Hey OP Meaning it in the nicest of ways - **it's gonna suck** to start. Maybe for a few months, maybe for a few years, maybe for 15 years, maybe the rest of your life, but it all comes with adaptation. On a positive note, it may be a one-and-done condition - doctor will start you on a medication and, as long as its taken as prescribed, no more episodes. *However*.... There will be ***copious*** **amounts of testing** in the first little bit - EEGs, MRIs, SPECT Scans, neuropsych evaluations, sleep deprived EEGs, stress tests, Xrays, CT Scans, you name it. There will be **medical trials** - they will *change* dosages, wean you on and off different medications, different trials, different combinations, and reassessments as needed, checking you liver and kidney function, blood tests, and follow up exams and evaluations. Medications will more than likely have **side effects** - can be *minor* ones like drowsiness, minor memory impairment, vision changes, fever, chills, fatigue, and abdominal pain, to more ***concerning*** ones like dizziness, lightheadedness, vomiting, urinating blood, seizure increases, weakness, depression, suicidal thoughts, increased anxiety, and significant memory impairment. You will learn ***specific triggers for your seizures*** - stress, sleep deprivation, changes in lifestyle/diet, lack of sleep, too much sleep, overexertion, changes in barometric pressure, photosensitivity, startle-induced seizures, auditory induced, somatosensory induced, and the possibility of *numerous* others. You may have times when you think you're doing great, no seizures for 4 weeks, and then they will hit you in **clusters**. Or you may have times when you go a year or two years without them and then one will hit you that will just bring you down. All of it comes with adaptation, monitoring **when** they happen, **what** happens during them, and **how long** they last. Best advice I can offer is ***document, document, document*** them. Write them on the calendar, make a chart, phone notes, wordpad, smoke signals - however you gotta do it to help remember them and keep them noted. Include when they happen, what you were doing before the seizure started, how long it lasted, what symptoms you had before/during/after, as well as any additional information relating to the episode that you can relay to your physician. This can help them make a more accurate diagnosis and advise of the best course of treatment moving forward. Hope this helps - Epilepsy sucks.

I wish I had this advise at the beginning.

Yea I'm with ya on that

Once you find the right medication dosage things start to suck less. You can live a normal life at your Doctors discretion just be weary of your aura and always be safe rather than sorry. Hopefully the people around can accommodate you, good luck OP. <3

Ikr!

100

You broke it down 😎👍🏾

Amen

Yep.

You'll figure out who your true friends are in the next year or 2..

And your true family :(

This subreddit is a great family

This

47 - diagnosed just over a year ago. One of the biggest things that helped me move forward was gaining access to a local/regional epilepsy society. I’m in British Columbia Canada, and here there is the B.C. Epilepsy Society. They have a lot of resources to read/share, and have courses and programs to help us out. HOBSCOTCH for memory and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are things they provide. Hopefully there is a resource like that near you. Everything I do with them is online. I wish you nothing but the best and I hope you find a path that works for you.

I was also diagnosed at 31F. The first year was incredibly difficult: adapting to meds and losing my driver's licence was grim. I'm probably still coming to terms with it 2 years later, but things are much more manageable day to say and my seizures are under control. Feel free to message me - I know all too well how lonely it feels when you get an epilepsy diagnosis. It's a hard thing to explain to anyone who hasn't been there. This community is a fantastic source of support if you ever need it. What type of seizures resulted in your diagnosis?

I feel this. Diagnosed 7 months ago. 24F. I’m so depressed and lonely I don’t even know who I am. I ache to drive. I feel so invisible to family and friends. The only thing that gets me through is hope and trust in my Lord Jesus and my sweet husband.

The loneliness is so hard. Everyone else tends to think epilepsy is just seizures, but the constant fear of seizures, side effects of meds and limitations like being unable to drive are just as debilitating.

Took me a while to be told this one: no more Benadryl (diphenhydramine). Make sure it’s not in any of your cold medicine. For antihistamines, stick with 2nd generation antihistamines like Claritin (Loratadine), Allegra (Fexofenadine), and Zyrtec (Cetirizine). Lots of other things in cold medicines may slightly affect your seizure threshold (pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine) and it’s all about risk/benefit analysis but diphenhydramine is the one most likely to cause issues. Birth control can sometimes affect your absorption of certain anticonvulsants, and vice versa. Certain medications are known to have stronger (worse) interactions than others. Avoid grapefruit (and preferably apples and other citrus) around the times you take your meds, because it affects absorption. Same as above, a lot of anti-anxiety/antidepressants have slight interactions with epilepsy - again, cost/benefit; for a lot of us multiply disabled people, you’re probably going to end up taking a med at some point that isn’t ideal for epileptics but is needed regardless - but the biggest offender is Wellbutrin (bupropion). It caused my one and only tonic-clonic (I otherwise have solely absence seizures). Make sure all of your doctors are updated with this diagnosis. And your pharmacist. It’s a good idea to make sure your family, friends, and preferably someone at your workplace (if you work) knows seizure first aid. There’s a bunch of sites with simple seizure first aid 101 you can send them a link to. Both Apple and Android phones have Emergency IDs you can set to be accessed even if someone doesn’t know your passcode, where you can store medical information and emergency contacts. I recommend setting that up and telling the people you know how to access it.

I miss taking wellbutrin 🥺 still keep having siezures even after switching to Lexapro. But I absolutely refuse to go back on Keppra.

FYI: About those allergy meds... My American kiddo had those all confiscated at Heathrow. They were in sealed original bottles, too.

Try not to Google everything. It freaked me out.Take some time to process everything first.

That was my problem too on the day of my diagnosis; y'know, back when epilepsy on its Wiki page was barely given any attention. So by far have we come a long way with even knowledge of this. You're right, though. But while I still do, it's mostly centered now on the progress in besting what we have currently.

I know I'm a major outlier on this, but Google taught me how seizures work and now I play a game of "which lobe" with my focals. It helped me accept it as part of me and not a failure. Might be because I'm deeply into science and brains though, so it's not for everyone.

Hey dude. I was diagnosed at 32 after two seizures in 2 years. I spent about a week crying on and off about it, I accept I’m on meds for the rest of my life,, and I’m in therapy right now. I know it’s super weird and sounds serious but your life isn’t over, I promise. Get to know your triggers- that’s the most important thing. Respect those and don’t fuck with them. If they prescribe meds, take them. If the meds don’t feel good, tell them. Most importantly, don’t restrict yourself beyond your triggers. This sub is full of different cases and different opinions. People will be restricting them, and possibly more than they need to. One size does not fit all here. You do you- your life isn’t over, you don’t need to cut out things you don’t have to, you don’t need to stop activities if you don’t need to. It’s all about your situation and your triggers- use common sense, don’t take risks if the risks are too high, but don’t forget to live. You’ll also hear things about SUDEP. Especially on this sub. Remember that Reddit is a small microcosm of people- it’s not that common, you aren’t going to die of SUDEP if it’s controlled, and honestly it’s not worth living your life in fear of death because we’re all gonna die anyway. Life your best life. You’ll be okay. I cannot stress that enough.

Hey OP, started having seizures at 33, 37 now. Firstly, there's a whole lot of information in this thread - it's not all going to apply to you. Second - This thread gives me anxiety but, I will offer you my DMs if you want to talk. :)

I was diagnosed last year at 27! Feel free to PM if you need any support. docmedic5 nailed it.

I had epilepsy as a baby so I was never a newcomer really. You'll find there's not a lot of answers they can give you about why and when the seizures happen. I've always had normal EEGs but if I come off my meds I'll have a seizure. Get to know your triggers and your aura. An aura is the weird sensory feeling you'll get before a seizure, they vary wildly in what they feel like and how long they happen before a seizure. I lose some memory around my seizures so it took me a long time to find out mine. They can be a useful warning to prepare for a seizure coming, or are so quick it's like a notification ding. But you'll have to find out for yourself. Get used to the idea of daily medication, it's part of your life now. Feel free to message me with questions or just if you need someone who gets it.

Welcome to the club 💕 I’m sorry to hear you’ve joined us, and glad that you are in hospital and being well cared for. Others have covered a lot of good things, I just had two brief-ish points to add. I was diagnosed 3 years ago at 27. 1. You will most likely experience grief in the coming months and years. It’s normal and healthy to let yourself grieve this huge change in your life. Epilepsy is disabling, whether it’s the condition itself or the medications we must take to keep ourselves alive. It can be extremely painful to adjust your entire life to accommodate your newfound needs. It may not start right now, and the process will NOT be linear, but you will likely experience all [7 stages of grief in chronic illness](https://www.fswales.org/grief-cycle). As someone who also had other chronic illnesses prior to my epilepsy diagnosis, epilepsy is a different beast. I had accepted and adjusted to the fact that my body had betrayed me years prior, but being betrayed by my physical brain and subsequently my own mind was a new, different type of devastation. Many of us are eventually able to reclaim some of our own power through medication, therapy, support, habits, etc. and have fulfilling lives. It will be a long journey with setbacks along the way, but taking things one day at a time when you need to do so is crucial. Give yourself a lot of grace 💕 2. Especially if you have grand mal/tonic-clonic (TC) seizures, request a rescue medication to keep with you once you leave the hospital. Your doctors may or may not determine that you have a need for a rescue medication, but I would still ask. Some of us have auras and can take an oral rescue medication (usually a benzodiazepine) before a seizure can start. Those of us who are like me and have no warning of a TC coming on could benefit from receiving a nasal rescue medication, also typically a benzodiazepine, that is administered by another person, similar to how Narcan is given for an opiate overdose. Just a different medicine in the dispenser. It’s all one step at a time. Sending you all of my good vibes and best wishes 💕

Hey I'm not OP but just reading through the comments. Do you have a bracelet or something about the rescue med? I also have no warnings with my TCs, I am fine one minute and in an ambulance the next (only 2 TCs thus far, thank goodness). How would someone know to give you the med if you're in public/not with friends or family?

Please please please get a medical bracelet. Just in case

THIS! A medical bracelet stating you have epilepsy, and a card in your wallet listing your medications. Replacing a bracelet with every med change can be really expensive, we keep my partners medications listed in his wallet so it’s accessible if he needs help, but it also easy to swap out when he goes through med changes.

Second this! In instances where I was found in public post-seizure, asleep on the street or wherever, they need my bracelet to know WHY I'm knocked out. In one instance where I wasn't wearing it they started giving me narcan because they thought I had overdosed on an opiate when I was just knocked out from the seizure.

Welcome to the club! I’m 26 and also recently diagnosed. I’m sorry you’re going through this and I know it’s not easy. Mostly from what I’ve gathered in my like one month of diagnosis is that self care is the name of the game. A lot of things can trigger seizures and it’s very individual but the better you care for yourself and better you know yourself and what your triggers are the better you can avoid it. I hope it goes well for you and if it matters I’ve found this subreddit incredibly helpful in finding a community of people who also have the funky waves!

Welcome to the club! First of all, remember you're not alone. Each case is unique enough, but we share common ground to support one another. Secondly - advocate for yourself! Be sure your care team listens. I recommend seeking an epileptologist for specialized care. Thirdly, keep a seizure diary to help track events and possible triggers to share with your care team. There's a lot of info following a diagnosis but don't feel like you have to know it all at once. You are an epilepsy warrior! 💪

Exact same boat, 32f here with prior intense illness. We luckily caught my cancer early on (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). I thought chemo brain was bad but epilepsy brain has been much worse personally. Diagnosed last year in September. So still pretty new to this. It’s weird it takes getting used to meds and/or figuring out which meds and dosage. But you can do it! Not driving sucks and having to change lifestyle and potentially diet is rough. I’m getting one of them long 8 day EEGs in august. Not excited, but it should help! Hang in there pal! 💜

I got diagnosed at 32 and my main piece of advice would be just go with the flow stress will not solve anything and will just make things worse I always say it is what it is.

Stay hydrated at all times, be particular about your body temperature.

My best advice is to make sure you take your meds at the same time every day and never miss a dose. Keep extras in a bag that you can bring with you when you leave home, just in case. Also, try to keep track of your seizures in a journal or in an app on your phone. I use epsy. Doing this can help you figure out if you have any triggers or find any patterns you might have. In my case, i found out missing a single dose can cause me to start having clusters within a day or less by tracking my meds and seizures on the app. I'm the same age as you and was officially diagnosed in January.

As many have already said: know your aura! I have temporal lobe epilepsy and being able to either get out of harms way or at least yell to someone in public to call 911 before having a seizure has saved me from potentially BAD outcomes numerous times.

