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Epilepsy drugs trapped man in childhood Wednesday, September 1, 1999 Published at 16:30 GMT 17:30 UK - A man emerged from a life of mental disability after doctors took him off drugs supposed to control epilepsy. They had diagnosed 31-year-old Nick Pierce as epileptic when he was 14 months old. He was put on a cocktail of drugs to control the condition and tests led to Mr Pierce being classed as mentally disabled. However, it seems he had merely suffered an extreme reaction to the drugs and since doctors ended the prescription has been learning quickly. Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Pierce told the BBC the experience had been like being blindfolded and trapped inside his own head. "Very frustrating, mainly because I didn't know what was frustrating I just knew something was wrong," he said. "The misery side of it was there, but knowing what was wrong just wasn't." Mr Pierce was sent to a special needs school, which he left without qualification. But five years ago he was taken off the drug and since then has become increasingly alert and communicative, and he has recently passed a GCSE in English. His mother, Diane Simpson, had been told that he would never be able to take care of himself. "This was beyond our wildest dreams," she said. "We don't know what's going to happen apart from everyday's like a gift." Mr Pierce had been taking Epilim, which is given to about 30% of epilepsy patients. However, severe side effects are rare and the British Epilepsy Association said this was the only known case of such an extreme reaction. A spokeswoman said: "This case is an absolute tragedy. "Unfortunately it is all too common that people are not getting the understanding or specialist help they need from their GPs. "GPs may not have enough understanding of the condition and because of a shortage of epilepsy specialists, patients may have to wait up to a year to see a consultant who could look at the medication and the condition with real knowledge. "We want to see doctors working with their patients to manage this condition, and more experts made available. "But we also want to stress that people should not read this report and come off Epilim - that could be fatal." <http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/newsid_435000/435541.stm> janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset 613 256 8340 po box 171 almonte ontario canada K0A 1A0 a new voice: <http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/> <[log in to unmask]>