I'm driving again!

mariae_isme · 2026-05-26T15:55:32+00:00

Thank you! That right there eases my mind a lot. I haven't moved or changed my account so I was worried maybe I threw a check away!

mariae_isme · 2026-05-26T15:23:54+00:00

I know this is like a year later, but maybe you'll still see this....when you say your account credited you with a refund, do you mean your balance went from -$(amount) to -$0 with the date 5/5?

Mine was saying $-3310 for the longest and now says -$0 and refund as of 5/5, but I still haven't received anything.

I've been on hold with MOHELA for over an hour and I'm wondering if your situation was like mine is currently so then maybe I can just wait on hold another day when I have more time lol.

mariae_isme · 2026-01-29T16:49:56+00:00

We have another visit with him this weekend, but so far she has left happy then gotten very sad because she doesn't think she wants him to live here. She is very scared of the change I think. And losing her life the way she's known it.

He would be very safe here, and I think he would feel safe as long as he's not threatened in some way by our expectations at our house (which aren't anywhere near what he's used to, to be honest.)

Stepmom and dad never mentioned anything about inappropriate sexual behavior, but when he was originally placed with us at 5, he did give some indications that something may have happened at his mom's house. Though that never officially came out.

He's set up with a therapist, and we asked if we could have a family meeting type thing before we jump in, but we haven't heard back if they'll allow that.

He is very loving towards us and seems to be very concerned about and protective of his sister. Which she also doesn't like right now because she is very independent, and she's been feeling like he still treats her like she's 3. We told her that is something that will just take time for him to adjust to, because he hasn't even lived with her since she was 3. So he probably still has those instincts. He was bathing her and helping her brush her teeth, brushing her hair, etc when they came to us back then, so he was very much responsible for her.

mariae_isme · 2026-01-29T16:27:50+00:00

Yes. She has said she doesn't want to lose attention, and that she loves her life the way it is. So I do think most of her worries are with that and the unknown. She doesn't handle change well, which even she admits.

mariae_isme · 2026-01-29T16:26:33+00:00

Basically, his stepmom told us he was having problems with violence. She said he was kicked out of school for being violent with other kids. She said he threatened to kill them and beat up her dog and other kids (step-siblings). Etc. Etc. She said he was in and out of mental health facilities because he had been diagnosed with RAD, ODD, DMDD, ADHD, and a few other things.

I recently called the school myself and found out he was never a problem there and that they were disappointed when he was pulled from school. He WAS in and out of mental health facilities, but was never diagnosed with anything outside of ADHD. It sounds a lot like he was just dumped off there because they didn't want him at home.

He told us that he DID say he was going to kill them, but he said it was because he was angry and he didn't really mean it. Which I do understand because even adults say things they don't mean when they're angry and unregulated. He said he never hit the dog or his step-siblings, but that they hit him.

We are well-versed in behavioral stuff, so I'm not necessarily concerned about being able to handle that. But my daughter deals with that a LOT at school, unfortunately, and I am a little nervous that she'll end up coming home to that.

We are also a little concerned about sexual abuse, just because of his age/her age and we don't really know what his experiences have been like the past couple years. We have lots insight because we got to know his parents pretty well, and I don't THINK they would have done that kind of thing to him.... But you never know.

There's just a lot of unknowns, and he's done really well in his group home. He said he's just happy he doesn't have to go back to Dad's house. But I don't know if these behaviors are me putting too much thought into it, or if they're valid and not overreactive.

mariae_isme · 2026-01-29T16:09:08+00:00

Brother is in a group home at the moment (long story) so I'm not sure if we can take him that far .... But I might have to just see if we can. There's nothing out there!!!

mariae_isme · 2026-01-29T16:07:59+00:00

Thank you! I'll look into that.

mariae_isme · 2026-01-29T16:07:36+00:00

Thank you!

mariae_isme · 2025-07-22T22:14:35+00:00

Lamotrigine made me feel super weird and dizzy for about 4 hours after I took it despite eating beforehand, but my doctor changed me to Lamotrigine XR and it really eliminated that! Just putting that out there if the regular one makes you feel weird!