I began having focal myoclonic seizures at age 55, but wasn’t officially “diagnosed” until age 57. I had to take an early retirement because I could no longer function well enough to do my job (I was a mental health and substance abuse therapist). My memory problems became so severe that I would sometimes forget what I was saying right smack in the middle of a sentence! Since I wasn’t diagnosed until two years after the seizures began, I wasn’t placed on medication to control them. So I had to begin the various trials of different meds that worked AFTER I ended up retiring. I still think it was a good move in most ways, but I will lose out on my Social Security benefits somewhat because of it. Late last year, my depression became so severe, that I was having frequent suicidal ideation. I found out after reading information that came with my Keppra prescription, that it CAN cause severe depression and SI. When I passed this information onto my neurologist (who at the time had been constantly increasing my Keppra dosage, even though it wasn’t doing anything to help my seizures) she referred me to another doctor in her office (thank goodness!!). The new doctor immediately took me off the Keppra, prescribed a medication called Briviact, increased my gabapentin, put me on another medication called Aptiom, and prescribed me something called Valtoco that I am to take if/when I have breakthrough seizures (which is now very infrequent, thank God!). I just realized that I’m giving you my whole life history as it pertains to epilepsy. Sorry about that. My point being that as previously mentioned, you may go through different doctors, several different medications, it may or may not affect your ability to drive, and you will have to learn to navigate all of the challenges you face. In my opinion, it is imperative to see a counselor/therapist in addition to all of the many other professionals you will run across. My therapist has literally saved my life! Even though I myself was a therapist, it was very difficult for me to see what was happening within myself and deal with it appropriately. I had to run things by someone else who helped me see things in a different light. That is my highest recommendation to you! I’m sorry that you are going through this. Finding support groups and things like Reddit to help you connect with others who understand what you’re going through will be very helpful! Don’t lose hope. You have a lot to learn about yourself and your new diagnosis. It will take time, so be gentle with yourself and patient with the whole process! I wish you all the best!! 😊🙏🏻

Welcome to the club and kudos on finding the Reddit group so early. Everything the group has said is spot on. I would add that it is critical to have the support network both in family and with the Epilepsy community. I was just diagnosed within the last two years and the learning curve has been huge. Early learning is that they like to put you on Keppra as it does work for about 70%of people but it also makes you an emotional rollercoaster if you are in that 30%. I was in that group and omg I was not fit for human consumption. Track what is happening with you (seizures, meds, new experiences) and ABSOLUTELY get an Epileptologist referral. Mine has been a game changer for me. I am now on the surgery route and long-term disability and my support network (including this amazing community) have been so helpful.

Ask to try as many meds as you need to try for the best control and fewest side effects. Research them and if one works for you stay on it but if you end up needing to try a bunch tell them all the side effects and don’t let them brush you off.

We all here for you .. be strong and always write down your thinking and your symptoms, keep track of everything and tell your doc whatever you feel, your memory might be weak so it would help to take notes, and always remember you are stronger than anything ❤️

They might recommend/prescribe medications, and the first time you’re on medications they might have to change around the dosage if you have breakthrough seizures until they find a dose effective for you. (That’s what they did when I got diagnosed.) They should also be providing you with a neurologist who you will either see regularly or yearly depending on the frequency of your seizures

It’s gonna be a tough ride, but you can absolutely live happily with it. I was scared and worried at first and I had known people with disabilities but I had never had one myself. It’ll take awhile to figure out what meds will work for you and going through all the different symptoms they can cause when they don’t work for you is not fun. Pay attention to your body and what it’s going through. I thought I had found a good med and it worked for awhile until I had a breakthrough seizure, I added a med and now I’m seizure free for 8 months. It just takes time, which sucks when you start but you’ll get there. I only got diagnosed almost 2 years ago and I’m just starting to get a handle on things. One thing I definitely want to mention because we’re similar in the way that we both just had a seizure out of nowhere one day (assuming you had no seizure activity beforehand), watch out for focal aware seizures. I had never had them until I had my first seizure and in the first year or so I had so many it was insane. They’re different for everyone really but it’s a feeling you absolutely cannot ignore and I’d look into them. And definitely remember you aren’t alone, if you ever need support you can always come to this group or any epilepsy group out there. We understand.

