A Nantwich woman has issued a message of hope to those living with epilepsy, writes Hannah Youds.
Carole had suffered from the condition for more than 40 years after being diagnosed as a teenager.
But now, after four decades trying different treatments and medicines, she is no longer suffering and wants to encourage others not to give up hope.
Carole, aged 63, who’s full identity we’ve agreed not to publish, says she no longer suffers from a state where “sudden bursts of electrical activity in the brain cause seizures or fits”.
“I was first diagnosed back in the 1970s and being a teenager, I felt I shouldn’t let anyone know,” she recalls.
“I also felt very let down when I was initially diagnosed as I had to hand my driving licence back and I’d just learnt to drive.
“The problem with epilepsy medication is it takes a lot of trial and error, so it’s quite a long process.
“For me, it took 40 years of different drugs.”
She urged others – particularly younger people diagnosed with it – not to give up hope.
“Don’t let this get you down because you can still be a positive person and come through,” she adds.
“Try and look at the positive side – you won’t be able to drive however you will be able to get a bus pass and a reduction on trains”
“There are positive points. When I went to museums I could take someone with me for free!”
According to Epilepsy Society, more than 600,000 people in the UK have epilepsy.
The society’s website describes the condition as a “common and serious neurological condition which affects the brain and nervous system”.
There are more than 40 different types of seizure, and not all of them are physical which is why epilepsy can also be an invisible condition.
Carole adds: “The epilepsy seizures were strange, suddenly being totally unaware of what’s going on.
“The body does its own thing.
“Sometimes carrying on what it was doing, sometimes doing something different or just going into a kind of ‘freeze’ which sometimes resulted in falling down or just not moving at all.”
Carole feels that similar to most misunderstood conditions, epilepsy has a negative stigma deeply embedded within our society that people still believe.
According to Epilepsy Action, people with the condition may experience a lack of understanding by family or friends and have fewer opportunities for work or school.
“The only time I told people in the workplace about my condition was after I’d got a job, due to a social stigma and so much misunderstanding around epilepsy,” Carole recalls.
“Social points of view on epilepsy, despite the internet, still seem to be based on basic historical attitudes towards the condition.
“If we can take a step on a localised basis to raise awareness for Epilepsy, then that’s a step in the right direction.”
Carole overcame the condition two and a half years ago and is now driving once again.
You can read more about epilepsy on epilepsy society’s website here: https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/about-epilepsy
(Image courtesy of Pixabay)
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