• Topic
• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Your ideas about causes >> Your ideas about causes

Your ideas about causes

• >> Epilepsy >> Your ideas about causes >> Your ideas about causes

Your ideas about causes

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Diagnosing epilepsy >> Diagnosing epilepsy

Diagnosing epilepsy

• >> Epilepsy >> Diagnosing epilepsy >> Diagnosing epilepsy

Diagnosing epilepsy

• Condition
• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Epilepsy

Publication date: March 2003          Last updated: February 2012.

Review date: February 2014.

 

Epilepsy is the tendency to have recurrent seizures (fits). We interviewed 41 people about their experiences of this condition. Select from the key topics below, choose from the full list of topics, or explore all the interviews.

 

You may also be interested in young people with epilepsy, which can be found on youthhealthtalk.org.

• >> Epilepsy >> Epilepsy

Publication date: March 2003          Last updated: February 2012.

Review date: February 2014.

 

Epilepsy is the tendency to have recurrent seizures (fits). We interviewed 41 people about their experiences of this condition. Select from the key topics below, choose from the full list of topics, or explore all the interviews.

 

You may also be interested in young people with epilepsy, which can be found on youthhealthtalk.org.

• Clip
• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged under 30 >> Interview EP24 >> Talks about the support she had from an epilepsy nurse.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1993. Has tried various different drug treatments, and has been seizure free for a year. Current medication: vigabatrin (Sabril), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP15 >> Explains how she has not given in to her epilepsy by keeping herself busy.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1974. Epilepsy is not controlled and the possibility of neurosurgery was being considered at time of interview. Current medication: carbamazepine retard (Tegretol Retard).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 50-69 >> Interview EP34 >> Feels that keeping his epilepsy a secret caused him a lot of damage.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1965. Has tried several different drug treatments, and had 14 years free of seizures. Epilepsy has been controlled again since 1997. Current medication: carbamazepine retard (Tegretol Retard), phenytoin (Epanutin) and diazepam (Valium).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP26 >> Advises against blaming everything on the epilepsy and letting depression overwhelm you.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1966. Has poorly controlled epilepsy and has tried various drug treatments over the years. Current medication: Slow-release carbamazepine (Tegretol Retard), gabapentin (Neurontin) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP30 >> Explains her positive outlook despite periods of depression.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1985. Has tried several different drug treatments, and had 4 years free of seizures. Seizures restarted in 1996 and epilepsy is currently not completely controlled. Current medication: carbamazepine (Tegretol) daily and clobazam (Frisium) when needed.

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP37 >> Describes how the fear of having seizures made him withdrawn.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1968. Had neurosurgery in 1999 and has been seizure free since then, though still experiences auras. Current medication: sodium valproate (Epilim) and phenytoin (Epanutin).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged under 30 >> Interview EP16 >> Recalls the frustration of feeling restricted when she was younger.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1992. Has tried sodium valproate (Epilim), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and topirimate (Topamax), though epilepsy is not controlled. Current medication: sodium valproate (Epilim) and topirimate (Topamax).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP19 >> Discusses being open about his epilepsy and the positive impact it has had on his life.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1985. Seizures have been controlled since 1992. Current drug treatment is carbamazepine retard (Tegretol Retard) and sodium valproate (Epilim).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP25 >> Discusses gradually building up her confidence and becoming more independent.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1988. Occasionally experiences night and day seizures, but had had none in the last 3 months. Current medication: Slow-release carbamazepine (Tegretol Retard).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP39 >> Realises that accepting he has epilepsy is an important step to dealing and living with it.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1980 at age of 13 but had symptoms since around the age of 6. Current medication: phenytoin (Epanutin) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged under 30 >> Interview EP16 >> Recalls the frustration of feeling restricted when she was younger.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1992. Has tried sodium valproate (Epilim), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and topirimate (Topamax), though epilepsy is not controlled. Current medication: sodium valproate (Epilim) and topirimate (Topamax).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged under 30 >> Interview EP36 >> Discusses having photosensitive epilepsy.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1998. Has tried sodium valproate (Epilim) and is currently taking lamotrigine (Lamictal), which has reduced the frequency and intensity of seizures but epilepsy is not controlled. Current medication: lamotrigine (Lamictal).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP01 >> Discusses having photosensitive epilepsy and how her emotions can affect her seizures.

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.

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 50-69 >> Interview EP07 >> Discusses some of the problems she had with her pregnancy because of a seizure and high blood pressure.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1953 at around 18 months old. Has tried various drugs which have not controlled the seizures. Current medication: carbamazpine retard (Tegretol Retard) and topiramate (Topamax).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged under 30 >> Interview EP24 >> Voices her concerns about drugs and pregnancy, and the need for more information.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1993. Has tried various different drug treatments, and has been seizure free for a year. Current medication: vigabatrin (Sabril), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP15 >> Had to have a forceps delivery because she had a seizure during labour.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1974. Epilepsy is not controlled and the possibility of neurosurgery was being considered at time of interview. Current medication: carbamazepine retard (Tegretol Retard).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP01 >> Discusses the malformation and death of her second child, which might have been caused by her anti-epileptic drugs.

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.

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Women and epilepsy >> Women and epilepsy

Women and epilepsy

• >> Epilepsy >> Women and epilepsy >> Women and epilepsy

Women and epilepsy

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP27 >> Would have liked more guidance and information on contraception and anti-epileptic drugs.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1995. Tried a number of different drug treatments, and on average has about one seizure per year. Current medication: lamotrigine (Lamictal).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged under 30 >> Interview EP16 >> Explains that she wants to be on the lowest effective drug dose well before she is ready to conceive.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1992. Has tried sodium valproate (Epilim), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and topirimate (Topamax), though epilepsy is not controlled. Current medication: sodium valproate (Epilim) and topirimate (Topamax).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP27 >> Discusses her concerns about pregnancy and the possible risks to the baby.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1995. Tried a number of different drug treatments, and on average has about one seizure per year. Current medication: lamotrigine (Lamictal).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP12 >> She had problems with her second child which might have been caused by her drugs.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1965 at age of 15 but had symptoms since around 3-4 years of age. Had neurosurgery at age of 14 though epilepsy is not well controlled. Current medication: carbamazepine (Tegretol) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

• Nerves & brain >> Epilepsy >> Aged 30-49 >> Interview EP30 >> Explains that she would like more information about pregnancy for women with epilepsy.

Diagnosed with epilepsy in 1985. Has tried several different drug treatments, and had 4 years free of seizures. Seizures restarted in 1996 and epilepsy is currently not completely controlled. Current medication: carbamazepine (Tegretol) daily and clobazam (Frisium) when needed.