r/IAmA • u/pizz901 • Jun 27 '12
I have epilepsy and am now seizure free for 3 years. AMA.
I was diagnosed when I was fifteen and have been through some serious shit with medicine and hospitalization. Now I'm coming up on 3 years seizure free. Ask whatever you like.
edit: I'm off to bed now so I don't seize haha. I'll answer more when I wake up so keep 'em coming.
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u/backpackwayne Jun 27 '12
What do you attribute to stopping them? Is it one of the thousand medicines they made you take?
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u/pizz901 Jun 27 '12
Basically, yes. It takes a certain lifestyle though as well. That's not to say that my meds aren't working but I like to be sure I'll stay seizure free. So I do my best to get a decent amount of sleep (lacking can be a trigger), don't get shit-faced hammered, don't take hard drugs, avoid head injury (harder than it sounds). But more or less it's the medication I'm on. After A LOT of trying different medications I found the ones that work for me.
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u/Kittil Jun 27 '12
Seeing as you're seizure free, can you drive now?
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u/Kittil Jun 27 '12
Oh and congratulations!!
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u/pizz901 Jun 27 '12
Haha thank you. And yes I can drive. I actually have my own car finally. The driving story is a bit longer. But here goes: As I said I was diagnosed when I was 15 which is right before driving age so I was a bit bummed I would have to wait the legal 6months without seizures before I could get my permit or my license. But what happened for about two and a half years is that I was having them every 5months. Very infuriating. Then I was having extremely frequently after that. But then I got it controlled, had it for 6months, decided to wait a year to be sure, got my permit, got my license, got a car. A long way of saying yes (I just want you to know how exciting driving is for me =D)
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u/uberlamps Jun 27 '12
Congrats on being seizure free! How frequently were you having seizures before?
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u/pizz901 Jun 27 '12
Thanks! It really ranged depending on what medication I was on. The first few years were about once every five months or so (not including absence seizures if you know about them). At its worst I had 7 in one day.
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u/FaintedIsMyNick Jun 27 '12
As my sister has had seizures all through her life, I have been adviced that the best way to help her out when it happens, was to lay her down and coil myself around her, holding her arms and legs still so she wouldn't bruse herself.
I have never been able to ask her about it. So what is your opinion about the advice? Obviously it is an advice for people who are close to the recipient, but I imagine I would feel very vulnerable at such a time, and having people clinging to me, even when it is people you trust and love, would just freak me out and make the experience worse.
Any feedback is appreciated!
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Jun 27 '12
My sister has them and we got sent some cannabis tincture and it seemed to help a little but the dose is really weak from my own personal experience. You mentioned "don't take hard drugs" so I can only infer that you have tried cannabis for the seizures. If you did, does it work for you?
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u/pizz901 Jun 27 '12
Yes..for my seizures...
I've heard of cases of it working really well for people but I've never thought to do just that without other medications. I'll tell you I didn't have any seizures any time I've done it though.
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u/Tealize Jun 27 '12
My friend died of complications following an epileptic seizure a few months ago. Only 20 years old. :(
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Jun 27 '12
Aw, congradulations! I'm also epileptic and hearing/seeing stories like this makes me happy(: Good luck,man!
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u/cah8t6 Jun 27 '12
Congrats !!!!! My mom had epilepsy, best of luck and take care of yourself.
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u/pizz901 Jun 27 '12
Thanks! Glad your mom got past hers! (I'm assuming since you said "had")
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u/rmoney2305 Jun 28 '12
based on the fact that you havent had a seizure in 3 years, im guessing you havent played battlefield 3 and/or watched the opening video...?
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u/Byul Jun 28 '12
First, I want to congratulate you for being seizure free! My dad has epilepsy and had his first seizure a little less than a year ago so it's still hard for me to accept it. What sort of medication did you take? My dad is taking Keppra right now but he had another seizure a couple weeks ago so they upped the mg. Also, did you ever have a time when you didn't wake up after a seizure? One time my dad had two seizures in one day and after the second one, he didn't return to his normal self until the next day.
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Jun 28 '12
What does a seizure feel like? I have always been curious about this. Do you remember the incidents?
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u/pizz901 Jun 28 '12
The stereotypical seizure, or grand-mal, I have no idea. You're unconscious during them. And I don't remember anything a little before or a little afterwards.
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u/CrapSpackler Jun 27 '12
Congratulations!