no driving or work for 6 months because of provoked seizure?

[skidoo357]

I was in a dirt bike accident over the weekend, I banged my head pretty hard but didn't lose consciousness.  I was wearing a helmet an Leatt-brace (neck brace).  My vision was slightly off for about 20 minutes (like looking through a prism) but after that went away, I loaded up my truck and drove home.  I came home, ate dinner and took a shower then headed to the rec center to swim with my kids.  When we got to the pool, I felt nausous and told my friend I would be right back.  That's the last thing I remember before waking up in the ambulance.  My friend said he found me on the locker room floor, curled in the fetal position with every muscle in my body super tight except my lower legs moving.  That lasted about 1 minute then I became still and was totally unconcious for about 10 minutes.  EMS took me to the hospital had a CT scan of head and neck that was normal.  All blood tests done were also normal.  I was diagnosed with a concussion and was told I had had a seizure.  I was referred to the neurologist and he has ordered an MRI and EEG and told me to come back in four weeks.  Meanwhile, I am not allowed to drive and cannot work due to the nature of my job (I'm a lineman for the power company).  What are the chances the neurologist is going to clear me for work if my test results come back fine?  Should I be getting a second opinion if he doesn't clear me or will another neurologist just tell me the same thing?  I can't afford not to work for 6 months what are my options?  All the research I've done indicates that a person with a provoked seizure only has a 3% to 10% chance of recurrence.  Is there any other test that can be run?  And was this even a seizure or only a result of the concussion?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks, Brad

[caregiver222]

Excellent advice, ggreg.  These situations have taken place a thousand times, and the physicians at the company are well aware that a year is the generally agreed upon time to be siezure free. It is the standard adopted by many DMV departments. I am not stating this is right. It is just the way things are. You may also be eligible for workman's compensation, even though this was an off-the-job injury. Some states cover this at a reduced rate.

[ggreg]

I'd like to comment on the restricted work situation from your seizure health issue.  You might consider talking with the boss about another position with the power company where you can do work at a desk, perhaps dispatching other linemen.  You can get a ride to work via bus, taxi, relative, friend, or co-worker.  Obviously you will need a signed physician note for your boss to take legitimate time off, make some copies, and if the boss ain't got no other position for you with the company, then make it clear you want to keep your job, so ask him for instructions on how to take medical leave (with or without pay depending on company policy).  Also, on the amount of time off, if I were you, I wouldn't say six months; rather tell management the four months until you see the neurologist again, and go from there.

I was in a situation where I had perfect attendance, got on the board for excellent customer service, and yet when I had to take just a week off with doctor's orders because of fainting, they freaked out and gave me a really hard time about it.  Employers have a business to run, they have a bottom line with finances, and keeping you is gonna cost them, so you are indeed between a rock and a hard place.  The atmosphere with companies is totally different than it was years ago, when doing a good job was worth gold.

Let's just say you wind up with some sort of long-term epilepsy, the worst-case scenario, where you will never be a lineman again.  While you are taking the required month off from work, get a nearby community college's catalog, study it, talk to a career counselor there, and sit in on a few classes of subjects that interest you.  See, once you perhaps get the final diagnosis and recommendations about not working, you can still make a living, but maybe just not at risky jobs or where you have to drive whilst working.  

What I'm saying in esence is, don't get caught flat-footed with all this; be prepared for the worst.  And you OUGHT to be able to take medical leave, plenty of linemen get hurt on the job because of the nature of the work.  You might can even find a website with a lineman support group who can help you through this rough patch and give you some tips on what to do.

[caregiver222]

Generally speaking, there should be at least a full year without seizure activity before you get behind a wheel. I would say there is zero chance of any physician clearing you to drive before that time. I could be wrong. There are some doctors who got their degrees with boxtops. A "second opinion" is meaningless. You got a raw deal, but the danger to others of you being behind a wheel is significant. The good news is, there is a good chance you will never again have a seizure. Usually they don't give anti-seizure meds until the third seizure. You should not be working as a lineman during that time because there are other types of seizures, called petit mal, where you lose a sense of awareness that could cause death around power lines. Essentially, you no longer have a valid driving license.