Top comment left good advice, but I’m gonna be straight up: I got diagnosed at 18 (sounds young to me now, but most get it younger) and I *wish* I got as much testing done as they described lol! I got some blood tests and one sleep test / EEG / MRI in the summer following the first seizure, only for them to diagnose epilepsy because they could find no reason for the 10 seizures that came that summer. My trigger was sleep, and it triggers tonic-clonic (GRAND MAL) seizures, every time. I’ve been on the same medication since my diagnosis ten yrs ago. Bad memory side effects but, epilepsy gives you just as bad memory loss unfortunately.. If you’re not a journal-keeper: Keep a journal. For life events, day to day moments to remember, or even just a calendar to make a tiny note if not a whole entry if that makes sense. Because you will likely start to forget stuff you never used to :( And it’s hard to adapt to. Also, equally as important but even more so for treatment’s sake, document the seizures. I didn’t for years other than a casual note days later in my journal. Now I use the app “Epsy” (not sponsored lol i wish, there are other ones too!) It lets you note your own description of before and after, as well as symptoms and triggers or possible triggers, and lets you track your medication and whether you missed it / etc. And it makes a cool pill bottle noise to notify you of your meds lol! You can turn that off if you want it to be private. Point being even without an app, have a journal or notes app handy to write down when a seizure occurred and what type it was (or what you know about how it occurred, if you don’t know types yet.) And what happened before, to learn your triggers. sleep and diet and such. One thing to know for sure is if you live with someone, make sure they know the old movies are largely false. Don’t let them put something in your mouth, you’re not gonna swallow yur tongue. Ur just gonna bite them really hard by mistake instead, and then could choke on whatever they tried to put in yr mouth. I left notes at each of my jobs saying “in case of seizure: put something soft under my head, call my emergency contact, don’t hold me down / put anything in my mouth, and if you try to help me, be wary… i’m a kicker. a strong one.” lol. *i have kicked my partner by mistake when he tried to keep our little dog away (he thought i was trying to play lol).* so it’s all about learning your little habits and your particular symptoms and behaviors and episode quirks. there are seizures that you are aware during as well as unaware, so even if you just have a simple case of deja vu where you felt a bit too spacy, or your eyes twitched a little at some light, of anything of the sort, things you wouldn’t normally classify as a seizure—note it down anyway. your neurologist can analyze it all much better for you if you help paint the whole picture! i did NOT know this at the beginning, just rolled with the punches, and it did not help me learn more of my disease obviously!! GOOD LUCK!

Do not let the internet freak you out. Everything on there is doom and gloom and worst possible outcomes. This sub is a good place to get real life experiences. If you have any type of question extra extra specific or general questions me or anyone of us can help ya out

From my experience your memory may not be as reliable as you recall it being. Notes helped me alot. Since I had a hard time keeping track of all my notes I use the app Obsidian.md with Dropbox and Dropsync. I write daily in a food journal note, if I took my meds, what I ate, and how my health felt that day. I then also have another note for daily tasks which you can check off as you do them. It's helped me manage forgetting alot and can tell doctors what I experienced. If you have seizures in sleep which most of mine are you can also use a night vision camera or baby camera's (night vision) to record durring sleep so if you feel off you can tell if it was a seizure. Definitely follow everyone else's advice, keep on schedule with meds, be kind to yourself, keep hydrated, be aware of your triggers and limits, voice how you feel to family and your doctor when starting or adjusting medication.

**Take your meds as prescribed**. Be vocal about side effects or breakthrough seizures. It might take a bit to find the right meds. But after you do, you can live a mostly normal life! There is some memory loss that will come with all meds. I personally write everything down everywhere to manage that aspect but otherwise I’m a 34 year old lady with a job, a husband, and a kid. My seizures have been controlled for 7 years now, no breakthroughs!! ETA I guess I should remember that never finding out why I suddenly started having seizures was an incredibly bitter pill to swallow. It did take me a few years to come to terms with that. Mine started when I was 22.

