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Surgery Results

Mon, 07/24/2006 - 12:58
i have had complex partial seizures since i was 8. they r controled but not very well, i take lamicatl 200am 200pm and sometimes i get double vision and feel sick from it. also if i miss one dosage i have a all out seizure within 12 hours. i still have oras occasionally. my seizures r incredibly painful and i feel as though i'm sufficating. every time i have one i wish someone would kill me to stop it. i recover quickly though ijust get really tired and disoriented. anyway, i had some free testing done at NIH in va, an MRI and EEG. i have had these tests a few times before from my normal doctor, but was always told they didn't find anything. well NIH found something, they said i'm having tiny seizures in the right side of my brain that i don't know about. they also said it causes learning imparment and stop the brain from functioning correctly. also that surgery is an option and that it would help correct that, and stop or at least reduce my epilepsy. i've heard good things and bad things about the surgery and wanted some opinions on it.

Comments

Re: Surgery Results

Submitted by Sharron307 on Tue, 2008-07-22 - 16:20
I've had partial complex siezures since I was 9.  I tried medications which didn't work very well.  In 2002 ,at age 24, I had the VNS.  It worked for about 8 months then the siezures returned.  In March 07', I had a mid temporal lobectomy.  This has really made a difference in my life.  16 months siezure free.  I have turned off my VNS and am almost off my medicatioin(Dilantin).  I will finally be able to safely have children.  Hope your surgery went well.  Let me know.  Thanks, Sharron

Re: Surgery Results

Submitted by aussie2006 on Tue, 2006-07-25 - 06:46
Have you had Video EEG yet? This is one of the first steps to see if you are a suitable canditdate for surgery. There is a relatively new test called an "fMRI " functional MRI scan. In this test they can tell which side of your brain is responsible for your actions and what may be affected if you did have surgery. An fMRI gives similar results to the older WADA test , and the fMRI is far less invasive . I had surgery 21 weeks ago, and my only problems are a slight tip of the tongue memory problem, which is a possibility with surgery, and I have some double vision when I look to my right,but my surgeon assures me that with time,the double vision will go away. As well as been more independent, I will able to apply for a driving licence 6 months after the operation ,( all been well), and my surgeon will start reducing my medications one year after the surgery, all been well. So there are a lot of positives to having the surgery. I personally would reccomend it , if you are suitable. Dont live any longer with Epilepsy than you have to -if the operation is available to you. I was back at full time work 7 weeks after the operation. One other thing my doctor said to me,which is very true, is that the younger you are having the operation the better you'll recover. Make sure your surgeon tells you what percentage of chance you have of the operation been successful, it may help you in making your mind up. Good Luck

Re: Re: Surgery Results

Submitted by ackling17 on Tue, 2006-07-25 - 11:01
thanks man, i'm scheduled to have an meg on the 5th or whatever its called where u have the magnetic things scanned. they said i have to put on a metal helmet or somethingand sit there for 4 hours. thn an fmri as you said and in september a pet scan. someone in here talked about them depriving you of sleep then taking you off your meds to force u to have as many seizures as possible. i think that would be the worste thing to ever happen. i'm really more interested in my brain being freed or the obstruction or whatever that is slowing me down cuz its like i've gotten dumber and dumber ever since i had my first seizure. what types of things do people go through during the recovery?

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