Dear Danny answers 1

Dear Danny 

im going to start driving soon i was epileptic since the age of 8 years and i havent had a seizire for 4 years iv asked the docters if its ok for me to drive they said i sould be fine iv brought some sun glasses which also have a polieod shade so i wont be dealing with strong light hiting my eyes do you think the sun glasses will help me?

Aneesa, Dewsbury

Hi Aneesa

You must be so thrilled to be able to get your driving license. The independence will be wonderful! Wearing polarised sunglasses could lower the risk of seizures if you have problem with photosensitive epilepsy and sunlight. When the sunny days do come, people in general can find wearing sunglasses helpful.   Enjoy the driving.

Danny

Dear Danny

Well I have been having fits since 2006. At first they were only in my sleep, now they are during the day. Doctors say i may have epilepsy, but arnt sure yet. my mum is really stressing about it and in a way making up excuses just to say that i dont have it. its really annoying me. what do i say 2 her?

Philipha, Scotland

Hi Philipha

I’m sorry to hear that your mum is really stressing you out. She might think that she‘s helping you by saying that you don’t have epilepsy. Does your mum realise that it’s annoying you?

You might find it helpful to talk to your mum and tell her how you are feeling. You could also suggest that she reads the Parents guide to epilepsy on this website. This may help her realise that lots of young people have epilepsy and many have their seizures controlled with anti-epileptic drugs, once doctors have made a diagnosis.

I hope that helps.

Danny

Dear Danny

What money can I claim?

Kirk, Nottingham

Hi Kirk

It will all depend on your epilepsy and what support you need. To see what some people with epilepsy may get visit this link to benefits? You may want to contact the benefit enquiry line for help with your own benefits.

Danny.

Dear Danny

Hi,

Im 17 years old and when i was 3 i had a head injury from falling down a drain, I had to go for a brain scan though they told my parents i was to young for one.
Since then from what I can remeber i have been having slow motion every now and then and flash backs of other times when i was younger.
My mate had told me about her dad suffering from epilepsy and having the same propbelm as i am now, she said i may have the lowest of epilepsy, wondering if you know what may cause this or what i might have?

thanks

jess

Hi Jess

If you do have epilepsy, it could be partial seizures you are describing. With partial seizures you are not in control of what you are doing or thinking. You are unable to stop or control the symptoms. Sometime you’re not even aware they have happened.

Why people develop epilepsy is not always clear. For some there may be an injury or some damage to the brain but for most people there is no reason. Generally a brain scan could show if there are any injuries or damage.

Keeping a diary of your symptoms, and what people witness would be helpful for your doctor. Here is a link to how epilepsy is diagnosed so you will know what to expect if you go see a doctor.

Best wishes

Danny

Dear Danny

Alright mate, Loads of my mates are into smoking weed. And I would! But I don't know if would effect my epilepsy. Im on medication, 800mg of Tegratol carbamazepine, and my seizures are under control. My mates say it helps epilepsy too? Im confuzed!

Lawrie

Hi mate

No one can tell you what weed (aka marijuana, cannabis, grass, pot and hash) might do to your epilepsy. You might have more seizures or you might have fewer.

Weed comes in loads of different qualities. Every time you smoked it, you’d be smoking something different. This means the effect could be different every time.

Danny

Dear Danny

Hi, I hope you can help me with my question! I suffer from tonic clonic seziures during the day and they are pretty well controlled, but my question is if someone had a sezuire in their sleep would they remember? Its happened to me a few times now where my body would go stiff during the night but I dont jerk so im just in the tonic phase the whole time but i am aware of my surroundings but unable to speak very well ( i know this cause im usuallly calling for my mum or sumthin) but when i wake up I dont know if I was dreaming or not because it all feels so real. I shrugged it off the first few times thinking i was dreaming  but its happened quite a few times now and im begining to wonder. I dont feel like ive had a sezuire when i wake up but maybe night sezuires are different to day ones. The bottom line is am i dreaming or should i speak to my doctor about it? Thankyou!

Joanna, London

Hi Joanne,

This is a difficult one to answer. People can have seizure in their sleep but how they affect them will be individual.  It will depend on what seizure type you are having, as to how you will feel both during and after the seizure. Normally when people are aware of their surroundings it is a simple partial seizure they are having. Dreams can be confused with seizures, so you might want to keep a diary of what happens to show your doctor. Could you ask if anyone in your family has noticed anything? If it is sleep seizures your doctor may change your night time mediation. 

Danny