i have epilepsy and i'm starting my first semester of classes in january. i have started to worry what effect that would have on my "condition", with the long hours and such. My epilepsy is under control as long as a get enough sleep and take my meds. i haven't had a seizure in 2-3 years. the only side effect i really have is my meds make me think a little slow sometimes. not often.

i took depakote and it blew me up, i take topamax now.

I am about to finish nursing school in November 2009. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 12 years old. I have had a total of 5 seizures, my most recent after being successfully medicated for 7 years! As you can imagine I am quite surprised and scared. I am currently taking 1800 mg Trileptal, up from 1500 mg before my last seizure (which was about 3 weeks ago). I am nervous about school starting next week and especially nervous about my nurse internship which starts in October. I am trying to keep myself busy in an effort to not think about it as much, but I am over analyzing everything right now and I am pretty scared. I have faith though.

As part of my final nursing research paper, I am interested in the work experience of nurses, nursing students, and other nurse workers diagnosed with a seizure disorder. Allnurses.com is a great way for me to meet other nurses with epilepsy and I would really appreciate it if any of you would help me complete my final project by filling out a brief survey (max 10 mins) here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?s...YCYFxj4g_3d_3d

Thanks!

I have left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and it was discovered with a "Sleep Deprived EEG". So the last thing you want to do is work a shift where you become sleep deprived as that is one of the very things that induces seizures. I am also Bipolar and between the two conditions, I take lots of meds. I am currently not working, but am trying to get back into the swing of things.

Please be careful with night shift and sleep deprivation.

Hello!

Wow it's such a relief to know there are other RNs with epilepsy out there! I have had it for 15 yrs. I have tried many drugs, most of which had side effects I just couldn't live with. Working night shift ( and even 11a-11P) has proven to be very dangerous for me. I have had at least 8 seizures since I've started working as a nurse 6 yrs ago and they were all within 12 hrs of a night or late evening shift. I really really really advise that you try to find another job during the day. I know that's easier said than done and you have decided against it... but... I don't know.

The original post was almost a year ago_ so I hope all has been well with you and you have regained your driver's license.

My epilepsy became so bad that I had to go on disability and I have not gotten my drivers license back yet. I actually just started applying for nursing jobs again today after being out for a year. I haven't had a seizure in almost 5 months so I feel more then ready to go back to work. I am aiming for days though because nights were very hard on me but I will have to take what I can get right now.

The way I see it, you are going to have to fight this or go on full time disability since you have to work at night. It will be difficult but you have no other choice. If you give up, then you will be out of luck with the health insurance. Just take it one day at a time. That is about all you can do. Best wishes.

I have TLE, and I am actually trying to get on the night shift because of a foot sprain that will NEVER get better with the amount of running around that we have to do on the day shift (I'm a CNA btw, not a nurse!) Are problems really so inevitable, or is it more because people don't tend to get enough sleep when they work the night shift? I never have any trouble getting to sleep or staying awake exactly when I need to, no matter what weird hours I have to keep. I don't see any problem with getting a full 8 hours every day. Also, the day shift hours have always felt so unnatural, and I think I really might do better being up all night (I've worked night shifts before.)