is this normal ladies, i feel like an idiot

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hi i'm 23yrs old and have been epileptic since i was 12 I feel like an absolute idiot. I was sexually assaulted when i was 12 yrs old and until now haven't been able to trust a guy enough to go out. I have no sex drive at all and i was wondering if anyone knows if medication (AED) like Keppra can cause this, or could it be the epilepsy itself. I'm worried about having sex etc incase it will cause me more problems with my epilepsy can anyone give me some advice plz

Comments

Kim, I have to ask you a

Submitted by angel_lts on Mon, 2005-09-26 - 07:26

Kim, I have to ask you a personal question? DOnt answer if you dont want to! But I see you got assaulted when you were 12 and have epilepsy since 12. Did the epilepsy start before or after your assult? Also it can be from the meds, but it can be from the assault itself. Are you going to therapy or a counselor to help? Lisa http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EpilepsyApproach/

Heya, Sex should have

Submitted by victoriahn on Tue, 2005-09-27 - 12:31

Heya, Sex should have nothing to do with your epilepsy. So dont be worried on that factor. You may have lost your sex drive because of 2 reasons. either your meds have affected this or because of your experience as a child. It can radically affect the way you are as an adult. You best bet is to go to your gp and see if he can refer you specifically to a sex therapist. They are good in hadling cases like this Vicki x

Re: Heya, Sex should have

Submitted by gretchen1 on Fri, 2005-12-09 - 07:22

Hello - First, I'm so sorry you were assaulted. So was I 2.5 years ago during a sz. I'm a married woman who had an active and enjoyable sex life before then and even after then for a year. Then I developed what is called "vaginismus" or severe spasming of the vaginal walls during sex which prevents penetration. 5% of all women have it whether they were sexually assaulted or not but it's more prevalent in those that were. Literature and my doctor states it's from suppressed anger and a feeling of loss of control during sex. There are ways to handle this. Your doctor could help you but I found a lot of good literature on a Google search that has helped me. It's not uncommon but it's also something women who have this problem rarel talk about. I did get immediate and excellent psychiatric help after my assault. Although I could have been discharged by now? I keep in touch with my psychiatrist and call him if I need to as I've found the fall out over something like this happening to a woman evolves over time and for me at least, and I'm told this is normal, new thoughts, angers, insecurities, can and usually occur do over time. Color our self perceptions and feelings of security. I don't have the problems of feeling insecure often. I do at specific times and maybe you do too. Is that what you're addressing? For instance my assault happened in my home when two men entered it that were employees of the city. IOW it wasn't unusual for them to be there. Now, for instance, we just moved. Several men are coming into my home to install this or check that and I find myself either frozen with fear, putting my well trained dog on a leash and on an "alert" command, or feeling anger that is nearly blinding - I think in preparation to protect myself. It's a part of my PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome). Know too that the reporting rate for sexual assaults is only 5%. Meaning there are far more of us than what is reported, or what the general populace is aware of. Epilepsy and sex is not my problem though. I have read through the years of two threads started by women asking others if others experience a seizure during orgasm. Both threads had a big response and all responders stated that - no, they didn't experience this. Gretchen