Driving and epilepsy?

keystone

bigjl wrote: »

It isn't a simple topic, however Myoclonic Jerks are not really the same as Myoclonic Seizures. One being worse or rather more serious.

Regardless of what we feel on here, or any posters similar medical history, or what they percieve to be similar medical hx, I strongly suspect she wouldn't be attending A/E and having an Ambulance called for a couple of myoclonic jerks, I suspect she is having grand mal or petit mal seizures, when they occur or how long they last is only relevant to the DVLA decision, which is to take the licence away for a year, for everybody having a seizure, even nocturnal.
For example i suspect she attends A/E because she has a period where she may be post ictal, this wouldn't occur with myoclonic jerks, but would with a full blown seizure.

Yes that extra piece of information rather changes things somewhat.

Cheers

keystone

OP - does her Doctor know she is still driving? If he does he has a duty of care to the general public to report her to the DVLA which overrides his duty to patient confidentiality. It doesn't have to be you who does it but I agree now it needs to be done. Very difficult.

Cheers

Torry_Quine

If she is in receipt of DLA then she can't just have a seizure as infrequently as she claims or she must have another condition I would have thought.

Hintza

35 years ago someone hit our wall and my mother suspected something wasn't right but did nothing. A year or so later he had another fit and killed two people in the town. She regrets never saying anything.

rigsby1967

keystone wrote: »

OP - does her Doctor know she is still driving? If he does he has a duty of care to the general public to report her to the DVLA which overrides his duty to patient confidentiality. It doesn't have to be you who does it but I agree now it needs to be done. Very difficult.

She hasn't mentioned to anyone in authority that she is driving with epilepsy.

Cheers

Torry_Quine wrote: »

If she is in receipt of DLA then she can't just have a seizure as infrequently as she claims or she must have another condition I would have thought.

She doesn't have another condition apart from what post number 2 said by hitting the nail on the head "lunatic, selfish moron"

Hintza wrote: »

35 years ago someone hit our wall and my mother suspected something wasn't right but did nothing. A year or so later he had another fit and killed two people in the town. She regrets never saying anything.

This is the reason i'd like to get my fact perfectly straight before doing the right thing because she certainly won't do the right thing.

rigsby1967

keystone wrote: »

OP - does her Doctor know she is still driving? If he does he has a duty of care to the general public to report her to the DVLA which overrides his duty to patient confidentiality. It doesn't have to be you who does it but I agree now it needs to be done. Very difficult.

Cheers

She hasn't told anyone in authority (dr that she drives, DVLA that she gets fits)

NBLondon

My mother drove with controlled epilepsy for years - her licence had to be renewed every 3 years with doctor's confirmation that seizures were nocturnal only and controlled by medication. Even then, she was cautious and asked Dad to drive if she felt at all unsure of her fitness.

Sounds like the patient in this case either thinks she will not be allowed a licence if she admits to the problem (doesn't know about limited licences) or worse - knows she won't be. Either way - at present, she shouldn't be on the road so don't feel too guilty at about reporting her for the safety of others including grandchild to be...

rigsby1967

NBLondon
I must sound rather heartless but i don't feel guilty at all.....the reason? Because she puts my unborn (soon to be born) grand child.....and other road users & pedestrians at risk when she drives.