Decades ago, when I received my master’s degree as a nursing instructor, I taught my students about the importance of listening to patients and taking good notes. I didn’t realize how important these lessons would become in my own life—until I was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Your doctor is one of the most important members of your epilepsy care team. But physicians are very busy people, and building a relationship during short appointments can be tough. Patients can sometimes feel unheard and rushed. Coming prepared and advocating for yourself during your visit will help you get the attention you deserve.
Partial-onset seizures can manifest in many different ways. If one occurs in the part of the brain that regulates digestion, for example, the person experiencing it might feel nausea or a tightening stomach, whereas one that occurs in the temporal lobe can trigger emotions such as anger, fear, joy or nostalgia. A partial-onset seizure that occurs near the hypothalamus can cause uncontrollable laughter or emotionless weeping.
About the author: Gilbert Woo, MS, MFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health director for the UCSF Epilepsy Center in San Francisco. He has been working with the epilepsy community since 2004.
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