Psychiatric Problems Associated With Epilepsy

@jenfossbru
Although it's always best to be as safe as possible people having Focal Aware seizure are generally completely aware and usually capably of performing complex tasks. In some States they are allowed to drive. I had a Focal Aware seizure while driving without incident although I wouldn't recommend it.
There have also been studies done that show people have fewer seizures when they’re exercising.
Does he ever have Tonic-Clonic seizures.
Best of luck,
Jake

He is able to drive as well. We got a second opinion at Mayo in Rochester MN and they approved everything. Before he was on meds, he did have tonic clonic. He has not had anything in 2.5 yrs.

@ jenfossbru
Do you know if his Tonic-Clonic was a result of a focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizure. (Previously called secondarily generalized seizure”
or did it start as a Tonic-Clonic?
Jake

Hello @abcla1315 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I can see that you quickly found a connection with @jenfossbru with interest in her son's swimming.

Do you happen to have epilepsy?

Well I have seen a psychiatrist and I have epilepsy. I'll leave it up to you whether they are related or not. After explaining the situation to the psychiatrist he simply said they aren't your friends. This was 10-15 years ago in a work environment and all of us had known each other for years. I considered them friends but that is ok if they wanted to play games I was up to the task. I just hadn't engaged that portion of my personality with them. You see they were working hard at being the gap between the sphincter at the end of the colon...but I am a natural. When I engaged they were wondering if they needed lawyers. I assured them they didn't. They knew where they stood and that was enough. They weren't my friends is what you should take away from this. If possible get a new set of friends. Yeah and I suppose it is ok to defend yourself too. While I have to be real careful when I engage that portion of my personality you probably don't. I am an introvert so my comfort zone is not going out. Covid didn't change my lifestyle at all. I have to force myself to walk out the door. I always have fun when I do. You probably will too. Good luck to you.

@mxyzptlk32
Are you sure you have Epilepsy or were you seeing a psychiatrist because you were/are having Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures (PNES) which are psychologically induced instead of having abnormal brain electrical discharges.
Jake

@jakedduck1 Hi Leonard, long time no talk. I just had a VEEG done. My whole life I had thought muscle twitches around my mouth were seizures. I have several of those a day. I never had a neurologist tell me otherwise. I had to have got that info from a neurologist, right? I have had epilepsy for almost 60 years, so multiple neurologists. My VEEG showed no seizures for 48 hours. The Epileptologist did see abnormal activity that he said was epilepsy, so yes I have it.

Now we are looking for blank stares or missing time, I have both tonic clonic and complex partial. The tonic clonic are well controlled. I am now unsure how well controlled the complex partial are. It is hard to tell when I have a complex partial since they are short in duration. Perhaps 2 tenths of a second? My wife and I thought I had one while on the VEEG but I didn't.

The VEEG along with a memory test did show a sleep score so bad the neuropsychologist said he hadn't seen a number that bad for years. So we are now working the sleep angle now. Not that we hadn't before. That is another long story though.

I am monitoring this site for connections between epilepsy and sleep but am not seeing much. It is a well documented connection so I continue to look.

Oh sorry, the Psychiatrist...I seen the Psychiatrist at the recommendation of a Counselor, probably for 2 reasons. In my organization there is a heightened awareness of suicide and I was probably exhibiting signs the Counselor was required to ask about. I did end up having a tonic clonic due to the stress and several other factors.

I was told the clinic was shut down I was told that I would get a call from Adam directing me to anahem CA near Disney Land, I would like to know why I didn't get a phone call from him,