annoying.
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While at massage college I had one when sitting outside & someone insisted I lie on the dirty ground outside where all sorts of unsanitary things were often found.

I just went inside where there were numerous massage tables to lie on. Once she calmed down she did realize how silly she was acting though & even apologized.

Amazing how little it takes to make someone panic & how they act when doing so.
 
yknow, I've yet to meet someone who's overconcerned about my epilepsy. I often remain upright, and people react as though I'm intentionally inconveniencing them. I worked at a Wendy's a little while ago and explained to my bosses and everyone there that I had seizures and what they would look like. They seemed okay with it. On the day I actually had one I tried to go out of sight of the customers and lay down before I fell down and my boss demanded I stay at my till and take orders. You can imagine how well THAT worked.
 
Someone said to me "You don't look like you have epilepsy"

I asked her would she prefer it if i wore a neon flashing sign above my head announcing it and she replied "Wouldn't that like.... set you off or something?".

This was a girl i worked with (She's currently in the process of being moved on account of her being a stupid cow). The worst thing is that we all had to have mandatory epilepsy training. She honestly thought that everyone with epilepsy had some sort of learning disability and/or a low IQ.
 
Loopy Lou said:
I asked her would she prefer it if i wore a neon flashing sign above my head announcing it and she replied "Wouldn't that like.... set you off or something?".
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HomerFacePalm.jpg
 
Telling people I have epilepsy
When I tell people I have epilepsy most of them automatically assume I take tonic clonics. I have also had people say to me 'I know someone with epilepsy & they do this or have these type of fits.'
I usually have to explain that there are so many different seizures & the seizures I take are mainly partial seizures.

Some people are interested & ask me questions so I am happy to tell them about my epilepsy & answer questions.

People seeing me have epilepsy
Most of my seizures I've had in public have been in front of family, friends or co workers who know about my epilepsy & what I do during a seizure.

My family & friends know what to do so they are calm, let me go through the seizure & keep me from harming myself.

I only have 1 'friend' who has laughed at me while having partial seizures (I've mentioned this friend on here a few times lol). She once saw me take a partial seizure while we were walking with another friend & laughed saying "she'll be right" then walked of. At the time the other friend told her of telling her they needed to stay with me because I was taking a seizure. She later told me what happened & said "it's not like you needed an ambulance", I told her that it didn't matter if I didn't need an ambulance it's still important to stay with me incase I do something that could harm myself. I am used to this particular 'friend' finding my epilepsy amusing but the last few times I've been with her I have had to bite my tongue so i don't scream at her & now I try not to have much to do with her.

I always explain to people what to look out for if I do have a partial seizure in front of them & let me know what I did during the seizure so I can write it in my diary.
 
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When it

comes to any of it, whether it's telling someone, or witnessing one of my t/c's in particular, it truly depends on the person.

My t/c's have apparently scared paramedics and doctors, so it evidently takes a lot to be a witness to them. Dunno. Haven't seen them myself.:paperbag:
 
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