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[finalpoet]

I think the title did this justice. But I have epilepsy, as you probably know. I can't get a clear answer from my neurologist or neurosurgeon or from Google.
My question is, does epilepsy reduce my life span?
I'm thinking the meds will have a long term affect on my organs, which will eventually be a problem in 30 or 40 years. Or SUDEP. Anything else? My main concern are the meds.

My meds:
Vimpat
Oxcarbazepine
Keppra
Propanolol

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[Nakamova]

Having epilepsy can increase your risk of dying prematurely, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you will.

Epilepsy is such a individualized disorder, there's no easy way to quantify any one person's risk. Factors that might play a role include age of onset, age of diagnosis, responsiveness to treatment, kind of epilepsy (idiopathic vs. symptomatic), frequency of seizures and seizure type, medication history, seizure control history, co-occurring health issues, family health history.

Generally speaking, the reduction in life expectancy is minimal for people with idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy (where the primary cause is unknown), who have about the same life expectancy as the general population. As far as meds go, the main currently-known risk from long-term use has to do with fractures related to bone loss that the meds can cause. Of course, with the newer meds, data on long-term adverse effects is still being gathered, with us as the guinea pigs.

For some known risk factors and other info about SUDEP: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/early-death-and-sudep/sudep/sudep-faq

 

[finalpoet]

Having epilepsy can increase your risk of dying prematurely, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you will.

Epilepsy is such a individualized disorder, there's no easy way to quantify any one person's risk. Factors that might play a role include age of onset, age of diagnosis, responsiveness to treatment, kind of epilepsy (idiopathic vs. symptomatic), frequency of seizures and seizure type, medication history, seizure control history, co-occurring health issues, family health history.

Generally speaking, the reduction in life expectancy is minimal for people with idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy (where the primary cause is unknown), who have about the same life expectancy as the general population. As far as meds go, the main currently-known risk from long-term use has to do with fractures related to bone loss that the meds can cause. Of course, with the newer meds, data on long-term adverse effects is still being gathered, with us as the guinea pigs.

For some known risk factors and other info about SUDEP: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/early-death-and-sudep/sudep/sudep-faq

Much appreciated.

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[Porkette]

Hi finalpoet,

Just like you I have often wondered about this but from what I have seen over the yrs. I can say it can go either way. I have a family friend that had tonic clonic seizures and she was fine but then all of the sudden she got liver cancer from her seizure meds and she was gone but then I have a cousin whose in her 80's and has been taking seizure med for over 60 yrs. and she has tonic clonic seizures but it never bothered her at all.
I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

 

[Topcat]

I've wondered about more indirect epilepsy caused deaths. For instance since I can't drive I often have to walk and/or take the bus.
I say and/or because I need to walk to the bus stops and back.
I have to cross a busy street to take a bus. This intersection has a very short green light to cross in this direction. What if I had a seizure while crossing it?
I don't just mean a Tonic-Clonic seizure either. One time when I was walking home I had some kind of Focal seizure. I got disoriented and fell off the sidewalk. Fortunately there is a bike lane there or I probable would have gone over into a lane of traffic.
There are many "homeless" (etc.) people around the bus stops where I live. I could vary well be mugged, or have things stolen when I was out from a seizure.