Epilepsy diagnosis

Steve KM

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
As a result of a severe hypoglycemic event I have been told by a Neurology consultant that my low blood sugar was caused by an epileptic episode, and because every severe hypo I have had as a type 1 diabetic over 38 years has resulted in convulsions then this proves that I am epileptic and can't drive. My diabetic consultant and GP can't understand this diagnosis and there is so much research out there demonstrating this misdiagnosis.
Has anyone out there gone through the same and been able to prove that seizures happen in hypoglycemic events without it being classed as an unprovoked epileptic seizure?

Any views would be appreciated
 

Hopeful34

Well-Known Member
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2,097
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Type 1
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Pump
Welcome to the forum @Steve KM Sorry to hear this has happened to you. Has your Diabetes Consultant spoken or preferably written, to the neurologist on your behalf? Other than that, have you written a letter yourself to the neurologist quoting the research papers (providing they're peer reviewed)?

Have you checked out DVLA rules re driving licences and hypo's requiring help to check that you're still eligible for a licence? It depends how many severe hypo's requiring help you've had.

Hope you can get this sorted out. Do let us know how you get on.
 
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Steve KM

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Welcome to the forum @Steve KM Sorry to hear this has happened to you. Has your Diabetes Consultant spoken or preferably written, to the neurologist on your behalf? Other than that, have you written a letter yourself to the neurologist quoting the research papers (providing they're peer reviewed)?

Have you checked out DVLA rules re driving licences and hypo's requiring help to check that you're still eligible for a licence? It depends how many severe hypo's requiring help you've had.

Hope you can get this sorted out. Do let us know how you get on.
Hi,
Thank you for your comments. I intend seeing if my diabetes consultant will challenge this bizarre diagnosis but ultimately a seizure is aligned to Neurology so she has the most relevant opinion in the medical world. If it was classed as a provoked seizure (hypo) I can drive after 6 months clear but her diagnosis is saying it was unprovoked and therefore a 12 month period of not driving
 

EllieM

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hypos and forum bugs
I have had a hypo provoked seizure. I didn't lose my license at all but am in New Zealand which I think is more relaxed about such things. I've only had a couple of hospital worthy hypos and I think the others also included seizures.

I've never heard of a hypo event being provoked by a seizure though, all my googling suggests it is the other way round, hypos induce epilepsy.

Could you get a second opinion from a different neurologist?
 

Sicko

Newbie
Messages
4
I HAD been diagnosed for some 30 years, as EPLILEPTIC, but, last year, Neurology informed i am NOT EPILEPTIC as HYPOS cause seizers so it is a KNOWN TRIGGER, so it IS NOT EPILEPSY! An here you are being told, IT IS EPILEPSY an hypos happen becuase of it. Diabetic Clinic says its a Neurology condition, a Neurology Clinic says its a Diabetic condition....Truth is, ITS BOTH! It seems you, like i, have fallen into the "Grey" area of medical science, a area where, as no doctor has written papers on it, it officially, simply, does not exist, even though we actually live with it an know IT DOES EXIST! As for DVLA they dont care, all they care about is time between loosing control of vehicle, what this is. IF there is enough time passing between attacks, then you can ask they reinstate it? The time between attacks, or what license they give you, and conditions of that license, woll depend on the law in your area.

As for inducing hypos, it is possible seizure could cause hypos, as having a seizure uses as much energy as running a marathon. In my own case, its hypos that caused seizures. An since being on a pump, with, cgm, i have not had a single seizure in years. As such, if i had a driving license, i would probably been allowed to have a 3 year one, now i am on the pump,cgm,combo, an not a single seizure in years!

Told them as a child, to put me on a pump, as it would solve a LOT of issues, but they told me, i would NEVER be on a pump! An quiet frankly, if i had not pressed for it, citing N.I.C.E guidlines, i doubt i would be on one now. An would no doubt STILL be on anti-epilepsy medications, that totally screwed up my mind, thank you nhs for CAUSING conditions you need not have if only you listened to you patients in the first place! Oh well....BTW...STILL have no formal identification of the condition i do actually have, because each clinic refuses to give one, saying its the others responcability, so, same thing had all my life, yet now, it does not exist, officially....IF i could, have NOTHING to do with the NHS, i most certainly would, its just not fit for purpose, STILLB waiting for 3 teeth to be extracted, as no one will do it, becuase of this, none existant, but existing, condition...Its only been over 2 years now, waiting, for someone to do something! Two NHS bodies where suposed to phone me last week, they didnt, as usual....

Edited by moderator to comply with forum rules.
 
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CMR W

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
As a result of a severe hypoglycemic event I have been told by a Neurology consultant that my low blood sugar was caused by an epileptic episode, and because every severe hypo I have had as a type 1 diabetic over 38 years has resulted in convulsions then this proves that I am epileptic and can't drive. My diabetic consultant and GP can't understand this diagnosis and there is so much research out there demonstrating this misdiagnosis.
Has anyone out there gone through the same and been able to prove that seizures happen in hypoglycemic events without it being classed as an unprovoked epileptic seizure?

Any views would be appreciated
I had this way back in the early 1990s with a couple of night-time hypos causing fits. I had my licence revoked, put on anti epilepsy drugs which made me like a zombie. I fought this diagnosis as I knew it was caused by the hypos and not actually epilepsy and got my licence back after 9 months with the support of diabetes consultant and GP. I haven't had anything like it since and now Libre will wake me up. Yes definitely worth questioning and keep questioning as it is possible they have it wrong.