Driving with seizures

[rybread]

I've been hurt for going on 10 years now and never drove always depending on someone else to do it. Well now I'm starting to miss it and I can't do it because of my seizures and my seizure medications. At least that's what I was told. I think my seizures are under control for the most part but I occasionally have heavy-duty memory lapses and find myself staring at the ceiling in some kind of trance thinking about stuff. I'm on a pretty high dose of seizure medication called keppra or something like that. My neurologist says that I can't drive because the seizure medication interferes with my reaction time. Is this true? They'll make a big difference to know because I've been in the manual chair for the past nine years but the only way I could drive my van is from a power chair, I'll just never be able to make it up that ramp on my own. Nurses, Dr. Young, someone with some information let me know.

[crypticgimp]

i know someone with seizures who is on antiseizure meds and said his seizures were under control. he has had 2 major accidents, this last one he nearly killed himself and others because he had a seizure. i know it sucks and is a loss of independence, but please don't drive.

[LaMemChose]

Ryan, "pretty much under control" is no control with seizures.

Not driving is another loss of independence. I get that. I have felt that. I live with that. I don't drive.

Driving is a privelege, not a right. We neither one have the right to take another life or hurt someone because our seizures are "pretty much" under control, because we miss driving and the independence that provides.

[woman from Europe]

I don't know anything about American rules in trafic but here you have to be without seizures for two years before you can drive again. And if you have a seizure, you loose your lisence again.

[thehipcrip]

I think my seizures are under control for the most part but I occasionally have heavy-duty memory lapses and find myself staring at the ceiling in some kind of trance thinking about stuff.

This sounds like you may have stopped having tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures but continue to have absence (petit mal) seizures.

Sorry, but you're not safe to drive. No way.

[bollefen]

Uh i drive.

no accidents or incidents in the six years SCI. Mostly drive local, 5-10 minutes. occasional trip and my wife will drive or be available if I'm driving.

I get most seizures at night and ALWAYS start with tremors 1/2 to an hour ahead.

I have spent 3 hours at the grocery store when they started until they were gone before i would drive.

I do think about this and if I ever had one without notice would re-evaluate driving.

I also don't have full body seizures with mental "fallout" rather extreme spaz/spas below my waist.

[LaMemChose]

Originally Posted by bollefen

Uh i drive.

no accidents or incidents in the six years SCI. Mostly drive local, 5-10 minutes. occasional trip and my wife will drive or be available if I'm driving.

I get most seizures at night and ALWAYS start with tremors 1/2 to an hour ahead.

I have spent 3 hours at the grocery store when they started until they were gone before i would drive.

I do think about this and if I ever had one without notice would re-evaluate driving.

I also don't have full body seizures with mental "fallout" rather extreme spaz/spas below my waist.

If you are having seizues, stop driving. Your convenience is not worth another person's life and limb.

The fact you try to go places with your wife driving or in the car or really close to home screams volumes.

What you are doing is WRONG. Want to paralyze someone else because you don't think you'll have a full on without warning and because it has not happened yet, but if it does, you'll stop? Want someone else to live in your pain-filled world? Seriously?

You do not have the right. Period.

[bollefen]

mmmm Todd, message not lost on me, will talk to my docs next week. They did give me the OK to drive but I haven't discussed it in a while so will.

[SCIfor55yrs.]

I cannot believe that a doc would give the okay to someone to drive when they are not seizure free. Most states have a 2-3 year seizure free requirement. Please leave the driving to your wife or someone else.

[kel13]

DO NOT DRIVE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.
IF YOU DO I WILL REPORT YOU TO THE DMV MYSELF.
AND ONCE DMV FLAGS YOUR LICENSE YOU'LL NEVER GET IT BACK.
I know this from personal experience.
Under control my ass...if your doctor won't sign forms to let you drive with dmv NOBODY WILL.
IF YOU DO DRIVE HE WILL BE LIABLE SHOULD YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT.
ALSO THINK ABOUT IT DUDE>>>NOT SO MUCH YOU HURT YOURSELF BUT IF YOU HAVE A SEIZURE WHILE DRIVING YOU COULD HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND KILL SOMEONE ELSE>>>PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT!
IF YOU DO DRIVE A PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR AND STAY IN AZ cuz if you go to CA I'LL BE FORCED TO LEAVE THE STATE CUZ UNLIKE YOU I FEAR FOR MY LIFE!