Live Well with Epilepsy

Suggestions of how you can live well with Epilepsy

Control of Epilepsy Seizures

Three of the most important goals in your life when living with Epilepsy and Seizures are:

1.  Keeping the seizures under control

2.  Having the minimal amount of side effects possible

3.  To be able to live a full life and the ability to cope with your condition the best way you can.

Don’t these three goals sound like the life you would love to have?  And here is the good news - it is possible!!

We all know about the medications and other treatments available, but we must do our part as well.  Below are a few things that may affect your life, and tips on how you can make it more livable.

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Knowing what your Triggers are, is a very important key.  Your lifestyle can greatly influence your seizures.  It is not necessarily the fault of your medication that more seizures are happening at a given time.  These seizure Triggers can be different for everyone.  Know how to recognize what yours are and learn to keep them under control.  (It is like going on a diet, taking the diet pill, but never doing that exercise, eating all the wrong things and expecting the medication to do it's thing.  I wonder what would happen if we had done our part as well?  This is why the Triggers are important as well.  Drugs alone can not do it.  We want to be seizure free, we want to have no side effects, then let's do everything we can to get reach  that goal.  Just imagine how happy you would be on achieving this!  http://www.2betrhealth.com/what-Triggers-Epilepsy-Seizures.html This page also has a link to download a tool you can use to help you keep track of, and record, your seizures day by day. 

Don’t let a stigma worry you. It is not your fault, and it is possible that sometimes a thoughtless comment was not meant for you, but you could possibly be extra sensitive at time. Just remember that a thoughtless remark made is just that- a remark made without thought by another person.   And generally speaking it may not even be a person you know or in fact who knows you, the person on the other side of the street.  They could be reacting to what their partner said to them at the time and happened to look your way.  Not meant for you at all!!  It is their problem not yours, you are not going to let this upset you. Just let it flow past. Keep smiling and being positive.

Driving or not driving a vehicle, either by your own choice or the choice of others, can be a very delicate subject especially when it comes to getting to work or to a doctors appointment.  It is surprising though how often others come to the rescue and there may be other means of transportation available.  Think of the money you will save.  Everything has its good side.   Why risk your life as well as that of others.  http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/driving.html

Epilepsy in the workplace at first glance may look to be a real hassle and problem. But be honest with your employer and co-workers and you will stand a better chance of earning respect from them. Yes, you may have to take a different job or by just making some adjustment to your work area. A new project work area can be not only a challenge but also enhance your skills.  Learning something new you may think of as difficult, but with the proper attitude it can really be fun.  Meeting different people, learning new skills and becoming a leader in your field.  Be proud of yourself for a job well done. Think of many others out there who don’t have the opportunity of having any job at all.  You are one of the fortunate ones.

Keeping tabs on your seizure activity. The importance of tracking your seizures by means of a daily Diary cannot be stressed enough.  This will help not only yourself but also your Doctor find out in what areas in your daily life you need improvement. Your Diary and your Trigger List work together and are both very important in helping control your seizures.  What happens when you track you seizures? (example).  You now find out that you cannot stay out in the sun too long, so you  will just go for that walk in the evening. A win win situation has just been made.  You did not have to have another medication added, that was possibly not the problem, but it was because you were spending too much of your time in the sun. What about different foods you have been eating?  Your sleeping pattern? Once you know all these little tips and adhere to them you may find that your seizures are possibly decreasing.  After all, it may not be the fault of your current Medication at all that you are now having these new breakthrough seizures but may be caused by a Trigger, or something else that is happening in your life. Adding more Medications or changing to a different medication would only bring you new side effects until your body got used to them. This added stress is something you don't want.  Use this knowledge to your advantage.  Take control of your life the easy way!!

Keep your daily records and check out your Triggers!!. http://www.2betrhealth.com/what-Triggers-Epilepsy-Seizures.html

Keeping a Diary of your seizure activity is just like keeping your personal diary.  This is meant to keep track also of all the good days and not just the bad.  Using your trigger list, which we can provide, as a guide, plus adding your own personal Triggers can be a big help.  Also keeping each month's records for some time prior to seeing your Dr. or Neurologist can be a very useful tool as you may find that your seizures increased immensely during certain seasons.  Take all these records with you to your next visit with your doctor.  By sharing this detailed information with your doctor, it will help him gain a much deeper insight to what is going on.  It will help him answer questions you may have but not always think about while in his office. 

