Breakthrough

    

     For three and a half years our older daughter was seizure free. During that time she got used to a certain level of independence that seems usual for most young adults. She got to go places with friends, went on dates and was even able to be home on her own. Since the breakthrough seizures that occurred in July and again in December we are back to our old ways: hypervigilance, unlocked doors and so many other precautions.           

     Breakthrough seizures are those that break through the anti-epileptic medications. Sometimes they occur because meds are skipped or because of provoking factors such as emotional stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol or other recreational drugs and TV or video games according to the NCBI.  In our case, last year's seizures happened on the eve of our daughter's twenty-first birthday and on Boxing Day morning. Over the years our daughter's seizures have often occurred at times of excitement or when daily routines are changed, for example at times of celebration or when travelling. 

     There are different schools of thought on whether medications should be adjusted after a breakthrough seizure but of course as parents, we look to the medical expertise of others to know what to do. We dislike the fact of pharmaceuticals being a daily part of our daughter's life but in the case of epilepsy, they are a life saver. Our daughter spent most of her high school years trying different medications at different doses to find that level where both types of her seizures would be controlled and the side effects were bearable. One medication that she took for a while made her terribly depressed. And while depression is common in teens with Nonverbal Learning Disorder and epilepsy, this medication was a mistake for our daughter. Fortunately her pediatric neurologist was responsive to emails and we quickly got her off that one and on to something else.

     We had hoped that anti-epileptic drugs or AEDs might be a temporary measure for our daughter. More and more they are looking like a permanent aspect of her life. They keep her mostly seizure free and mostly herself. We all can live with that!