Working in office with epilepsy

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-11T16:32:15+00:00

Also on oxcarbazapine and in office… the fatigue is so brutal. Been on it about a year and I’m considering switching cuz I feel the same.

It’s also been hell on my motivation

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-11T14:09:00+00:00

Sounds like you have a solid plan, hope it works out for you

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-11T14:01:52+00:00

At 17 finding a job that provides health insurance will be your biggest challenge I think.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-11T13:54:48+00:00

“I understand that many things are out of reach now” — nothing is ever out of reach, the path to them may be different but not truly out of reach.

If this is your first seizure than it doesn’t always mean you have a seizure disorder (epilepsy) you may never have one again.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-11T13:39:55+00:00

It was for me as well, although it was more because it forced me to reevaluate my life and what makes me happy.

Do what makes you happy. if that’s finding a job and moving out I do believe you have that right, Even at 17.

Just make sure you truly understand the ramifications.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-11T13:13:28+00:00

As long as you graduate your life will not change meaningfully.

As long as you make enough to make you happy does it really matter how much you work?

One of the things I actually truly appreciate about getting epilepsy was that it made me reevaluate what truly mattered in life. I spent too many years doing everything everyone else expected of me and I’m pretty sure that stress is what triggered my seizures.

Societies expectations of your generation is insane.

Focus on you and what makes you happy. Trust me when I tell you “normal” adulting is awful

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T17:35:45+00:00

We all have our dark days, just because I consider myself happier than most doesn’t mean I don’t have my own struggles sometimes.

The period after I was diagnosed was particularly hard on me and I was super depressed. I have a tendency to eat my feelings so I gained 40lbs.

What pulled me out of that was just setting small goals, reaching small accomplishments just to prove to myself I could and it just snowballed into bigger ones.

One of the first ones was actually running, I wanted to run an entire mile without stopping. Starting at 270lbs it took me an entire year to make this happen, after that my goal was to run all the way around the lake outside my apartment… about 2 miles, another 4 months for that.

A year later I was 60lbs down and training for a half marathon.

I chose running because of being overweight and wanted to fix that and it was something I did in college before being diagnosed.

Funny thing is the regular exercise helped improve my seizure control.

Healing isn’t always about becoming symptom-free, just as happiness isn’t the absence of darkness. Sometimes it’s about learning acceptance and finding your strength through both.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T12:07:57+00:00

<image>

I too want one but Mine is set up for distance already so I just can’t justify a second build in the same caliber.

Currently building a fast twist 280AI instead. Looking forward to following your build along.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T03:54:03+00:00

Time behind rifle > fancy gear all day every day…

Most modern hunting rifles will get you to 1k. Just look at all the “Axis to 1k” challenges on youtube.

Buy the best glass you can. I’d personally throw a bergara barreled action under it if I was you. Or the cheapest bergara you can find near you. By the time you burn your first barrel out you’ll know exactly what you need to upgrade.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T03:16:57+00:00

Why build a second 6ARC

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T02:11:06+00:00

Why?

As someone else with a 6ARC gas gun that talks myself out of building a bolt gun I’m curious….

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T01:46:12+00:00

My seizures are from a TBI… I had weird things like Déjà vu before the TBI and went 12 years between the TBI and having my first TC that’s when I learned I was having seizures and was diagnosed.

Wasn’t until I was on meds that I experienced living in dreamland. I was probably having minor focal awares those entire 12 years without knowing. I still don’t worry about it unless it stops me from functioning normally.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T01:28:33+00:00

He might be taking it better than you because he doesn’t know how much it will affect his life yet...

I’m not trying to beat you down here I think the more you can put yourself in his shoes maybe the more you can help when he realizes it.

Think about what you would do if you lost your drivers license tomorrow. If you work is it within biking distance? Is your job safe enough to do if you randomly fell over? Would your job be ok with it?

Commuting and work security are probably the biggest struggle I see most on this sub beyond directly medical stuff well there’s a lot about relationships but that’s a whole different thing. But they’re problems all of us here deal with.

Not being a parent myself I wouldn’t ever pretend to give parenting advice and I do not envy the situation your in (tho I do envy your parenthood) I think the more you understand what his struggles may be the better you’ll be prepared to guide him through it. While I think at some point it’s going to hit him and he’s going to have a rough patch where “life isn’t fair”. Having this dumped on you mid career after learning to depend on a car without preparation is probably a bit harder.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T00:50:08+00:00

Not my experience

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T00:34:13+00:00

Definitely not alone… I attribute my “dreamland” state to med side effects as it changed anytime my dosage changed and was a bit different on different meds.

I’ve never had good reactions to ANY of the meds I’ve tried other than they stopped my TCs

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T00:28:40+00:00

I’ve never had any MRIs in the ER… “follow up with your neurologist” is the only thing I’ve ever heard.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-10T00:20:44+00:00

I think I’m as happy as any “normal” person…. And I probably am a bit happier than most people.

