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Driving and Epilepsy

Wed, 08/14/2013 - 17:26
I was diagnosed with JME a little over and month and a half ago. My neurologist said I can't drive for 6 months (based on the province's laws that say you have to be seizure free for 6 months). I have never had any type of seizure (absence, grand mal etc) therefore I have been seizure free for 17 years. I was just wondering if anyone else had never had a seizure, been diagnosed and then told that they weren't aloud to drive or that they were aloud to drive?

Comments

Re: Driving and Epilepsy

Submitted by tcameron on Wed, 2013-08-14 - 23:01
That's the law here in California. Our doctors also have to report seizures to the DMV if we have more seizures. :^( Hang in there.

Re: Driving and Epilepsy

Submitted by Eljessop on Wed, 2013-08-14 - 23:28
The laws in BC is 6 months but your neurologist doesn't tell the dmv or icbc so there is no actual written up suspension. I was diagnosed based on EEG that said grade 4 seizure activity. It says clinical correlation is needed or something like that but I don't understand the EEG reading haha! Yeah we don't have any laws that say you can't drive if you faint just no driving for six months seizure free. I guess there's just a grey area between what is aloud and what isn't. Thanks everyone for the support, this is all so new to me! :)

Re: Driving and Epilepsy

Submitted by just_joe on Thu, 2013-08-15 - 16:17

If you were diagnosed with epiepsy were you given any tests? An EEG would show seizure activity and if that was shown you have epilepsy. Understand too that auras are seizures in themselves. Funny feeling are too as are flashes of light to some people. If you faint it could be a seizure.

Now as for driving. There are laws and times that you have to go without seizures. I am much older than you. I had gone 3 years without any kind of seizure and I was studing for my drivers test. Which I didn't take becasue I had a seizure. I will probably never be seizure free but I do know how frustratng it can be. Been there done that. I also know why those 6 month are there. If you do have a seizure while driving you will be a little more protected than the people in the cars you hit. My seizures you would not even notice because they now last for asplit second to a few seconds. Now think what can happen in a car when it can't be controlled for a few seconds much less a minute because some seizures last 2-5 minutes. How many cars could be hit in that period of time which would injure or possiable kill some people.

Relax and wait those 6 months. Then see what your neuro says. Understand that I had many seizures before I was 17 and now 53 years after having the first seizure I am fine. I have never driven but know how in case of emergency. I have had plenty of dates and girlfriends. Worked many different jobs and even owned a small business. It does take work and understanding your limits and where they are. Understand too that the more technology there is the higher the chance you can get in a car and it will drive itself while you set back and watch the scenery go by. Why not take the 6 months and see what you can do without a car. There are bus systems. When I was your age I had a taxi driver that drove us on dates I bought his dinner and he came back later to pick us up and take her home. I stayed trim back then because I walked to and from her house to mine or the other way. Sheesh it was only 2-3 miles. I double dated many times. My friends drove I bought dinner or paid for the movies. You just have to know what can be done and find ways to deal with the options that are there. 

If you were diagnosed with epiepsy were you given any tests? An EEG would show seizure activity and if that was shown you have epilepsy. Understand too that auras are seizures in themselves. Funny feeling are too as are flashes of light to some people. If you faint it could be a seizure.

Now as for driving. There are laws and times that you have to go without seizures. I am much older than you. I had gone 3 years without any kind of seizure and I was studing for my drivers test. Which I didn't take becasue I had a seizure. I will probably never be seizure free but I do know how frustratng it can be. Been there done that. I also know why those 6 month are there. If you do have a seizure while driving you will be a little more protected than the people in the cars you hit. My seizures you would not even notice because they now last for asplit second to a few seconds. Now think what can happen in a car when it can't be controlled for a few seconds much less a minute because some seizures last 2-5 minutes. How many cars could be hit in that period of time which would injure or possiable kill some people.

Relax and wait those 6 months. Then see what your neuro says. Understand that I had many seizures before I was 17 and now 53 years after having the first seizure I am fine. I have never driven but know how in case of emergency. I have had plenty of dates and girlfriends. Worked many different jobs and even owned a small business. It does take work and understanding your limits and where they are. Understand too that the more technology there is the higher the chance you can get in a car and it will drive itself while you set back and watch the scenery go by. Why not take the 6 months and see what you can do without a car. There are bus systems. When I was your age I had a taxi driver that drove us on dates I bought his dinner and he came back later to pick us up and take her home. I stayed trim back then because I walked to and from her house to mine or the other way. Sheesh it was only 2-3 miles. I double dated many times. My friends drove I bought dinner or paid for the movies. You just have to know what can be done and find ways to deal with the options that are there. 

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