Long term disability insurance?

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Ivan - 13 Sep 2007 23:25 GMT

I am writing on behalf of my 22-year-old son. He has had two seizures
(tonic-clonic we think) in the last 1 1/2 months. Last week he had a
panic attack while at work. Since that panic attack, it has shed
light on past panic attacks that he did not understand at the time.
Those were his first two seizures, after the first one was taken to
the emergency room and had standard tests performed. Tests that that
have been preformed to date included, blood test, CAT scan, EEG, and
MRI. He has met with the neurologist once and was sent to have the MRI
done. He has yet to see his neurologist since the MRI was performed.
So he had seen his neurologist one time and has yet to be diagnosed.

I have two questions,

Question No. 1. What is a likelihood of this developing into a Long-
term Disability rendering him unable to work? Would it be worth
purchasing a long-term disability insurance policy before diagnosis?
He will be seeing his neurologist for the second time in one month
when I expected diagnosis of epilepsy to be made.

Question No. 2. Are there any other tests that he should consider
having?

Any suggestions that you have to offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Ivan

ps; prior to seeing his neurologist for the first time he had only one
seizure. Since then his neurologist is unaware of the second seizure
and panic attack.

Reply to this Message

G. - 14 Sep 2007 00:39 GMT

> I am writing on behalf of my 22-year-old son. He has had two seizures
> (tonic-clonic we think) in the last 1 1/2 months. Last week he had a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> done. He has yet to see his neurologist since the MRI was performed.
> So he had seen his neurologist one time and has yet to be diagnosed.

*** Possibly unrelated but is there anything in his work environment
that could have provoked szrs. in a 'normal person' -- i.e. paint or
chemical fumes, extreme heat, other environmental things like that?
Above tests are standard Neurologic tests. While an EEG might not
detect seizures in some of us, the CAT(computer assisted tomography)
works on heat? so looks for blockages or internal problems. The MRI
can detect brain damage down to fractions of a millimetre in size.
All of those once interpreted should show if there is a physical
reason for the reactions he had. I think the bloodwork looks for
chemicals or other imbalances in the blood that could produce similar
symptoms.
Did the Neuro (I've assumed) not start him on a low dose anti
convulsant while they wait for the tests? Some of them can be started
low and removed if no negatives are found in above tests in the
meantime, but could give control if something that needs attention is
present. /

> I have two questions,
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> He will be seeing his neurologist for the second time in one month
> when I expected diagnosis of epilepsy to be made.

*** Most of us here (over 90%) over past 8 years here have attained
100% or high level control with medications once the szr. type is
identified. A few haven't, but their's were more complicated (before
birth or other traumas that occured later).
I don't really have much to say about the idea of buying long term
disability pre-diagnoses. I had it, and have drawn on it, but I had
it Many years before onset and had a full medical preceeding
acceptance. Usually Group Insurance (if it's available through an
employer) is cheaper and easier to qualify for, since it's provided to
a whole group of employees and those often don't have any medical
tests or questions before acceptance.
Often there are questions on an application like "Have you ever
been diagnosed with x,y,z,a,b, or any neurological condition or long
term illness that might affect your work or abilities in the future?
and have you seen a Doctor in the last 12 months and what was the
treatment for?" and by his saying "No" between now and when the MRIs
etc. are finalized, there is often a phrase at the end that says
"failure to disclose correctly any of above can result in this policy
being void"...
If you have a good relationship with the Doctor who's doing the
tests, you could ask them about above (my comments vs. your's) and
they can give you a straight answer. Also other reading these posts
might have comments, although this group has been fairly quiet over
the past 3-4 months. G./ (more at **s if I see anything further
below)

> Question No. 2. Are there any other tests that he should consider
> having?

*** I don't know of any -- I listed above my opinions and limited
knowledge about the tests he's had. An EEG can sometimes see
Epileptiform waves, but a few people over last 8 years here had
"Clean" EEGs but problems only showed up on the MRIs or CT scans, that
displayed areas where there was internal damage.
Has he ever had an accident or other things that would explain why
these might have started? When you see the Dr. ask them why these
started if answer to first part was "No". There needs to be some
trigger or source of why these would start up, they don't just happen
without some kind of precursor accident, damage, or glitch of some
kind that is producing the szrs.
You could also ask the Dr. when you see them for a correct name
for the expected seizure type. A Tonic Clonic is an older term? for
some szr. types but newer terms are usually more specific -- like
Simple Partial, Complex Partial, Grand Mal etc. that often give more
links to where the seizure originates and would help you do any
searches on the 'net if that's what you want to do.
(I did a post about 3-5 days? ago on this group with subject line
like 'websites of use to newer people' that lists about 6-7 websites
with information on First AId, Seizure types, and other resources that
might be of use. I can look up the actual date I posted it if you
need that for Google etc. -- my post is still 'up' on my threads on my
reader.) G./.

> Any suggestions that you have to offer would be greatly appreciated.
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> seizure. Since then his neurologist is unaware of the second seizure
> and panic attack.