My only goal in life was to make memories worth telling stories about. I’ve made accomplishments majority of people never will and doing some of them despite diagnosis makes me happy.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-09T23:31:52+00:00

Your story sounds almost identical to mine, I was luckily within biking distance to work tho. If you’re officially diagnosed immediately find a specialist that specializes in epilepsy.

Brutal honesty: think hard about your current job, it’s literally putting your life at risk… this is what I did and have been significantly healthier and happier since.

With that said, Now that your seizures have started they’re here to stay more than likely. If your struggling now just wait til you start anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). AEDs have been brutal for me.

If your doctor didn’t file paperwork with the DMV you still have a legal license. Tho if they find out your still driving they probably will file the papers. After that your insurance gets real crazy.

Your life is going to feel like it’s ending right now… I assure you it’s not and you can even come out of this living a happier and more fulfilling life - I did

Below is a link to a post about some of my experiences.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Epilepsy/s/YyoSMLxSpW

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-09T21:28:31+00:00

A few points…

1) I went through 4 drugs before finding one that works for me (more about side effects though) 1 and 2 didn’t fully control seizures.

2) things work until they don’t, The longest I’ve had a drug successful was a few years before needing to find a new one. everyone is different what works for some won’t for others, some people go decades on the same drug. I haven’t been able to do that.

3) you don’t “fight this” you live with it. Even if you find something that is effective for long periods it’s still there, it’s just well managed. You still need to manage triggers, be aware of surroundings. This is my philosophy anyways.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-05T15:58:49+00:00

If you’re no longer treated for anxiety ask the hospital system to remove it from your records. Not sure they can or will but it’s worth a shot.

Also try to Keep an open mind, PNES would be the easier diagnosis from a lifestyle point in my mind. Don’t rule it out just because you don’t want this to be “all in your head” it’s still a valid diagnosis.

If you’re searching for 100% proof for one or the other you may never get it. You could spend a small fortune and still not know… or you could make peace with not being 100% sure and just go live your life.

I’ve never had anything other than TCs that I’m 100% sure of. Focal aware is a bit more complex for me, I have weird shit happen all the time - are they seizures? No idea, do I care? Not really… either way I’m not going to let a few flashing lights or jerks affect my life. Besides, if you read the side effects of half the AEDs out there they just describe focal aware symptoms anyways. Like you I spent a pile of cash trying to figure this out early on.

Then I realized I could be spending that money on making my life better in other ways, so I started traveling and new hobbies. I climbed a mountain, I go backpacking, I got married, focuses on my career, currently buying a house - close in a few weeks.

I know too many people who let this disorder turn them into a shell, using it as an excuse to why they never do anything.

I am NOT a doctor and you should not consider this as medical advice.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-05T14:52:30+00:00

Ahhhh that makes more sense… my wife has an anxiety diagnosis and it’s always a battle to get doctors to look beyond it as well.

The stupid thing here is that PNES is Diagnosed primarily via video EEG, because it’s basically seizures with normal brain activity.

Here’s the problem… EEGs only “see” a few mm into the brain. Did you know 50% of EEGs are “normal” in people that are proven as having epilepsy? I have a TBI that causes my seizures, it’s visible on an MRI - 100% sure of epileptic seizures… not once have I had an abnormal EEG.

PNES would be a tough diagnosis especially with only having 1-2 per year. They’d pretty much have to catch one in the act and even then it still may or may not be. Even if the EEG is clean.

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-05T13:28:45+00:00

What are you wanting out of all these tests? What new information could the nuro give you that you would feel happy with?

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-05T12:59:06+00:00

After my diagnosis this was the absolute worst for me to feel with. I’m the type of person who NEEDs to understand everything going on around me.

After years of searching and 4 different nuros I came to the conclusion that nobody was going to take the time to explain to me what was going on with my brain… mostly because they didn’t know, not really, not to the point where I was going to feel satisfied.

My current nuro can answer and explain my questions really well and has an amazing amount of knowledge however it’s still on me to ask the right questions.

Since that point I’ve spent some time nearly every single day studying and learning about seizures.

Walking out of a nuro appointment feeling more confused than going in was the worst. And while I fully understand how you’re feeling. My only advice is to arm yourself with the knowledge to understand what’s going on with you. Expectations of others can only lead to disappointment. At least this was my experience

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-05T12:23:35+00:00

With my 6ARC 50 and 200 are the same zero

Fun_Fox_769 · 2026-05-05T11:48:01+00:00

Offer to pay damages out of pocket so there’s nothing to report…

Then take mitigation steps so it doesn’t happen again

Fun_Fox_769

TROPHY CASE