Stressing out again!

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dhooton78

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Hello everyone, it's nice to meet you.

I've been coping with epilepsy for over 37 years. It was controlled mostly in HS and now recently become more refractory than it has ever been. I am taking over 7 different meds and still have auras which have periods of memory loss and full partial complex seizures where I blank out completely.

I have had quite a year so far, I have moved to a new state, left college and work, am on short term disability, and things are not going so well with my girlfriend. Recently I made one of the biggest mistakes in my life to help deal with the stress, I started smoking again! I started smoking in high school and quit after about 5 years, after my divorce I started again and quit for another 8, and now just like seizures nicotine is part of my life.

Has anyone been in a situation where they are on heavy meds and really want to quit? I have never tried to quit on this many medications, but I don't want this addiction, it is pointless, expensive and unhealthy. I just started smoking about 2 months ago but withdraw symptoms are terrible when I try and taper down. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your help,

Dustin
 
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make it where you only smoke 4 cigs a day, then cut back to 2, than 1.

savor each one, kinda treat yourself. But end goal is no more tobacco.
 
Hi Dustin,

I understand how you feel I've had epilepsy for 44 yrs. along with 2 brain surgeries to help reduce my seizures but after taking Neurontin the drug caused absence status seizures and now I have more brain damage, it's almost like I never had surgery done to reduce the seizures. I have complex partial and absence seizures. What you need to do is ask your neuro to do a DNA test on you by doing this test they will be able to see if you are drug resistant or what seizure meds will work the best for you with the least side effects. All they have to do is take a few tubes of blood and then wipe the inside of your mouth with a q-tip and send all of that to the lab. The lab will then be able to see the amount of enzymes in your liver and your body chemistry and they will be able to match that up to the best seizure meds for you with the least side effects. I was taking 5 different seizure meds at one time and it just messed me up more because the drugs were interacting with each other and I would have seizures. If your Dr. tells you that they don't or won't do the test tell the Dr. you will report them to the medical conduct board and take my word they will do the test. I have found over the yrs. that some Drs. like to push the drugs to make money for themselves. Another thing you can do is start taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day that has helped me a lot.
In regards to the smoking each time you buy any cigarettes put the same amount of money away in a piggy bank and don't touch it for a yr. and see how much money you wasted. My husband smoked 35 yrs. and when he saw all the cancer in the family he realized he had to quit. I wish you only the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
Hello Dustin
Welcome to CWE
I've had E since 1963 I've had onebrain surgery and I have had VNS(vagal nerve stimulation) I've been on around 23-24 AEDs
I'm refractory and have been my entire life I have never been controlled at all. I have always had epilepsy. I have quite a few different types of seizures. I have absence,tonic-clonic generalized,complex partial simple partial sz's and my sz's are changing all the time. My focal sz's are just great wereI can see everything going on but I can't say anything.
 
Hello Dustin,
Welcome to CWE.
Good luck with quitting smoking, it can be tough but the sooner you get back to being an ex-smoker the better.
 
Thank you everyone for all the advice, I'm sorry to hear that so many of you have had to deal with epilepsy for so many years. I'm not sure if I have had the DNA test I have had so many tests over the years, and the meds do more harm than good at times like memory loss for example. I will be sure check my medical records.

Thank you everyone for the quit smoking advice as well, it's good to be a part of this community, I wish you all the best of luck, let me know if you need my advice on anything, and let me know if you have any over pointers.

Dustin
 
Dustin

I would say dealing with your epilepsy and not being in denial is the best way to go; since quite a few are in denial when it comes to having epilepsy.Your like anyone else except you have to take me and you might have a seizures.It doesn't bother me go out in public if I have a sz I have a sz. That's me and the public seems to have a problem seeing a seizure. Where I go to see my neuro they freak at that hospital send me to the E/R you can refuse ambulances.
 
Great to meet you!!

:hello: Nice to see you have come to be with us, it a great place to be. As you can see we have a great number and caring fellow members here, where you have find a supportive and relaxing place. Have fun looking into the different forums. Our shoulders are here for support in many ways.

Please keep us up to date on your condition. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Gammaw
 
Dustin,

I smoked Marlboro cigarettes for 22 years. I was very addicted, but I quit cold turkey almost 12 years ago and haven't touched a cigarette since I quit. I was highly motivated and determined to succeed b/c I had had chronic bronchitis for a long time that just continued getting worse. One night I walked up the stairs in my house and I felt like I could not breathe when I reached the top. It scared the hell out of me and I quit cold turkey the next day. Determination is the key. Sucking lollipops also helped me quit. It's best to use sugar-free if you choose lollipops as a substitute.
 
Hey Dustin --

Sometimes it can help to remove any environmental cues that you associate your smoking. As examples, when a friend of mine wanted to quit smoking, she got rid of all her ashtrays and rearranged her furniture. She threw out the majority of her matchbooks. She got scented candles and lit one of those every time she felt like lighting a match.

If you can handle it, a slower withdrawal is easier on the brain and body. Best of luck to you.
 
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