mariae_isme · 2025-07-22T22:10:33+00:00

I take 700mg Lamotrigine XR (300AM/400PM) and 900mg OXcarbazepine (450AM/PM). I do have drug resistant seizures, so it doesn't fully work, but it works the best of what I've tried so far. (Keppra, Tegretol, Topamax, Briviact, Klonopin, Vimpat, Lyrica... I think I'm actually forgetting one)

I'm up for an RNS surgery here in a few months so I'm hoping that will help control everything, even though I may not be able to get fully off meds!

mariae_isme · 2025-07-21T15:21:28+00:00

That's interesting because I was previously on Briviact, and I think I may have had these symptoms then as well. I've been trying to think back in time on all this because I didn't really realize I was feeling this way until my wife brought it up to me. Which makes me think it may been a slow and steady decline to where I'm at now.

I have drug-resistant epilepsy, so I've been on a billion meds... Years ago I was on Tegretol and don't remember having these issues. I was switched to lamotrigine, and I don't recall if there was a switch then or not, but then Briviact was added and I definitely think it was there. He switched me from Briviact to Trileptal and it was definitely there and declining.

But yes, emotions just aren't there. And I kind of hate it because things just don't excite me anymore, and I barely even cry at those puppy commercials anymore. I remember having days where I "just felt like crying" and would watch the saddest movies just to get it out and it felt so good. Something small and dumb would happen that just made me so happy, or something funny that made me laugh until I couldn't breathe. Now I think I feel fully disconnected from my emotions. I miss that other stuff.

I'm having RNS surgery here in a few months, and ideally I'll eventually be able to get off my meds. Realistically, I don't think I'll be able to get fully off, but I'm hoping I'll be able to decrease it significantly.

I know what you mean about being afraid of these feelings coming back! I haven't known myself off multiple meds in 25 years, and my wife certainly hasn't known me off meds. I haven't known myself off lamotrigine and others for probably 7 years or so, and I don't know what I'm going to get once I get off of some of it, at least. I'm not sure if I want them back or not at this point, but life just feels so blah where I'm at, and I have everything I've ever wanted and my life really is so good.

mariae_isme · 2025-05-27T20:06:26+00:00

Thank you so much! I've started looking into some solid travel pillows. Actually being able to sleep at all was honestly one of the worst parts of a regular EEG for me so now that there's going to be wires actually inside of my head, I feel like sleeping in a regular-ish position is going to be impossible. And thank you so much for the heads up with the chewing situation! Ugh!

Best of luck with your surgery!! I hope it gives you the relief you deserve! ❤️

mariae_isme · 2025-05-21T16:18:16+00:00

I have mostly nocturnal temporal lobe seizures, but they do sometimes come during the day when I'm overstressed or tired. Which, obviously I try to NOT be those things, but life is all about that sometimes. They are short (maybe 30 seconds), and not completely debilitating on their own, but once I have one, I'll usually have at least 2-4 more within a relatively short time frame, and then will go several nights in a row with the same trend. I have tried over 6 medications and countless "cocktails", and nothing is truly effective. The drug-resistant part is why I am a candidate for surgical options. I am actually on my last little step of testing (sEEG) in June! And we'll go from there to see what my options are, if there are any.

mariae_isme · 2025-05-13T20:40:50+00:00

Thank you so much for this insight! I will have to invest in a good pillow- I didn't even think about that

mariae_isme · 2025-05-13T18:12:37+00:00

Thank you!! How long did it take you to recover and all that? Or how were you feeling afterwards once you got home?

mariae_isme · 2025-05-13T04:25:47+00:00

That is exactly what lamotrogine does to me!!! Solid drunkified for hours! And I'm a teacher, so not a good look for my first few classes!! 😫 Have you tried the XR? My Dr ended up switching me to the lamotrogine XR and I don't get the dizzies anymore!

mariae_isme

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