Epilepsy, 199 Answers: A Doctor Responds To His Patients Questions

In fact, I already owned 24 books about epilepsy and nonepileptic seizures, before buying this one, and all of them bought since 2004, when I then started in being hit by epileptic, or epileptics similar, seizures.And for all these books, most om them written by doctors, only very few at all even mention the word PNES, (Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures), while here we are getting much good explanation in the last chapter in the book. And in the start of this chapter, as in all the chapters, we then get an interesting, and helpful, patient case.Actually, I now am 70 years old, and concerning epileptic seizures, I only had 1 way back in Denmark in the year 1975, which then happening 14 months after a motorcycle accident, by which brain attack as my helmet fall of. And then the 12 following days of which I newer can recall anything, even although I have been told that daily I talked with friends, nurses, and doctors. And after 3 months the hearing on one of the ears was last, caused by a fracture on the brain. But after this then back to work, education, and again driving cars and motorcycles, and no drugs.But after in 2002 having mowed to Thailand, with my Thai women whom I met in Denmark, and then first in 2003 from the border authorities got my BMW motorcycle, and thereafter immediately bought at car and more motorcycles (my engineering education vas central about motorcycles). But my wife from the start fought against my driving motorcycles, being afraid of accidents, because of the missing traffic culture in Thailand.Then in the summer 2003, I with my wife went to a psychiatric doctor in the RAM Hospital, here in Chiang Mai, and told him that I was afraid, that by my wife’s fighting against my driving my 5 motorcycles, it might result in seizures caused by stress, and that he should explain this to my wife. But he didn’t understand what I was talking about, and did nothing. And then ¾ of a year later, in 2004, I was hit by a seizure, and accident, when driving a motorcycle.And then I did the failure to again visit the same epilepsy/psychiatric “expert”, and then just was put on a drug that didn’t help. And later on, taken EEG, which showed nothing wrong, and in the book, on the side 141, it’s told that the drug, Valproic acid, which I then got, don’t help in PNES cases. So, after later following accidents I now am invalid and can’t use the right hand and arm.The 3 doctors which I have met here in Chiang Mai, have no idea about PNES, while in the book Wilner tells us that over 5 year he met 160 persons suffering from PNES, and not from epilepsy, that the drugs don’t work, and that many patients during 5 - 10 years has visited doctors whom sought that they were epileptics. And he tells us that in reality of the patient cases in of epileptic clinics, 20 – 30% of these are PNES cases!The book contains much good and interesting information’s, among other on the side 4 is mentioned stress, a good night sleep, acupuncture, vitamin B6, herbs, about which the doctors I here have met, ever have mentioned a word.And on the side 67, I learn about the Wada test, which I never before have heard or read about. But to me, especially it was interesting, from the side 100 to read about the ketogenic and Atkins diets, for whom I mostly knew the names, but got interested in knowing more about these diets, and have ordered a book.But all together, again, this book is an excellent and helpful book for persons living with epileptic, or epileptic like, (PNES), seizures.

This is a basic review of common questions about epilepsy and seizures answered by a physician in plain English, as someone who has managed and run companies and departments that specialize in epilepsy, I love having this book around as a reference to people like our department receptionists and technicians who may not typically have a well thought out answer to these questions. While it was very basic I found it effortless to read through and thought it was a great review for myself to help me think about how I might explain some of these things to a patient myself. I think this would be great for anyone diagnosed with epilepsy as well. This is not at all a medical textbook, so those who are already fairly knowledgeable in epilepsy wouldn't exactly gain any clinical knowledge from this book. Picked this one up used, but I'll be getting the 3rd edition now.

I was disappointed. There were mostly questios/answers that are common knowledge. Most of the other questions were things my doctor had told me. I didn't really learn anything. Plus half the book were acknowledgements and resources. Waste of $15.

My son was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and obtaining information solely from the internet can be overwhelming. This books has answers to common questions and I am finding it helpful to consult.

Thanks

I highly recommend this book if you or your family is dealing with epilepsy. It answers almost all of the questions you have and some you haven't even thought of yet.

Very Pleased

This is THE most informative book that I have ever found about Epilepsy! I have been diagnosed w/E for 49 years.. I was seeing a counselor and brought this book to a session for the counselor to read. When I went to my next session, my counselor told me that this book had given her more knowledge about E than she had received in Medical School and all the years of practice she had combined. With the type of writing in the style that a 'regular' person can understand, this book opens many shut doors for people, both those w/E, and those who want to learn more about E.