Living With Epilepsy: How To Manage The Challenges

Epilepsy can bring about many unprecedented changes in your life. It can affect different aspects of your lifestyle such as work, travel, school, social interactions, and relationships. However, having epilepsy doesn’t mean that you cannot live an independent and fulfilling life. Instead, by receiving the right treatment for epilepsy and managing the challenges it presents, living with Epilepsy can seem less overwhelming.

Here, we have discussed some of the challenges Epilepsy presents and how you can manage them.

Managing The Seizures

Living with Epilepsy means living with the seizures that the condition brings. Since seizures can be dangerous, it is important you follow the proper steps to keep them under control. People who experience seizures may find it difficult to perform activities like driving or going to school. Some people even have specific triggers for their epilepsy. These include stress, lack of sleep, missed medications, flashing patterns, and light and alcohol. Informing your friends and family about your triggers can help to reduce the occurrence of these seizures.

Some steps you can follow to keep your seizures under control are

1. Take Your Medicines On Time

If the doctor has prescribed you medications such as anti-epileptic drugs, you should not skip them and take them as advised. These medications can be very useful in reducing or stopping your seizures. If you have missed a dose, talk to your doctor immediately. You may have to stop taking these drugs eventually once you have been free from seizures for some time. However, this should be done under the supervision of your neurologist only.

2. Identify Your Triggers And Track Your Seizures

By keeping track of your seizures and what triggers them, you can understand the steps you need to take to prevent them from happening. You can maintain a diary detailing important information such as when you mostly have the seizures and what were you doing before the seizure happened.

3. Talk To Friends And Family

If you have epilepsy, it is important to share the frequency of your seizures with your family members and friends so that they can help you when in need. Your loved ones should have knowledge about seizure first aid so that they can keep you safe and comfortable.

Also Read: Epilepsy Treatment FAQs: Top 12 Frequently Asked Questions

4. Staying Safe At Home

While living with epilepsy, you must take extra care to ensure your safety. Since seizures can occur anytime, you can modify your home environment so that you can minimize the risk of harm because of a seizure.

If You Are Living With Epilepsy, You Can Follow The Given Tips To Ensure Your Home Safety:

• Replace hardwood floors and tiles in your home with carpeting
• Use electrical devices that have automatic shut-off switches
• Invest in a safety trap in the shower or the tub.
• Keep furniture with sharp edges covered
• If possible, use guards on radiators and heaters. These can prevent you from falling directly on them.

Coping With Work

Sometimes, living with epilepsy can make it difficult for you to work. People struggle with finding a job or going to work due to doctor’s appointments or hospital visits and if they need time to recover from a seizure. Taking care of the costs of epilepsy treatment can also lead to financial stress for many people. However, if your seizures are well controlled, epilepsy may not affect your work significantly.

In any case, If you are struggling at work, you should talk to your employer. It is expected of your employer to make the necessary changes to your work such as giving you extra breaks to go to your appointments. You should be aware of your rights and the laws that protect your employment. Also, you should look out for the different financial support available so that you can feel relieved about the stress of managing your finances for your epilepsy treatment.

Epilepsy And Driving

If you have epilepsy, then whether you will be able to drive or not is one of the top concerns you may be experiencing. Each country has its laws for issuing a driving license to a person with epilepsy. In most places, you are required to be free from seizures for a specific amount of time before you can be considered eligible for a driving license. However, if you have had a seizure then you should stop driving and inform the driving authority in your area immediately. Your license will be withheld till you are free from seizures. Similarly, epilepsy can interrupt your traveling plans. If you or your family member has epilepsy then you need to be careful about the various safety issues. However, this can also be influenced by the frequency and the type of seizures.

Family Planning With Epilepsy

Epilepsy doesn’t interfere with your ability to have children. If you are living with epilepsy and are thinking about starting a family, you should share these plans with your doctor. This is because some medicines for epilepsy such as anti-epileptic drugs can harm the unborn baby. The neurologist may ask you to switch to some other medication. However, you should not stop taking your medications without talking to the doctor first.

Taking Care Of  Your Mental Health

Living with epilepsy can take a toll on mental health. Studies indicate that around one-third of people with epilepsy are suffering from mental health issues like depression. This is especially true for patients if they have not received effective treatments for controlling their seizures. It can significantly lower the quality of life for many patients.

Some Of The Tips For Taking Care Of Your Mental Health If You Are Living With Epilepsy Are:

• Stick to a sleep schedule
• Practice good sleep hygiene
• Spend time with your family and friends
• Exercise and stay active
• Eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet

Finding The Right Treatment For Epilepsy

Receiving the right treatment is crucial along with managing the challenges of epilepsy to maintain quality of life. Before receiving treatment, you should evaluate the experience, skills, and credentials of the neurologist so that you receive the best possible care for your epilepsy. The treatment should be tailored to the type and frequency of your seizures. Also, the doctor should guide you in managing the side effects of the medicines that you may take.

Avail Epilepsy Treatment Across the World

Conclusion

Getting diagnosed with epilepsy and living with the condition can seem difficult at first. However, by making a few adjustments to your lifestyle and relying on your loved ones, it doesn’t have to be. In addition to this, receiving the best treatment for epilepsy is an important step to control your seizures.

References

• https://www.epilepsy.com/lifestyle
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/epilepsy/living-with/
• https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/pregnancy-and-epilepsy