Navigating the Prior Authorization MazeWhile intended to ensure appropriate and cost-effective care, prior authorizations often create significant barriers to patients and caregivers. This can impede timely access to necessary medical interventions, like anti-seizure medications...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Navigating Workplace Challenges: Overcoming Epilepsy StigmaIn today's diverse workplaces, I often face significant challenges due to stigma and discrimination associated with my epilepsy. Overcoming these obstacles requires a concerted effort from both individuals and organizations...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Connecting With Others in Our Epilepsy CommunityNavigating life with epilepsy can be intimidating and confusing. It's especially hard without support. Receiving a diagnosis of epilepsy can be overwhelming. You're faced with an overwhelming amount of new...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Navigating a Sudden Change in Healthcare Providers: Tips for a Smooth TransitionFinding the right doctor can be a trying task. I thought I had found the right doctor. So much so, that we came up with a two-year plan to wean...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
False Evidence Appearing RealA therapist once told me that fear stands for “False Evidence Appearing Real.” I liked this analogy because it helped me feel less anxious about my fears for the future. As a...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
The Twelve Hour CycleIt's 7:00 a.m., and my medication alarm goes off. I get up and walk over to my locked medicine cabinet, taking my lamotrigine and vitamins. Then I go about my...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Was That a Nightmare? Frightening Seizures and Postictal StatesYou might assume that getting pulled beneath a highway bridge while walking to school, where a bully shoved a weapon at me, was the scariest experience in my life. The...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Find Connection: Living with EpilepsyEpilepsy is often misunderstood by those that haven't been impacted by it. That is why our forums have been a safe space for those with the condition to chat about...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
With Every Medication Comes a Side EffectA number of years ago, my epileptologist and I were discussing whether Lamictal XR or another drug should be tried. We decided to attempt Lamictal XR, and if it did...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Can Too Much Screen Time Cause Seizures?One type of epilepsy, called reflex epilepsy, involves seizures that are triggered by certain sensory events. Triggers often come from the environment, like flashing lights or loud noises. Looking at...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Empowering the Epileptic Journey: Navigating Work and Transportation ChallengesHey fabulous souls, it's Derra Howard, your guide in the world of style and resilience. Today, let's dive into a topic that's close to my heart – navigating life with...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
I'm a Mom With Epilepsy – Here Are My TipsMotherhood and epilepsy... Y'all, it has been a wild ride! I have made it more than a year into this world of motherhood, how crazy and exciting it has been. Everyone told...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Debilitating Medication Side Effects: Chronic NauseaNavigating the delicate balance between health and medication side effects is an ongoing challenge, one faced daily by many individuals with chronic conditions. In my personal journey with epilepsy, the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Putting On My "I'm Fine" Face With EpilepsyIs it normal to say "I'm fine" when you're clearly not? Or perhaps it's easier than explaining your situation to those around you... I usually stay home instead of hanging...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Riding Rollercoasters With EpilepsyWhen you're an adventurous child filled with imagination and delight, amusement parks can be some of your best childhood memories. For me, it always started with the excitement that came...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
We Had Never Heard of Dravet Syndrome – Until His DiagnosisThe first time I Googled "Dravet syndrome" was the day we got our diagnosis for our son Will – the first time I had ever heard "Druh-vay." The very first...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Epilepsy Medication Changes: Striving for NormalcyLiving with epilepsy has been a journey filled with twists and turns, and the quest for the right medication is a delicate dance between hope and uncertainty. Recently, I made...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Trigger Truths: Tell Us About Your Seizure TriggersAre there certain situations that lead to your seizures? We call these seizure triggers. And the truth is, they're different for everyone. Of course, skipping doses of epilepsy meds is...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Swimming With EpilepsyDo you like to swim? I sure do. But even as an adult going for a splash, I know it's important to have someone else present when I'm in the...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Experimenting With CoffeeLet's talk about the amazing smell of freshly brewed hazelnut coffee. I love sipping on a cup while juggling two kids, a nonprofit, and school. It's my ultimate pick-me-up. Lately...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments