Supporting someone in this way can bring you closer together, but some people with epilepsy may feel this affects their independence. It may help to think that everyone needs support with something, whether they have a long-term condition or not. It can also be important to make time to focus on your relationship separately from giving andreceiving support.
Teens, Dating, and Epilepsy
They may also not like the side effects of their medication, which may affect their concentration or their physical appearance. He says the best thing to do is to make a joke about… He often comes home from work if she has a seizure on her… Helen says it’s hard to know when to tell people about her epilepsy.
Several described how their partners had been their ‘rock’ and a source of ‘unwavering support’, especially when they were diagnosed. Know what type of seizure to expect- They may have a tonic-clonic seizure, when they lose consciousness and fall to the floor, or they may start to act confused. If you know what is normal for them, this will help you to identify quickly what is happening and how you can best help them. EpilepsyAdvocate https://hookupsranked.com/ is a community of people living with epilepsy, their family members, and their caregivers. That was the case for Paul Scribner, a senior director of information services at the Epilepsy Foundation, who has lived with epilepsy since the age of 19. During his first year of college he began having seizures in his sleep, and Scribner chose to disclose his condition before moving forward in his relationship.
Whenever my period is about to come, or after it just ended, its a huge trigger for me. When you’re together long enough that you know when that week is happening, it’ll help the trigger finding. This is the video I always recommend people watch when being introduced to epilepsy. Make sure you know how to respond and how not to respond.
Epilepsy.com
A few people also said that it was especially with their partners that they could have a laugh and joke about their epilepsy. We also spoke with a couple of young people whose partners had epilepsy too; they said it was interesting for them to compare their different seizure types. I mean we were really close anyway, we talk about anything, he does everything for me, I do anything for him. I think it’s a good relationship anyway but because of that it brings us closer together. We can talk about things, like before I wasn’t really good talking about stuff, but since I’ve had this I’ve had no choice otherwise it’d all be locked in my mind and it would drive me crazy if I didn’t talk. So now we can just talk about anything, talk about epilepsy, talk about what not.
Previously called petit mal seizures, absence seizures may not always be recognized as seizures at first and they’re most common in children. Auras vary considerably from person to person but are usually about the same from seizure to seizure. Some auras are easy for people to describe, such as seeing zig-zag lines, while others are much more difficult to explain, such as a feeling of being separated from your body. In people with focal epilepsy, auras may be an early warning sign because they often occur less than two minutes before seizures that cause loss of consciousness. The type of automatism and the nature of it—whether it’s complex or so simple that it may be missed—is highly variable.
It’s important that you make clear to your teen the risk of stopping medication. Teens may need to be reminded what it was like when they had regular seizures. Also, if they haven’t had a seizure in some time, point out that the reason may be that their drugs are working. When approaching dating and relationships while living with epilepsy, joining a support group and talking about your experiences may be helpful. Talking with other people who understand what you’re going through can be a great resource for when you have questions and need encouragement. Epilepsy affects the everyday life of a couple in various ways, from worries about immediate safety to the aforementioned shifting roles, and the potential need to adjust short- and long-term plans.
But then it would be for the wrong reasons at the wrong time. Because like say I’m not a different person, I’m still me but I am a different person ‘cos everything about me is different. I’m so much sharper you know I’m so much more independent.
You may be nervous about telling someone new that you have epilepsy, fear their reaction, or worry about having a seizure in a new person’s presence. You may also have concerns about other factors related to dating with epilepsy, such as not being able to drive or the impacts that epileptic medications may have on your relationship. If you’ve already been diagnosed with epilepsy, you should see your healthcare provider any time you have a change in your seizure patterns, frequency, or activity. Some women may also experience an increase in the frequency of their seizures around their menstrual period. Known as catamenial epilepsy, seizures occurring around a woman’s menstrual cycle may need additional management.
If your epilepsy is under medical control, you’ll still be able to drive. Sometimes doctors might do surgery when other treatments can’t control the seizures. Partial seizures can be either simple (where a person doesn’t lose consciousness) or complex . There may be twitching of a finger or several fingers, a hand or arm, or a leg or foot. Speech might become slurred, unclear, or unusual during the seizure. They might feel tingling throughout one side of the body.
A new relationship can be both exciting and daunting for anyone. If you have epilepsy, you may wonder how to tell a new partner about epilepsy and how they might react. The way other people have reacted in the past might also affect how you tell new people. Seizures can disrupt plans and activities, and for some people, having epilepsy affects their confidence.
But I’d absolutely date others with disabilities it’s not that I’d hate anyone suffering from epilepsy it’s more of a fear. It’s you against the whole world, which to me isn’t freedom. I’ve got two older sisters and my oldest sister had epilepsy growing up so I know a bit about what to think about. She did however move out when I was just 14 years old so I haven’t seen a seizure in a loooong time and I feel like I’ve forgotten a bit about things to consider.
Any references made to other organisations does not imply any endorsement by Epilepsy Society. Starting a relationship when you have epilepsy – or being in a relationship with someone who has the condition – is just as unique an experience as every other relationship on earth. But there are a number of things to think about when one of you has epilepsy.
It’s best to start taking a folic acid supplement three months before you get pregnant. How high your risk is for these concerns depends on the type of seizure you have. Talk to your health care provider about your level of risk. Neuromodulation devices have shown promise in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Currently, all three FDA-approved devices—vagal nerve stimulation , responsive neurostimulation , and deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus —have shown a reduction in SUDEP incidence .
