Epilepsy Awareness Month: The Alternative Way

It’s Epilepsy Awareness Month, so let’s continue with our series of blogs about our Epilepsy Community members’ experiences with this disease. Below is an interview with member “akamine2525.”  Earlier this year, she gave the following interview in our monthly newsletter. Want to know what keeps akamine2525 motivated, who she admires and how epilepsy has affected her work life?  Read and share on.

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2166 (Amy) What keeps you motivated?
user_77714-full-original (akamine2525) Throughout the years I have been on many different medications for seizures. I’ve had pretty much all different type of seizures from grand mal to absence seizures. I have had psychogenic seizures due to previous abuse and bipolar disorder due to previous abuse. My doctors at Straub Hospital in Honolulu are the ones I trust the most with my recovery. My current physician, Dr. James Pearce, just recently started me on Keppra, which by far has helped me the most with all of my seizures and my bipolar disorder.
2166 (Amy) Who do you admire and why?
user_77714-full-original (akamine2525) I admire all of the people who try to learn how to control their seizures with alternative ways such as diet, exercise, supplements, herbs, and religious activities if they are religious also helps a lot. It says a lot to me if a person tries to find control of their seizures because it says I really want to make life as easy as possible, not letting limitations get in my way.
2166 (Amy) How has your condition affected your work life?
user_77714-full-original (akamine2525) For a while, seizures and bipolar disorder had a lot to do with work. Because my seizures were so out of control several years ago, it limited the amount that I worked, but when I was able to work, I did more than I could beyond my limits. Today, I don’t work, and I care for my dog, but if I had the opportunity to work again I would consider it.
2166 (Amy) What’s your favorite part of PatientsLikeMe?
user_77714-full-original (akamine2525) My favorite part of PatientsLikeMe is I get to hear from other people who have the same conditions as me and also try to help them to get better with alternative ways besides prescription medication. My goal is to help others to limit their prescription medications if possible and to deal with seizures in other ways.
2166 (Amy) Thanks so much for sharing, akamine2525!
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1 thought on “Epilepsy Awareness Month: The Alternative Way”

  1. Hey, akamine2525!

    I’m in the FM/CFS community (and could be in a couple more). My experience with seizures was Juvenile Epilepsy with (mainly) nocturnal grand mal seizures. Just to keep it interesting 😉 , I had a handful of daytime absence seizures and just two grand mal seizures while at public school. I was successfully taken off medication at age 15, with only one seizure since, believed to be brought on by severe sleep deprivation.

    I just want to say that I appreciate your approach, including passing on what you’ve learned so others might gain from your experience in using alternative methods.

    I believe Epilepsy is one of the most difficult conditions to have because of others’ reactions to seizures before, during and long after they happen. I know I still run across people who believe it’s appropriate to shove something in the mouth during a grand mal seizure. Some will only learn when they lose a finger trying, but it’s scary when so many people have the wrong information about how to respond.

    I’m glad the new medication is working well for you.

    Annie

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