One thing is certain which is that everybody is different. It can affect people from the very young upwards. Maybe from birth from which it seems they can grow out of it.
I have 5 grandchildren all more intelligent than me and have managed to survive 3 years each at University and graduated without going round the bend. I was 50 when I ran the London marathon with many half marathons before after but it didn’t stop me from epilepsy. Soon after. Epilepsy didn’t arrive with a bang but very slowly for nearly 5 years until I exploded with a violent convulsive screaming fit in the middle of the night. I was unconscious so I missed ale the fun and asked two guys what they were doing in bedroom - the ambulance men to take me away. Looking for any connecting similarities between people or sexes is rarely worthwhile.

Oddly enough I had one enormous benefit. It cured 50 years of severe claustrophobia overnight. A bit late in life starting to travel in planes and ships visiting the U.S and Russia and all the countries between. There is life after epilepsy. Just keep taking the tablets but even that is trial and error. It is your epilepsy. Look after it. Don’t take the opinion of doctors for granted.

Just a final thought. Epilepsy is notorious fpr different symptoms. At least 43. It seems to baffle most doctors. I had seen 24 different doctors including a number of neurologists. Four 4 years I had not been able to get a diagnosis. I was also sent to 2 psychiatrists. After this but still attending the specialist unit I had a stiff neck and went to see an osteopath. Apart from the stiff he asked if I had any other problems and I told him about what I was calling my funny turns. Then stepped back and said “well. It’s not my field Peter, but you may have epilepsy. Ask them at the hospital, next time you go” I did but the senior neurologist was very dismissive and to all standing around NO CHANCE!!!

Two weeks later in the dead of night, my wife had a screaming convulsive dervish in ed with her.

It was only then I was able to see a epileptologist and temporal lobe epileptologist was confirmed. That was 30 years ago, but it’s medication for life but have survived into my nineties so you get plenty of time to get used to it. Anybody who thinks they may have epilepsy in seeing an epileptologist. Stay positive. Don’t let the buggers grind you down. STAY POSITIVE. It may get difficult ar times but you will cope. My good wishes go to anybody affected.

Peter

But diabetes is so treatable nowadays! So much new research and drugs. I’d rather have diabetes than epilepsy.

My dad has epilepsy at the time I was diagnosed with child-onset generalized epilepsy 30 years ago and he was assured it is not genetic, totally random, even though he has child-onset generalized. but as research has progressed it has been shown to have genetic factors. I bet in another 30 years more knowledge will be there!