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Adult Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy

Epilepsy & Seizures | Last Active: Nov 26, 2020 | Replies (34)

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@possumm

It’s been a while since my last post but felt I needed to update that my son has continued to weaken along with increased myoclonic and GTC seizure activity caused by other short term health issues and has only just begun to kind of calm down .
We were told a referral request to Mayo was being done only to find out a week ago he’s decided to discuss thoughts and recommendations with his own colleagues before reaching out to Mayo for help . I informed our epileptologist he has had two years to brainstorm with colleagues ( as far as we knew he was actually doing this already) so I’m beyond angry that we have been misled and our son is paying the price . Teamwork and not solo ego is sometimes required to help a patient and I’d thought all doctors would request help if they have no answers or path to find them. We were offered to be a first in an experimental drug trial at our clinic but I declined due to the doctor stating he would be the first person taking it and the side effects involved. I may be overly protective but I’m not risking my sons life just to help a clinic get funding for their pet project. I wish doctors understood that yes we want answers and control or by some miracle a cure but after all we’ve watched him go through we aren’t going to make it worse especially when he states there’s no evidence this will even work for epileptics. I’ve considered reaching out to other clinics on my own but I feel we are fighting against an unknown underlying condition along with epilepsy and no one is going past the brain so who do you seek out for the entire body to be evaluated as a whole for a clear picture of what’s happening? You simply cannot ignore the rest of the body or what it’s trying to tell you and focus solely on epilepsy because one doesn’t function without the other. If anyone feels I’m wrong or understands please tell me because sometimes as parents we are wrong but there are no reasons being given other than traumatic birth and what seems like thousands of test that prove nothing at all.
I apologize about the length of my post I’m just angry and feel defeated at this point and having our doctor who we trusted mislead and drag around is the most infuriating part of it all. Watching my now 30year old son become his childlike self is heartbreaking in a way I can’t describe and would never want anyone else to go through.

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Replies to "It’s been a while since my last post but felt I needed to update that my..."

@possumm Hello Tena,

I am so glad that you posted an update about your son's condition. I am sorry to hear that his situation has not improved. It must be heartbreaking to see this deterioration and not to be able to do anything about it.

Your anger and frustration with your current medical team are certainly understandable. You are doing a great job advocating for your son and you deserve the support of his current doctor.

Is your son's doctor now willing to process the referral to Mayo?

Tena, I am so sorry, so hard..... I am not sure if this helps, but I remember feeling so hopeless, that I called Mayo myself & referred my son. They were more then gracious & had me fax all his info. & they scheduled him an appointment.

@possumm
Although I can only relate to your sons Tonic-Clonic seizures I have been navigating the medical maze looking for answers to my Epilepsy for over 50 years and so far they have proven to be quite elusive. A neurologist told me my epilepsy was caused by my birth and since he wasn’t there and had no information regarding my birth I don’t know how he could come to that conclusion. Personally I believe it was caused when a so called friend hit me in the head with a baseball bat. I believe @caseybach gave you the best advice. I would try to get him admitted into the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center which is a level 4 Center and rated #1 in the Country. I doubt you could find a better facility than Mayo Epilepsy Center. Like your son my seizures were never controlled until they just stopped one day when I was 58 or 59 although PME (Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy) is rare as are some other Epilepsies I have never understood why doctors bother to say it’s rare when it hits so close to home, what difference does it make. I have been hospitalized more times than I care to remember for so-called rare Epilepsy events and have known too many people who have died from the so-called rare conditions like in Status S.U.D.E.P. (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy)
I certainly hope you get in to the Mayo Clinic and get the help your son so desperately needs.
Blessings,
Jake