Embrace your life now. Your life is not over. Make the best of every day. Do not dwell on what your life used to be like but make your life what you want it to be like today, just take your limitations into account but do not let them rule you. I would not be where I am now if I let epilepsy rule me. I recognize what it does as far as limitations and I try to overcome them everyday. Look at it as a challenge instead of looking at it as ending what you thought your life should be like. Rethink your life and look at it as a chance to make your life something new and take on new challenges.

@A MyEpilepsyTeam Member There are absolutely challenges and Epilepsy mutates such that you might have new forms of auras and even new forms of seizures added to what you have over time. However, likewise there are advancements in medications and other treatments that have also happened over time too. Charlotte gave great advice, but the only thing that I will add (in response to your last statement) is that do not let it scare you and raise your stress level. There will be complications and some limitations, but you can adapt to them and do just about anything in life in spite of having Epilepsy. If your doctor or therapist has not already taught you so, then ask about learning meditation. This is a great tool for calming yourself down. The key is controlling your stress level (stress too high is a universal trigger) and knowing what the other triggers are for your seizures. And do fun things that take your mind away from thoughts of seizures because thinking about them results in worrying about them which in turn makes it much more likely that you will trigger one or more seizures.

I have lead a good life to date even though my Epilepsy started 41 years ago (when I was 14). And with the right medicine you might be like the lucky majority who get into a seizure free state that can last for years, decades, or more.

Mentioned Users

A MyEpile...

Hi @A MyEpilepsyTeam Member it can be a struggle to keep your epilepsy and other conditions under control depending on the medication you are on. But there is no need to be scared you are not alone and @A MyEpilepsyTeam Member is spot on with advice. As someone else said you can control your epilepsy not for it to control you! Make sure your medication is managed. If your seizures or memory gets worse - are you on the right medication for you? Do you know what your triggers are? Does your partner understand your epilepsy? My memory isn't great but I get all my tablets for the week delivered in a medipack from my chemist which basically organises them so I know what to take each day and at what time of day. I keep a list of all my medication in my wallet. I also keep a list of all my seizures, when they occured and possible triggers. This helps so I can give it to medical crew if I have to be taken to hospital. Also to help with my poor memory I have an alarm that goes off when I need to take medication. I write things down on calendars and a diary to help me remember. What is also useful is a dictaphone so if I am having a conversation with someone especially a doctor and I can't remember what they said I can play the conversation back to help me remember. So don't worry there is lots of ways to help. With me my long term memory is better than short term memory. I can remember things I did as a child but can't remember what I did yesterday. Take care.

Mentioned Users

A MyEpile...

A MyEpile...

I seem to studder more, I don't drive or go on walks alone anymore because I get lost easy, I forget what I'm doing alot more than I should, muscle weakness/tired, brain fog. I was a speller and a half now I have to ask alot of times how to spell or use the talk to text. My hearing is failing, I went blind in 1 eye a few years ago after a seizure.

I would suggest that you keep a pen and notepad with you all the time. You might develop some form of memory loss. It is not you, its just what having seizures will do and i use a voice recorder to help me due to my lack of memory. Physical affects will be determined by what medication you are taking and the side effects it will give you. This is good to know, that way you have an idea of why you are feeling a certain way. You will just have to alter your lifestyle a bit. But it shouldn't stop you from what you want to do.