Epilepsy in the work place

 

First Daughter,

First of all ~ It is against the law for an employer to "FIRE" an employee due to a seizure condition.

It is a form of descrimination and against the Human Rights code and the federal constitution.

It is the responsibility of the employer to provide an adequate work area and supply special needs if required.

"By law the employer must provide adequate working conditions or supply special needs as/if required to effectively do the job, even if that means restructuring the work area".

However, if a case like that ever went to court, it would be awfully hard for anybody to prove that they were denied a job for THAT reason, therefore cases like that usually go unreported.

Although I'm from Canada and have worked for the federal Gov't for 30 yrs., this law is almost exactly the same.

Second ~ the meds (Depakote) can definately cause lack of concentration and focus, it's like you're in a fog. It's a huge trade-off ~ stay on the meds and put up with the side effects or go off the meds and risk a seizure, possibly while you're driving.

I'm speaking from 27 yrs. of experience.

Here is what happened to me:

My bosses thought that I was putting it on so I wouldn't have to do certain things. Through my employer (Government of Canada) they finally sent me to a "neuro/psyc" to examine me and DOCUMENT what I can/can't do. We have the right to request this type of exam, in MY case it was my employer that requested it. As a result of it being documented, my employer sent the results to "Health Canada" and since the job was being illiminated, the report showed that "as a result of the long term use of the meds, I could not learn new tasks "and requested that I go on DISABILITY and then medical retirement. That proved to my employer that I was telling the truth all along and NOT FAKING IT.

Randy

 

First,

 

I just wanted to wish your son the best of luck in whatever may take place.

 

I myself can relate to the spells of being confusing and having a fried brain.

 

When I have an absence seizure I lose all track of time and anything around me; it makes my memory go awful and makes me terribly tired like all I want to do is good to sleep and rest for a bit. Of course my grand mals and my petites and twitching make me tired as well; the absence tend to make me just as much as the grand mal.

 

I can relate to wanting to get off medication; I have way to many myself. I had the worst time getting onto my Dilantin - it was nothing but an uphill battle. I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday so I'm hoping he will leave my Dilantin level where it is; providing my labs came out today ok. I'm also really hoping if it wasn't high enough he would simply increase the dosage of it or Klonopin. Depaokote never seems to have any side effects on me that would prohibit me from wanting to take it; however the Dilantin is an ugly medication.

 

Again; I hate my seizure meds; I'm nearly as old as your son...but taking your seizure medication - no matter the side effects - is worth more than not taking it. It comes down to a simple matter of safety; and I'm sure he knows that.

 

Most of the seizure meds will make you sleepy - they really just shut down parts of your brain so the neurons (spelling) don't fire as hard or fire more "correctly". The Dilantin used to make me tired; but I adjusted. The Klonopin does make me tired; but I simply fight it. Once again and I can't say it enough - IT IS BETTER THAN HAVING BAD SEIZURES!

 

I know you're not the one not taking your medicine; so hopefully I didn't preach to you.

 

Good luck in everything First; and right here are the side effects for Depakote.

 

CNS - Central Nervous System / drowsiness, sedation, headache, dizziness, atazia, confusion

 

EENT - Eyes Ears Nose Throat / visual disturbances

 

GI / nausea, vomiting, indigestion, pancreattis, hypersalivation, anorexia, increase appetite, diarrhea, constipation

 

Derm - Dematology / rashes

 

Hemat / prolonged bleeding time, leukopenis, thrombocytopenia

 

Meta - metabolism / hyperammonemia

 

Neuro - neurological / paresthesia

 

Hope that saves some time!

Well First daughter I don't think the medication has nothing to do with your son having seizures while being on the computer. I have epilepsy and have been diognosed since I was 3 years old I take KEPPRA,LAMICTAL,AND TEGRETOL XR and as a computer lover my self I've had some episodes while being on the computer to long. I think they are caused by the flashes and the brightness on the screen and it's the same with video games. I also wanted to take a career that involved computers but I thought about this subject so I had to have second thoughts about this. But I don't think this affects to all people with epilepsy to me this is kind of rare but like I said it depends on the person and what type of seizures they have and stuff.