To operate or not to??? HELP!!!

[Living Life]

Hey everyone

I'm new to this forum but I do feel blessed that I stumbled across this site by chance.

I'm in a life altering crossroads and need lots of wisdom.

I might be operated on end of June this year however I need to go for tests first.

I really would like to operate especially considering it can change my life and I'm running out of options.

I'm scared of the unknown and how difficult the tests will be considering my folks aren't going to be able to be with me in the day and only the evenings.

Please help me

Thanks

 

[Nakamova]

Hi LL, welcome to CWE!

We have members who have had surgery, some successfully, some less so -- hopefully they will weigh in. There are different kinds of surgery -- some involve implants, others removing a piece of brain tissue. In all cases it's important to discuss with your doctors the risks of the actual surgery, the success rates, potential outcomes, etc.

Here are some threads you might want to check out:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f41/almost-time-11741/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f20/simple-partial-surgery-seizure-free-five-weeks-11856/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f41/lets-talk-about-brain-surgery-3989/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f41/epilepsy-brain-surgery-5719/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f41/unsure-about-surgery-624/

Best,
Nakamova

 

[alivenwell]

Is there another person who has a similar case as you who had a successful operation at that site by the same physician(s)? I would research successful rates for the surgeons and facility where surgery takes place.

 

[Cint]

Hi Living Life,

I had a left temporal lobectomy 20 years ago and was seizure free for 14 months. My seizures were SP, CP. When the seizures returned, I had tonic/clonic seizures in addition. My hippocampus is damaged and they cannot remove the damaged area, otherwise I would end up like an advanced Alzheimer's patient. It's different for everyone.

I might be operated on end of June this year however I need to go for tests first.

I really would like to operate especially considering it can change my life and I'm running out of options.

Once they do more testing, they will be able to determine if it will be better for you, depending on the area they are considering operating on. Here is another useful website that explains it:

http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/surgery_preassessment