Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Re: [epilepsy] Re: brain surgery

 

Matthew,

So where are you with szs now? It sounds like you had another
surgery. Are you on meds again? Are you still driving?

Millie

When I had my first surgery 1986 things were very primitive! No such thing
> as an MRI. Just a Cat Scan and Pet Scan (similar to a Cat Scan but in
> color, showing the brain signals at work). No way to tell how deep it is,
> but the scans show it's right under this spot on the scalp. I was NOT
> promised I'd be seizure free, but was told anything's better than what I'm
> living with now (14-15 Grand Mals a day).
>
> After the surgery, I still had seizures but they'd reduced to once every
> couple of days, which over time broadened out to going a whole week
> seizure free. In 1988 I was experiencing seizure free periods for about 5
> months at a time, but by 1990, I was seizure free for a whole year and
> finally allowed to get my driver's licence in 1991!
>
> My Doc started reducing my pills to a more comfortable level until 9 years
> later (2000), when the seizures slowly started to come back. Every few
> months soon changed to once a month.
>
> In 2003 it was once a week where I finally had an MRI showing the stuff I
> had removed had healed over like a bridge, connecting the two sides again.
> Having it done more extensively this time, I was told I should be seizure
> free for about 10 - 15 years before it needs doing again. They compared
> it to the filling of a tooth... eventually it breaks down and needs doing
> again.
>
> Matthew Ford
> Victoria, BC, Canada
>
>
>
> --- In epilepsy@yahoogroups.com, "no_seizures_since_surgery"
> <stephenpales@...> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Joe,
>>
>> Yea, back in 2001 was like caveman as compared to the amazing technology
>> of today. In itself just look at how much information in an MRI test
>> today is shown as compared to then. That in itself is so so amazing.
>> These days when one thing comes to market, its already being topped by
>> something coming soon! Take care, keep a smile on your face!
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> --- In epilepsy@yahoogroups.com, Pastor Joseph Groth <pastorjwgroth@>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Hello,
>> > When I had my brain surgery in 2001, I was told it was only a
>> temporary fix.. And that most people with seizures who have had this
>> kind of surgery usually had to return within 2-3 years to do it all
>> over again.
>> > God Bless!!
>> > Pastor Joseph
>> >
>> > --- On Tue, 8/4/09, no_seizures_since_surgery <stephenpales@> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > From: no_seizures_since_surgery <stephenpales@>
>> > Subject: [epilepsy] Re: brain surgery
>> > To: epilepsy@yahoogroups.com
>> > Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 7:27 AM
>> >
>> >
>> > Hi Ron,
>> >
>> > You mentioned "As for the surgery- there are NO guarantees-   just
>> promises".  Just wondering what promises where you given?  I've never
>> heard anybody having surgery for epilepsy of a guarantee or promise
>> that seizure will be gone, cured ect...  Everybody I ever have been in
>> contact with where told that seizures can't come back anytime in their
>> life.  Like you said, no guarantees, but, simply the that your surgery
>> will stop seizures or reduce them or maybe not change them.  And of
>> course they just might get worse, we just never know.  What people do
>> use is guidance when the Drs. explain to you the % of chance in a
>> person's situation, everybody is different.  For I was told the %
>> where 50% chance of no more seizures.  25% chance or reducing them &
>> 25% chance of no change.  And of cource, those numbers come from the
>> their experience and research.  Each persons situation are different,
>> each persons scar tissue is different.  After tests our
>> > done and we are told our situations, its then all up to us as far as
>> going for it or not if we become a candidate for surgery.  Also, if
>> surgery is succefull, if seizures stop from surgery its the person
>> who had surgery, their choice going further to reducing medications
>> to rid a person of the side affects of them.  My choice was to stay
>> on them 100% as another hope of keeping me away from returning
>> seizures.  Like I said, I made the choice of both surgery and
>> reducing meds.  Well, I'm on the very lucky side of results, so far. 
>> To this day so far, no seizures but I know they can come back
>> anytime, anywhere but for now, so far so good (smile).  Take care,
>> keep a smile on your face!
>> >
>> >                               Steve
>
>
>

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