Hello All! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

I am new to the HealthBoards and I am glad I discovered these boards a few days ago. I was in an auto accident January 29th and suffered concussion, whiplash, and had a seizure. I have been having partial seizures too. They did an EEG and it was abnormal (details later). So it was decided that I have a trauma induced seizure disorder.

Now with that said, I will probably have questions. I am an EMT and my knowledge of seizures is limited to the emergency treatment of a seizure which is a medical emergency (the type i am referring to is the Grand Mal and Status Epilepticus) beyond that I am not that well educated. Now when I am told that I have a condition of any type, I get on the computer and look everything up. I research the whole thing because I want to know what is up with me.

And besides the seizures and head injury, I am a 25 year old Mother of two married to a Paramedic/Police Officer (DEA Agent). I am looking forward to getting to know some people from on here who are going through the same thing or similar.

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~!~ Cheryl, EMT-B ~!~

Hello Cheryl!

I just wanted to drop you a quick line and say Welcome to the Health Boards. This Epilepsy forum is excellent...full of great people who always offer advice/info as well as friendship.

I've been diagnosed with petit-mal epilepsy and am still learning about my condition. Like you I want to learn as much as I can!

Take care and see ya around!

Nic http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

Nicola! Finally - someone else who has petit-mal seizures...man what a ride I've been through - and I've had no one who can relate!

Oh, and WELCOME EMS - we are all here for a joint purpose and this board is so incredible!

Anyways - I've had like 10 petit mal seizures today and it's only 2:32 in the afternoon (which is actually low compared to some days)

Can you drive? When were you diagnosed - how old are you - I'm 20 and I probably won't be able to drive as of March 19th and I'm about to FLIP OUT!

Love
Kaitie

Hi guys,
I too am suffering from petit mal seizures mine being brought on after I was severely assaulted in 2000. I started off having up to 30 a day even with medication. Now I'm down to having more severe seizures (bordering on Grand Mal) but only every so often the last being 6 weeks ago. In a way I'm fortunate as mine only seem to occur from evening on so I now drive daytime only. I've found that the thing that triggers them most is tiredness from overworking so I've cut back my working hours and try not to let anything worry me. So far it seems to be working. My thing that I've found hardest to come to terms with is the embarrassment of having them in public and the hardship it puts on my wife and kids. But it's better to keep on smiling!

sorry Katie bad news state law states you must be seizure free for 6 mo before you are legally allowed to drive I'm in the same boat Sorry
Hallow24

I know where you're coming from Kaitie! On some days I actually lose count of how many petit-mals I have. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif What med are you taking? I'm on 600mg of Tegretol a day.

Take care!

http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif Nic

I'm presently not taking any meds...I've been having seizures since grade nine (now second year university) but haven't mustered the courage to get anything sorted out until now. I've had my EEG and everything -and now I'm just waiting for my Neuro appointment - on March 19th...to finalize meds and stuff.

I had epilepsy (grand mal) as a child - but thought I'd outgrown it - when really it just disguised itself a little! Way back then I was taking phenobarbital.

(I'm in class right now though - and my teacher is spying on me so I better go!)

How is Tegretol? How do you feel on it? I'm so tired as it is - I REALLY don't want to be more of a zombie!

Love Kaitie

Oh - and my doctor has already told me not to drive - but the DMV (?) hasn't taken any action - so it's up to me to stay responsible!

I also had grand-mal E as a very young child and spent 2 weeks in ICU. Apparently it just went away or went in to hiding.

I had my next series of seizures at age 17 right in the middle of English class! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif I went to a neuro and was put on Dilantin. I was on it for a while and then just stopped taking it. Seizures went into hiding again.

Just over a year ago (age 25) the seizures started again. The Tegretol is working fine...only side effect being drowsiness but that's alright because I take it just before bedtime. I'm currently under the care of my family doc but will be starting with a specialist soon which I'm happy about. My appt. is in May sometime.

Here's a question that hopefully somebody can answer: If you had grand-mal E as a child but have petit-mal E as an adult, can you eventually have grand-mal seizures again later in life?? Hope that made sense!!