*** You might as well tell the Neuro about the 2nd one, either in
advance of the appointment or when you're there. If he doesn't see
anything on above tests, and if they think there was only one, they
might assume it was something sporadic and temporary, while he's had a
second one since onset.
If he tries to keep track of what he was doing just ahead of the
szr. it might help.
Also if he's driving or using heavy equipment or working somewhere
where a szr. might produce risk he should be careful until these are
diagnosed.
If his seizures are getting stronger and not contreolled but he was
(for example) **Driving, he shouldn't do that until the diagnosis is
complete. *That type of insurance (third party) is usually Void if
the Insurer finds he had seizures but that hadn't been controlled
yet. In some jurisdictions the Dr. is also required to report to
Licence Office if someone has New Onset, but is not controlled yet.
A few ideas I had after reading your post. G./

Reply to this Message

Ivan - 14 Sep 2007 19:58 GMT

G. Thank you for your response, it is greatly appreciated. We are
attempting to do all we can to help our son. What I have learned so
far is that's for the most part they know what takes place during the
seizure but have trouble detecting a cause. I have the feeling that
there are many unanswered questions that must be very difficult to
accept for someone who suffers from seizures. To make an uneducated
guess I would have to imagine that there are literally hundreds of
different triggers for somebody who is susceptible.

> *** Possibly unrelated but is there anything in his work environment
> that could have provoked szrs. in a 'normal person' -- i.e. paint or
> chemical fumes, extreme heat, other environmental things like that?

No he does not work around any chemicals or manufacture of any type.
He is a computer engineering works in an office. We did some major
home remodeling four years ago but his panic attacks [3] had taken
place several years before that

> Above tests are standard Neurologic tests. While an EEG might not
> detect seizures in some of us, the CAT(computer assisted tomography)
> works on heat? so looks for blockages or internal problems. The MRI
> can detect brain damage down to fractions of a millimetre in size.
> All of those once interpreted should show if there is a physical
> reason for the reactions he had.

All of the tests that he has taken to date have come back normal with
the exception of a statement made on the MRI imaging report. There
are several things they look for in the imagery all reported as
normal, one statement we don't understand, ["Flow voids" are present
in the internal carotid and basilar arteries] I am sure the
neurologist will be able to explain.

> Did the Neuro (I've assumed) not start him on a low dose anti
> convulsant while they wait for the tests? Some of them can be started
> low and removed if no negatives are found in above tests in the
> meantime, but could give control if something that needs attention is
> present. /

He is given a prescription for Trileptal which he just had filled. He
would have done it sooner but there was a screwup with his insurance
that caused a delay.

> Has he ever had an accident or other things that would explain why
> these might have started? When you see the Dr. ask them why these
> started if answer to first part was "No". There needs to be some
> trigger or source of why these would start up, they don't just happen
> without some kind of precursor accident, damage, or glitch of some
> kind that is producing the szrs.

We have been pulling our hair out trying to make a connection to some
environmental factor or any recent traumatic episode finding none. To
date there are 2 suspects, his body pH level, when tested shows up in
a Dangerous Acidic pH Range. (I had some pH strips around the house
decided to have him test his urine.) Looking back several years when
he was in high school he would eat Tums on a daily basis for acid
indigestion. That leads us to assumed that he has had a highly acidic
body for quite some time. There is very little science surrounding
healthy pH level but we are trying to juggle his diet around to
include more alkaline foods. I have since purchase new pH test strips
and we are receiving the same results. The only real change in his
life recently as he graduated from college and is now working full-
time. We jokingly tell him that he should go back to school. On a
more serious note, he is on an Ultimate Frisbee League and this last
summer he feels that he had very close to heat stroke and was
dehydrated after finishing play.

That does pose another question as to cause; when you're going to
school he was taking a full course load and working 30 hours a week as
an intern. He was constantly overstressed, lack of sleep the poor
nutrition and having his body always in overdrive. All of a sudden
that stopped, I can only imagine that that would cause the body some
sort of stress. Outside of that we are searching for answers and
receiving a crash course in epilepsy.

There is some family history of neurological disorders, I have a niece
who has had epilepsy since childhood and I myself suffer from multiple
sclerosis which I prefer to call a undefined neurological disorder.

> You could also ask the Dr. when you see them for a correct name
> for the expected seizure type. A Tonic Clonic is an older term? for
> some szr. types but newer terms are usually more specific -- like
> Simple Partial, Complex Partial, Grand Mal etc. that often give more
> links to where the seizure originates and would help you do any
> searches on the 'net if that's what you want to do.

Symptomatology of Grand Mal closely matches our sons symptoms.

> *** You might as well tell the Neuro about the 2nd one, either in
> advance of the appointment or when you're there. If he doesn't see
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> (for example) **Driving, he shouldn't do that until the diagnosis is
> complete.

We intend to work closely with his neurologist and the same time take
into consideration the safety of himself and others. My wife is
driving him to and from work, he has opportunities where you can work
from home some days and there are other people living close by that
work with him that could possibly provide transportation.

Thanks again we appreciate your input. If anything else may come to
mind or if there is someone else out there who has something to add
please feel free. Ivan

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