Full list of topics 
Spacer
Spacer
Spacer
Spacer

EpilepsyArrow
Aged 30-49
Interview EP01  

Interview EP01

Age at Interview: 48
Sex: Female
Age at Diagnosis: 10
Background: Voluntary work, including running Oxfordshire Epilepsy Support Group; married, 1 adult child.
Brief outline:Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1964. Tried various drugs but these did not control seizures. In an attempt to have an acceptable quality of life, decided to stop taking anti-epileptic drugs in 2001 and is on a Chinese/macrobiotic diet. Current medication: diazepam (Valium) when needed.


To watch or read an interview clip, click on the heading that interests you. Either a video,audio recording or text will open, depending on the clip
To close transcript boxes, click here
To print the interview’s text, click here
Explains why she came off all anti-epileptic drugs.

 



Well one was lamotrigine and one was Keppra, I did take one other but I haven't got that name readily available. But I seemed to lose all my feelings, my senses, I was unable to taste things, to hear like I used to, to see like I used to. I used to cry all the time. I got terribly, terribly depressed. I still had seizures. One of the drugs did help with the photosensitivity but I think that was Lamotrigine but the side effects were so dreadful, I was just, I became a non-person. I couldn't converse, I couldn't do anything, except cry. So after three years, I gave them a good try, and after three years I'm off now, the Keppra, that was the last drug I tried and it's a year exactly since I last took my last pill, anti-convulsant drug. And I do feel so much better.  It's taken a year really to recover completely and to regain my confidence.
Jonathan Miller - Epilepsy
Epilepsy
Support our work

healthtalkonline.org - Teaching and Learning

Mail to a friend

Send