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metalrockchick kinda says it all really!
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Posted Thu Dec 3rd, 2009 5:01pm Post subject: Epileptic
Hello everyone. I don't believe I suffer from Bi-Polar disorder but I am an epileptic and thought some may be interested in hearing about how this neurological condition affects my mood and mental health. I have periodically suffered from mild-medium severity depression and anxiety since I was in my mid-teens which is coincidentally the time I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I began having regular grant-mal seizures (thats the full on falling over and twitching type) when I was 15 and after a barrage of tests was diagnosed with epilepsy although they cannot (even now) explain to me why I actually have it. They of course are the neurologists and doctors I have been under since that time. I apparantly have no obvious brain injury or other illness which can explain my condition although I am informed that apparantly most epileptics never actually know why they have it so thats all right then!
With regards to the depression and anxiety I don't wish to whine and moan about what a tough life I have had becasue it hasn'y been overall. I do however get crippling bouts of depression lasting usually a few days or a couple of weeks when even stepping outside the house is an ordeal worse than Katie Price's Bush Tucker Trials. This is almost always triggered by a seizure or group of seizures which although frightening and embarassing are recovered from within a day or so. My specialist has said this happens with many epileptics after a seizure but has not really explained if this has a physical cause when the brain goes through the trauma of a seizure or if it is actually a mental disturbance caused by emotional stress.
I would love to hear anyones thoughts and opinions on this and am also happy to answer any questions I may be eqipped to if you like.
xxx
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marzgirl
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Posted Thu Dec 3rd, 2009 6:51pm Post subject: Epileptic
I am wondering if you take med and if so what are they. Interesting question is are your seizures a result of stress and and anxiety, or does the stress and anxiety come due to fear of impending seizures?
Kind of a question like does the chicken come before the egg or egg before the chicken?
My son and I watched a show yesterday featuring a man with narcelepsy and a woman with no long term memory. She does not even remember her kids being born and their childhoods. She watches home videos but does not remember being in those moments.
Interesting stuff. Thank you for sharing.
XXXX
"A word to the wise ain't necessary - It is the stupid ones that need it."
~ Bill Cosby ~
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captainslow
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Posted Mon Dec 7th, 2009 10:29pm Post subject: Epileptic
hi metalrockchickwiththelongname,
I am fascinated by your story where your epileptic seizures seem related to bouts of depression. I am diagnosed with Bp2 but... my meds are usually subscribed to epileptic patients. I am on lamotrigine, and what I gathered they discovered this effect on depression by coincidence. As a non expert I don't know what the relationship between the two is, but I think these meds regulate the neurotransmitters.
Since my lows are far more frequent than my mild highs my doc did not want to put me on lithium (which is more powerful in suppressing extreme highs, (quoting my doc this is) and because of its side effects. Now on 150 mg lamo and I must say it does the job quite well, although I have occasional waves of extreme tiredness.
cheers
Capt Slow
“Depression is the inability to construct a future”
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spink222
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Posted Wed Jan 27th, 2010 6:28pm Post subject: Epileptic
Hi everyone,
I experienced seizures for awhile as a very young child, which seemed to go away on their own as I grew up. I was never diagnosed with full epilepsy. However, in my late teens I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was also put on the anti-seizure med. lamotrigine.
So yeah, I think that these brain-centered illnesses could definitely be linked, but of course not every epileptic has bipolar disorder and vice-versa.
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