Hi ceba,

Take my word you can live an every day normal life with epilepsy. I have worked in public school for 25 yrs. and had both absence (petit mal) and complex partial sz. in front of the staff and students and they can't even tell.
It's up to you but I would stay away from the neurontin. When I was on the drug it caused my sz. to get worse to the point that I was having status sz. and I would be out of it for 40 min. to 3 hrs. This in turn caused more brain damage. I later found out that the drug company that makes neurontin has $240 million in lawsuits on the drug because it can cause sz. for people who have never had a sz. in their life plus the co. was doing off market labeling with the drug. Just go on line and type in "neurontin lawsuits" and you will get a bunch of info.
You mentioned that you have sz. when you are asleep this could be a myoclonic sz. which means that the sz. only happens when a person gets up in the morning or when they first go to bed. I had the that problem and my epiileptologist put me on vimpat and since then I haven't had a single sz. like that and my grand mal sz. that I was having every once in a great while have completely stopped.
My best advice to you is to start taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day or B complex vitamins. Also start going to an Epilepsy Center which are usually at University Hospitals and start seeing an Epileptologist (Dr. speacializing in epilepsy) Take my word I've seen many neuros. over the yrs. but I've gotten the best help from an Epileptologist and I've had to take the least amount of sz. meds (AED's) compared to when I saw a neurologist.
There are a lot of famous people who have epilepsy like Elton John, Prince, Alan Faneca (professional football for Arizonia Cardinals), Harriet Tubman, Boche, Edgar Allan Poe, Einstein, Van Gogh and many more.
Here's wishing you well and don't be afraid or nervous just have faith in God. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue