Hi,
I'm brand new, and wrote the following on my profile page, but since it IS why I'm here, I guess it belongs there, too.
My story:
I was in my last college class before obtaining my degree in web development when I started having problems with focus and concentration. As an A student, this was especially frustrating, but I was pulling C's and was determined to get through it. Then, halfway through my last class, I experienced a grand mal seizure. I had never experienced a seizure before and epilepsy does not run in my family . Try as they might, two years later, I have been having 2-4 "big ones" and several petit mals a month and they still haven't figured out what is causing the seizures. In the last year or so, I have been experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause and I have a sneaking suspicion that it was somehow the onset of that that is causing my seizures, especially given that my grand mals always occur during my period (which is hard to track - 28 days one month, 23 days the next, 31, or skip...) and at the time I am or would be ovulating. My first grand mal actually occurred at the time I would have been ovulating. Tried Dilantin and it caused a lot of side effects, but did not slow down my seizures. I am now on Lamictal, which has helped with mood, but I am still seizing. My doc blows me off when I bring up the correlation between my cycle and the seizures. I don't know what to do, but I won't give in on what I recognize to be true. I thoroughly believe my seizures began at the onset of perimenopause and that is why I have them, now. I know my temporal lobe is affected by the types of petit mals I have, my short-term memory issues, and my sudden issue with seeing and hearing things that are not there -- thankfully, I do realize these things aren't "real" when they are happening. I am not on HRT, but do wonder if some HRT might help me out -- not thinking of a long-term basis, but something has to give. I need the relief. I want to finish my degree and pursue my career. As it is, I experience vocabulary issues and even the job I have (freelance writing) is suffering. I am here to learn from others and to offer support when and where I can.