What is epilepsy?
Hey guys! I'm Caroline, I am from NY and suffer from epilepsy. This blog is going to be about what its like to live with epilepsy and everything I have had to deal with when it comes to it. But for starters, just in case anyone doesn't really know what epilepsy is...my first post is about what epilepsy actually is...
Google defines "epilepsy" as "a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain." That's the general definition. However, it is SO much more than that.
When people say you live a "normal" life when you have epilepsy, they really have no idea what they are talking about. Its not "normal", its more cautious than what a person with a normal lifestyle has. People who have epilepsy cannot drive, not supposed to drink while on certain medications because it could cause a seizure, some people can't go out to nightclubs or be anywhere near flashing lights. Some people have it worse than others, having more seizures but either way our lifestyle is different.
There are different 2 different types of epilepsy. There's focal epilepsy and then there is generalized epilepsy. Focal epilepsy is when its on a certain side of the brain and for most cases can be fixed with brain surgery. Then there's generalized epilepsy where the epilepsy is all over the brain where its almost impossible to fix with brain surgery. I live with generalized epilepsy.
Epilepsy is treated with medications. Right now I'm on Lamictal and Onfi. But honestly, I've tried so many medications throughout these past 25 years and it feels like I've tried every medication under the sun and shit still does not work. However, I have learned from experience that if I do not take my medication, the likelihood of me having a seizure that day, is high.
When it comes down to types of seizures there are: petit mal seizures aka absence seizures.With petit mal seizures sometimes you don't even feel them, but when you do its like your out for 10 seconds then back to whatever you were doing...kinda like spacing out. Then there are grand mal seizures aka tonic-clonic seizures. These types of seizures I'm very aware of. When you have a grand mal seizure you fall to the ground or start convulsing or sometimes even turn blue. You could bite your tongue very easily. Most of the time when someone has a grand mal seizure they do bite their tongue and bleed from the mouth. Grand mal seizures are more dangerous than petit mal seizures. You can hurt yourself a lot easier For people who don't know what to do when someone has a seizure....stay tuned.