Email helpline
helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
If you live in the UK and would prefer to speak to an epilepsy adviser, please contact the Epilepsy Helpline, freephone 0808 800 5050.
Email replies
If you have a question about epilepsy, you can contact the Epilepsy Helpline by sending an email to helpline@epilepsy.org.uk. A member of the advice and information team will reply to your email. We aim to reply within five working days, but may sometimes take longer, for example if we need to do any research for your reply.
You will receive your reply by email. If we have any booklets or factsheets which we think you might find helpful, we may ask you to email us your name and address. You do not have to give us this information if you prefer not to.
Please check the spelling of your email address before you send your question to us. If it not spelled correctly, our reply will not arrive in your inbox.
We regret we cannot reply to forwarded emails.
Confidentiality
We take every measure to protect your privacy. We won’t pass your details to anyone else and we won’t contact you again, unless you give us your permission to do so.
Please remember that your computer stores copies of your sent emails. To keep your message confidential from others who may use your computer, delete the copy in your Sent Items folder and delete our email address if it has been stored in the address box on your computer.
If you don’t want to use your usual email address to send us your question, you can choose a free web-based email address such as those available through Hotmail, Yahoo or Lycos. You don’t have to use your real name, so you can remain anonymous. You will also choose your own login name and password, so no one else will be able to read your emails without your permission.
The aim of the Epilepsy Helpline
The aim is to provide advice and information on all aspects of living with epilepsy. We have access to a wide range of up-to-date information resources and are pleased to provide general assistance.
We provide confidential advice and information to anyone with an interest in epilepsy, but we will not tell you what to do.
We can give general medical information but we do not offer a medical diagnosis or suggest treatment.
We can give general information on legal issues specifically related to epilepsy such as driving and the Disability Discrimination Act. We cannot, however, take up legal cases on your behalf.
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Epilepsy Helpline
- UK freephone 0808 800 5050
- International +44 113 210 8850
- Email: helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
- Txt msg: 07797 805 390 info
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Comments
I emailed the helpline with a question a week ago. Earlier that day I had tried to phone but bouldn't get any response. Can you tell me where I can get advice.
Thank you for your comment. I'm really sorry to read you've been waiting for a reply, although I understand from my helpline colleague that she has now sent you a response.
We do aim to reply to all helpline emails within five working days. However, we recently received a large number of helpline emails at the same time as experiencing staff shortages. This meant it was more difficult to reply within this timeframe.
As a result of your feedback, we will do our best to make sure that in future we keep people regularly updated of any expected delays to the service.
Hi!
My 10 week old grandson is in hospital having tests. He has started having very occasional "absences" where his eyes go to one side and he's " not there" for about 30 seconds. There is no stiffness or floppiness but it's all very scary. His mother has epilepsy . Any advice/feedback/thoughts would be much appreciated. If it doesn't turn out to be epilepsy what on earth do you think it could be?
Many thanks
Barbara
i have a 17 year old son who developed epilepsy in november last year 08, it has been the hardest year of mine and his dads life.
the big problem we have is that our son will not accept he has epilepsy even though the doctors have diagnosed it and he is on medication and under a neurologist and has had all the tests he just says 'it is not epilepsy, it is just seizures, the doctors have it wrong'
he keeps having seizures even though he is on his medication but he refuses point blank to have his medication increased.
he also has mood swings because of it, because he gets so down about it.
i just wish he would accept the condition that would be half the battle.
does anyone have any advice, we feel like we have just been left to get on with it and cope with it.
many thanks
My 9 year old son's friend was just diagnosed (finally), and I am looking for advice on how to explain this to him. He is kind of nervous around him now and is avoiding him, which is not what I want. Any suggestions?
Barb
I had a alcoholic withdrawl seizure,and I cant drive for 6 mths.will I be able to drive a truck when I go back to work in 6 mths,If I am seizure free and get all releases from my doctor,or can my employer get rid of me cause of my medical condition.
Hi,
My two year old son has had two seizures, and after working with the doctors we have decided to put him on medication. We have had him sleeping with us ever since the seizures and we are having a lot of anxiety about having him go back to his bed since he will start the medication. Do you have any suggestions, or monitors that you'd recommend? Thank you for the support.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
I have recently been turned down for Lifestyle Insurance (AIU) for my mortgage - due to the fact I have epilepsy.
I have have complex partial temporal lobe since I was 14 - and although not fully controlled - I have never had more than a day off at a time barring one occasion. This will add up to about 4 days off a year.
The insurance company has refused my insurance on the basis that I have not gone a full year without a seizure (fundamentally they are using the same rule of thumb as driving), they have not spoken to my neurologist and to be honest this is one of the few occasions I have found myself very angry about the discrimination that people with Epilepsy receive.
I was wondering if you can point me in the direction of an Insurance company that you know to be sympathetic, or at least professional, in the handling of people with medical conditions?
I have an excellent FA - who is anxious to help, and we thought of you as the best frame of reference in this matter.
Many thanks for your time
Kind Regards
I have seizures in my sleep (about 2 a month) and am interested in joining the police. i understand that a few years ago the rules changed in that people with epilepsy can join the police and fire service. does anyone have any experience on joining either of these services with active epilepsy?
Dear Meanie
We do have some information on our website about different types of insurance schemes, including life insurance. Life insurance is generally the type of policy needed when someone is getting a mortgage. If you click on the highlighted link this will take you directly to our information on life insurance.
It may help you to know that since 2nd December 1996 insurance has been part of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). So it's now illegal for insurance companies to discriminated against disabled people (this includes people with epilepsy). Although there are special rules covering insurance and the DDA, insurers have to be fair and reasonable. They may refuse to insure a disabled person or increase the premium charged, compared to a non-disabled person, provided they can justify why they have done this.
If you feel discriminated against you could contact Equality and Human Rights Commission for further information about insurance and the DDA. The Association of British Insurers also has an Insurers Guide to the DDA which can be viewed on their website.
I hope this helps.
Rosanna
Advice and Information Services Officer
Epilepsy Action