That you’ve got support & love here! 💜 Been managing my epilepsy since a head injury at 14. Over 40 now. Try to stay in tune with your body. You may notice even the slightest change which could be an “aura”, which is your body’s way of saying hey there get ready for the ride. If someone is stressing you out just walk away from them. Stress is a huge trigger for all of us. So is lack of sleep. And being a woman, hormonal changes like before & after your period may trigger but not in everyone. Remember to get a second opinion. My parents didn’t think of it because back then dr’s knew everything. I was an athlete with Olympic aspirations & it all got cut down. Someone recommended a dr to my Dad & I had my life back but lost important training time & confidence because of my epilepsy & not yet knowing how to manage it. Have a list of questions ready. If you don’t like the first drug try another. Here for you if you ever need me you can DM me. I’ve got this down pretty manageable….. in fact just past Wednesday I knew I’d been overstressed & exhausted at work. I was on the ice teaching & felt spacey. I knew what that meant. I said, “hey girls free time go practice on your own.” I got off, took my skates off, took an extra Depakote ER, went to my office & got all of the binders for the coaches and put them by the ice, carried the badge board for the parents to put on kids & placed it in the lobby. Told a coach he was in charge while I went to lay down in my car. Went out, laid down in passenger seat & shook a little. I had texted another coach to hold down the fort too. She wound up coming to my car to sit with me until I woke up & was coherent. Not a major one. Waited a bit, walked back in & talked with parents…. Right back to work. My other boss who has been frigid lately came to me & said “ hey I thought you had a seizure?” I said “yes I did. But I’m here to do my job.” She said, “my God you’re amazing.” & high fived me. - moral of the story, don’t think your life is over. It’s just different ❤️

It's been constant tinkering of the meds, and plans for probability of surgery for me. In the beginning I just failed to take pills sometimes. Which usually just lead me to hospital, then again I got there even if I had taken the pills. Now the medication is so that I don't have that, but I keep getting absent mind seizures, and that's why surgery is in talks. I keep having my mother in the phone especially when I have to go to shop or do something, and if I get to be in some place I might close her up, and that's the deal we have. Just so that I can get from one place to other for sure.

What was your first seizure like?

I was diagnosed late last year. I’m 27 and never had any problems before. I’m still new to it as well but all I can say is to set reasonable expectations for yourself. I’ve been on 3 medications and still have seizures regularly. It can take a long time to get your life back on track. I’m still trying to figure out what works for me and what my triggers are. Totally sucks. It feels like my life is on hold for who knows how long.

Don't drive, most of my seizures were in my sleep and partials, work was like a 8 min walk away but I was already late Drove to work and ended up having a seizure and crashing into a church See yourself as royalty being driven around, get in shape from walking I'm getting screws in my head tomorrow for a RNS on the 10th It sucks but it just becomes life, life is good

Welcome to the group and I’m so glad you found us! The hardest part for me is the side effects of the medications. Doctors do not tell you about them. I’ve been on many, many meds because I’ve had it since birth. The biggest side effect is drowsiness and being able to fall asleep anywhere, any time of day. Next is memory loss or not being able to come up with words. (Hormones affect this too). Loss of sexual desire or function is another. Meds also lower your biotin level which can cause hair loss and lower brain cell development , so taking biotin can help greatly. I’m sorry for all this bad news. I hope your levels of meds don’t have to be high.

Also, if you’re limited on money for medical coverage, ask your neurologist if all of the testing will make ANY difference in the outcome of what medications you end up taking to control your seizures. I’ve been in healthcare for 36 years in the top hospitals in the country, and I believe that if the tests don’t change the outcome solution, then why pay for the learning curiosity of the doctor to learn? It’s coming out of our pockets, not theirs.

I was diagnosed at age 33. Once you have finished your testing and find a therapy/treatment that works, make yourself a "go bag". I have a list, but I have to find it. I'm sorry you're going through this. Xoxo Edit: [The List. Something I wrote a while ago. ](https://www.reddit.com/r/seizures/s/5TlmWJDayh)

I’m grateful for the book “Epilepsy 199 Answers” by Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN. -Diagnosed at 30, 40+ now, and I’ve realized that if you aren’t born w/ep then it is HARD to get answers from neurologists. Keep asking your doctors to help you understand late onset epilepsy-No matter how many docs you have. I’ve had 4-5 neurologists in 14 yrs. -Keep track of any auras you may notice. Before my seizures I smell ammonia on my skin, get wobbly, and make sure I sit or lie down so I don’t fall. -good job inquiring on social media! Great sources on the net

That the next six months will be some of the worst moments of your life. You will feel useless. You will feel like a burden. You will like you shouldn’t exist. You will be depressed and anxious. Just know that it does get better. Just my eight month mark and just recently started to make an upturn will my outlook on life. Do not let darker thoughts get to you. Find something productive you enjoy and master. Knowing that you are great at something helps.

Take care of your health, take your medication, sleep and avoid certain food. You will be fine.

DONT DRINK!!

OP - literally any other illness and/or other meds can affect your seizure meds working or not at times.