Take care everybody!

http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif Nic

The laws over here in Aus are pretty much the same, you must be seizure free for 6 mths.You should get those meds sorted out asap Katie they certainly help reduce the amount of seizures you have. I'm taking 2000mg of Epilem a day and it doesn't seem to have any side effects other than a few muscle spasms. I wrote yesterday that I was seizure free for the past 6 weeks, well that got blown out the window big time last night when I went right off while out at a friends place. You can't help bad timing.

Keep Smiling!

Nic I don't know if this does anything for you but I received E when I was 4 due to minor brain damage It remained hidden until I was 6 or 7 went back into hiding and became full time when I was 12 went away at 17 and came back when I was 22.Oh I have grand mal not petit E in my experience is unpredictable I don't know if that helps or not.

Hallow

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Thanks Hallow. That did help..you said it perfectly. E is unpredictable. That says it all!

Take care!

Nic http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

Hey Nic,

I've also read that having petit - mal seizures puts you at a greater risk for grand mal seizures - but I'm not sure if having grand mal prior to petit mal INCREASES that risk...

Either way it's still a scary concept - because as frustrated as I am now re: petit's - I'd be WAY more frustrated with grands! I definately don't want them happening!

I'm a little worried now - because apparently my doctor has been desperately trying to get a hold of me to discuss test results (even though I have the neuro appointment on March 19th). I have no idea what this means but he wants me in there TOMMOROW!

Love
Kaitie

Well my doctor gave me the results of the EEG - "The EEG suggests you have epilepsy" and then left it at that until the neuro appointment. I knew that already but it sucked to have 'confirmation'....

Love Kaitie

Hey Katie, I am 20 yrs old, still in High School. I have a couple of questions: 1. I've had petit mal seizures ever since 1998 (as a result of surgury to correct a lazy eye)-- Will they progress to gand mal or stop? http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/confused.gif

T. J.

Hi Kaitie,

Having confirmation of E does suck but at least you know for sure now and can begin concentrating on getting treatment so that you never have to experience grand-mal E.

By the way, great idea on starting a petit-mal topic! I've already posted there.

Take care!

Nic http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

Hey Nic,

My name is T. J. (Pearl201se11). I have had petit mal seizures ever since 1998 & I haven't been diagonsed yet because they don't happen very oftern but when they do they are repeted one after the other. When I am at school the teachers don't believe me! My parents don't reconize them so I haven't been to the doctor.

T. J.

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Pearl201se11

For Katie, My name is T.J. & I am 20 years old with Absence seizures (petit mal -- older name). I have not been diagnosed with epilepsy yet because I've only had 1 seizure at home all the rest were at high schoo1 or church. Do 20 year olds get absence seizure. I started having them in 1998 right after I had sugery to correct lazy eye.

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Pearl201se11

It's funny you should mention that TJ, because just today - I went to my neurologist for the first time, and he looked at my EEG results and after talking to my friends and me he said "Twenty year olds don't get absence seizures! - But that seems to be the case..." so I'm guessing - no, it isn't common to have these seizures at twenty - ooh, aren't I the lucky one.

Anyways - apparently most people get them in childhood and outgrow them by adolesence.

If I can offer one word of advice....go to the doctor sooner rather than later. I lived with this for so long - having sometimes 20 or thirty seizures a day. It's scary as heck at first - but my friends are supportive and so are my parents. I can't drive for six months and I'm peeved about that....but what can I do?

I start on Topomax tommorow (by the way - anyone know anything about it????) and I'm a little nervous - but in a way - a little excited because - this could finally END!

Love Kaitie.

Oh yeah - describe your seizures to me - that'd be good... My doctor is almost convinced that it's impossible for me to have absence seizures and thinks I have temporal lobe seizures; the EEG does not prove this - so now he's ordered an MRI...

*sigh*

EMS Women:
I a EMT and a CPR-Inst-T but due to my seizures
and some Ortho problems that came along, I no longer
work on ambulance, still teach though.
Steve EMT-B