Hi there, welcome aboard. Sorry I'm responding late. I had the VNS for 11 years and it didn't do a damn thing for me. But I knew a few patients that it had their seizures under total control. As for me I had to have the battery surgery every 3 to 4 years, and once every 2 and a half years to 3 years I had to have a surgery on the vagal nerve. the VNS causes scarring on the nerve. It makes it harder for the nerve to be stimulated. So the surgery was to remove the scar tissue and make the nerve raw again so it could be stimulated 100% again. I have the same seizure and him, the absence seizure. Now I'm in a FDA medical research study for the RNS. That's also made by Neuropace. This is a computer chip placed under the scalp, and the wires are implanted directly into the areas of the brain where the seizures come from. For me it's the left temporal lobe. The split second the Responsive NeuroStimulator (RNS) detects ANY abnormal electrical activity. It does a deep brain stimulation. This has helped a bunch of people become seizure free. For me it's helped me moderately well, ALOT more than the VNS ever did. Now during the confusion after the staring spell, I can think my way through it some and not do some stupid things. I know to go and ask a person about if I should do it or not. Some of the seizures it stops them in a split second and I just don't have them. My last epileptologist is a world renowned doctor, I wish I was still seeing him. He told me in the past that if any of my friends neurologist ever have a question they can call him. He's Dr. Christopher DeGiogio. He's a Professor and has a private practice at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Also the VNS, it has the side affects of a horse voice when it's on, and makes it hard for you to breath if you're active and trying to catch your breath. So if he'll be playing a sport or exercising. He'll have to have his magnet with him, or just strapped on top of the VNS. That's also has to have it strapped on his chest if he's in a plane.
Sincerely
Shawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by questioner
This is my first post. Hope to get some info.
My spouse began having sz in his mid 50s he is now late 60s. He is fairly well controlled on many anti sz meds but has occasional staring episodes, been over a yr now.He is amnesic to the sz. Early on he had all the tests,MRI,CAT,EEG etc with no known cause. I know we should feel lucky his sz are so infrequent but driving is the issue. Can driving be a trigger for a sz? not the lights - it has happened more in the daylight. Bcs of my fear re him having a sz while driving he does not drive now. However, I have always had vision problems and driving will at some point be too difficult for me. Would he qualify for VNS, has it been helpful in allowing him to drive. Could he just activate it for driving and remain on the meds? We're in GA, would anyone recommend a Dr /hospital they feel good about. Should he have any further eval to see if a reason can be identified?
Wish I'd found this site 15yrs ago. The sz never get easier.
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