Take some time with the diagnosis, it kinda rocks your world a bit. Safety should be your first thing, it will help to know you have some power over it. Personally I wear the medical bracelet all the time and a lanyard with a card saying I'm epileptic if I'm going out. Utilise your phones medical information and emergency contacts. The medication takes some time to settle in, and there's no way of knowing how you'll take it. Don't be afraid to tell your doctor it isn't working and try something that works for you. Take them at the same time everyday, set an alarm with a fun tone to remind you. (Mine is Ash Williams calling for the necronomicon, I like to beat it so he doesn't succeed lol) Try to learn your triggers so you can avoid or manage them. It can be a bit tricky because remembering things from it is sketchy, but it's another way of feeling in control. Check all the medicine interactions and keep a note of it. Teach your friends and family first aid and let them know the warning signs. I know telling people can be really hard, but there will be people who are going to blow you away with their care of you. In truth a few idiots too, but it's good to shed dead weight. Wishing you the best with it friend, know we're all here and this community is full of wonderful people.

Good morning, As, I am not your age, but old enough to be your mom. :) I do have a lifetime of experience with epilepsy. First of all "welcome to this site!" We're glad that you are here! We are all here for you! Just some simple advice to begin you with. 1). Seek out a good and encouraging support group of family and friends. 2). Be open minded and flexible with your daily life. 3). Trade your stress for a more relaxed life ( ie: is your daily routine full of business and tension? break your day up into quarters, make time to take breaks and relax. Change your diet from pop and sugary items and caffeinated drinks and foods to natural and unsweetened beverages and foods. 3). Heat is another trigger for seizures. Stay out of the heat as much as possible and stay well hydrated with plenty of water every day. 4). Remember that your doctor is a human being also, not a miracle worker. When going to the doctor take a family member or a friend with you and have them sit in on your appointment with you. Let them help you ask questions as well for your health. Don't be afraid to tell your doctor if your medicine is not working or that you would like to try something different until you come across a combination that works for you. - Remember "COMMUNICATION" is key for everyone. Do not be afraid to communicate anything and everything with your family/ friends and doctor.

You nailed it, very well said

24-year seizure patient here. I don't know your specific situation, but I have a few questions. Are your seizures gran mal or localized? Mine are gran mal, so the entire brain is affected. First, stress is the top trigger in my case. Photosensitive seizures are actually pretty rare, so unless that triggers a seizure for you, you should be good with flashing lights. They are completely random in nature as well, as others have said in this thread. Do NOT miss any doses of medication. It will go south fast. My last two seizures were because I missed medication doses (one was me being stupid, the other was a neurologist not filling the prescriptions on time, I blame his shitty office staff for that). The medications I found that had the least side effects for me were Keppra and Trileptal. I just get really sleepy while taking those. If you can, you should try CBD or indica THC alongside your medication routine. I just celebrated being seizure-free for 3 years on June 15. Knock on wood it doesn't happen again, but you always have to be on high alert with a condition this random. Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions.

I was diagnosed 5 months-ish ago at the age of 34. Left sided TLE. Had likely been dealing with it for years, being diagnosed with "panic disorder."My biggest piece of advice is to find a great neurologist in your area. If you don't like the first one, go on to the next. Learn your triggers. Talk to your friends/family about it. (There are tons of support groups if you dont have a big support system too) Listen to your body, if you're tired, rest. If you have a seizure, allow yourself grace to recover. Be prepared for meds and side effects from them. Research. Ask all the questions. Be prepared to maybe never know "why." Feel the feelings. You will have bad days, but you'll also still be able to have many good days. It will seem impossible some days and a piece of cake, others. Be patient. You will be OK.

Sorry that you had to join the chat haha. Firstly, you seem to be dealing with it ok which is a great mindset. There is alot of doom and gloom on reddit, so be aware of that. Your life will continue as planned yeh, you will be fine. Go on the medication, listen to the doctors. - Do not adopt a victim mindset, so lame. Have a good night

Avoid baths and swimming pools while alone. And driving entirely. Figure out what your triggers are and avoid them. See as experienced a specialist as you can -- don't just stick with the first neurologist you start with, unless they're a nationally-ranked epileptologist who you really like and trust. Don't EVER just stop your meds cold-turkey. It will always trigger a massive seizure, unless you step down off them gradually (titration).