Here is a link to a tool you may find of assistance as it will help empower you with all kinds of information and details you may need  

http://www.neomedsoft.com

Gain deeper insight into your seizures and triggers

Share that detailed information with your doctor

Improve your treatment and long–term care

 Empower yourself with more information

Help your doctor find the right seizure treatment

Improve seizure control

Epilepsy and Sports.  Appreciate that there may be some sports that you need to be extra cautious about being involved in, or that you would may to have someone else present with you. But generally speaking with the proper equipment and forethought there is no reason that you should be holding back from having the fun you once had. Keeping fit is good for the brain.  It helps keep your weight under control and the loss of weight can mean a new shopping trip for more clothes.  Give yourself a new makeover and feel good about yourself.  Doing this can bring your self esteem level up. And who doesn't like that idea.

Remember though that common sense plays a major role in any activities and it would probably not be a good idea to participate in some sports if you should not be feeling well. 

Keeping positive goals and being able to accept the fact that yes you do have Epilepsy even though it is not your fault.  Set your goals like you would otherwise but take them just a step at a time.  Setting achievable goals can help rebuild your self esteem and make you feel really good.  Should you have had a goal to be a famous singer some day, why can’t you continue with it?  If you are afraid of being on stage there is no reason why you can’t make CDs and become famous that way. Everyone has a special skill they are good in.  Maybe you are a poet, or a painter.  Take that theme and run with it.  Others will be proud of you and appreciate your art work as well. There is always a way should you want to find it.  You don’t want to let the psychological aspect of your Epilepsy affect you. This is where depression, anxiety, and other problems will come into play. By accepting the fact that it is not your fault, and that it is who you are, you will become happy within yourself.  You are proud of who you are, of what you do, and of all your friends you have.  This feeling of happiness shows through and others will pick it up immediately and even more true friends come out of the woodwork. 

You all know that some of the side effects of the Medication you need to take may affect some mood changes.  Learn how to get these under control by speaking with your Doctor.  You don’t have to live like this.  Possibly he/she can suggest some things you can to do to minimize these changes which that can be of great help for you.  Take advantage of these suggestions.  Once you have accepted that you are who you are, and the fact that you have Epilepsy is not your fault, these mood changes will begin to disappear.  Your whole attitude changes and you will become a happier person.

Anyone can suffer from depression but it can often be a side effect of some medications.  Be wise about choosing the correct medication for your condition. Don’t try to diagnose yourself, and don’t try to prescribe your own medication as this can cause more harm than good. Once you find out why you are depressed,  and what caused this condition to occur, you can begin to take the steps to correct it.  Accepting the fact that you have Epilepsy and that there are a lot of others out there in the same situation, or worse off by far than yourself, can help you find ways to cope.  Why not find a partner and take a daily walk or take up a new craft or hobby.  Do not under any circumstances stay in that box you have built for yourself.  Get out and do something, meet others and enjoy life.  Life is too short to not enjoy what is left to enjoy.  

It is possible though that the depression could have been, and quite often is, there before the Epilepsy was diagnosed. http://www.epilepsynl.com/lwedepression.html

What about memory loss? This is one of the main topics of conversation among people who suffer with from Epilepsy.  This happens especially if you have had seizures for a long period of time and been on medication just as long.  There are many ways of coping with this as well.  Don’t panic, that is the last thing you want to do. Many with Epilepsy get in a panic situation because they can not think of a word when needed, yet it is right on the tip of their tongue.  Take a little time, forget about the subject for a moment and do something entirely different.  That word will come to you just like that.  You are sitting at your computer, you know what you want to say but you can't think of that one word to describe it.  Get up from the computer, take a walk around the house or have a glass of water.  Then come back and it couldn't be clearer, it is right there in front of you.  Never fear, memory doesn't get clearer with aging either and who can say they are getting younger each and every day.  Once again it is not your fault.  Take time to make little notes and pin them up where they will be best used and easy to reach.  No one will know the difference when they see you going to the fridge.  You may have gone to look up a word and at the same time you can get yourself something to drink.  Problem solved, and no one will question it.

For more information contact brenda.bailey.1@hotmail.com