Epilepsy & Seizures Support Group

Hi Beth,

After my seizures started a made a decision not to drive because I really don't want to ever have to be in that situation where I could possibly hurt others or myself.

I am choosing not to take medications because of a bad reaction I had to one. I just deal with seizures the best I can.

I think that you have to go six months without a seizure to be able to drive legally....I'm not sure how it works or if it varies from state to state.

I know it is a hard freedom to let go of. It's not fun always having to rely on others for rides. I suggest you discuss it with your family and your doctor and see what the best route to take is.

And I'm so sorry that happened to you...it must have been very scary :(

Mine were the same way. I had one when I was 6 months old. I didn't have any more until I was 25.

I never knew I was not able to drive until I found a doctor that was not a pill pusher. I was being treated by a family doctor. I drove for 15 years. You do not specify where you live, but I do know in the USA, it does vary state to state.

Regarding doublenjenn7's response to you, I was on my way to work and was getting off at a cloverleaf exit. I felt a seizure coming on and pulled over. The next thing I remember was driving down the street to work with steam coming out of my car. Someone at work told me they saw me hit the guardrail. Had it not been for it, I would have gone back onto the interstate. I had also taken my son camping with some friends in the mountains in WA state. Coming down the mountain, I hit a tree. Fortunately, I only broke the turning signal in the front of my car.

In WA state you have to go 6 months without a seizure before you can drive. I moved back to my home-state 2 years ago and found out I only had to go 3 months. After 4 months of not having seizures, I started looking for a car. The following month, the seizures returned.

Don't take the chance of hurting/killing yourself or someone else. Yes, losing the independence is a major pain, but it is a lot better than the alternative. When my license expired, I turned it in and asked for a regular I.D. I've been having seizures for 24 years, so I have decided to give up the thought of driving altogether. You may be able to find the right combination of medications that could help to control your seizures.

Best of luck to you.

I am still in the process of finding out if I am having seizures or what is happening. I am not driving until I find out the results of eeg as could not forgive myself if I hurt someone. I didnt know what to do but asked on here & got some great advice which I took notice of.

I gave up my drivers license when I discovered that I was having seizures.They began 5 years after a serious accident, so I didn't know what was happening initially; but after I kept scraping and banging up my car, I turned in my drivers license. (I wasn't about to responsible for getting someone else into the situation I was in OR HURTING MYSELF WORSE). Driving with seizures endangers not only you, but everyone around you. I know it's a drag, but it's been over 20 years, and I manage to get around.

Also, it's worth exploring whether your seizures are related to your hormones. Keep a journal! Adjusting (artificially) my hormones was the ONLY thing that managed to get and keep my seizures under control. (It took over 10 years for a neurologist to listen to me... I went through 8 of them...) Good luck.

I'm 41 and have had epilepsy since I was 9. I have seiz. ranging from auras to grand mals. I was finally able to get my drivers liscence when I was 26, because I had finally gone a yr. without a grand mal infact I went 4 yrs. then for some reason I started having the grand mals again, but I continued to drive. To make a long story short, the last time I drove was around 11 yrs. ago. I was driving home and when I woke up from a grand mal, I was in my car surrounded by police and firemen with my car crashed in the side of someones trailer house. It was the scariest thing I have ever experienced in my life. Fortunately no one was hurt, not even me. I did wake up the couple who lived in the house though. I still have my liscence, but only for identification. I am too scared to even think of driving, plus I still have all sorts of seiz. so I wouldn't be able to anyways. About 4 yrs. ago I had an angel tattood on my shoulder. After all the situations I have been through due to my seiz. I know that someone is looking over my shoulder.

Hi Beth

Here in Scotland, you need to be seizure free for 2yrs before they give you back your licence. The authorities immediately revoke your licence when you're diagnosed until the seizures are under control.

I personally don't drive, nor have I had the inclination to, so I had no licence for them to remove. However, personally, I think I'd stop myself from driving. I experience tonic clonic & complex partial seizures and would never be able to live with myself should someone else be hurt because I was too selfish to give up my licence.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying your being selfish. This is just my opinion.

I think until your seizures are better controlled, you really need to have someone else drive for you. Think how you'd feel if someone got hurt? Or how your family would feel if you got hurt?

Please be sensible in this x

Dee x

I totally agree with you dee. I was so extrememly thankful to god that I didn't hurt anyone when I had my accident. One of these days I may drive again, but for the time being I will just rely on the Public Transportation (city bus)to get around.