Advertise on podcast: What the Ef?!

Going through a rebellious phase? Kristin Houghton gets it. (Who doesn’t??) Kristin shares how her early 20s fueled her dreams of singing on stages, and how that same phase cost her countless seizures, a car wreck, and her front teeth. (But wow, can this gal sing!) So what finally made her put her health first? And how did she learn that her passion could stay her passion, not her paycheck, and lead to a dream her 20s-something self never saw coming? Plus: Allllllll the stuff we forget to ask our neurologist about (yes, even DayQuil). Shout to sponsors Neurelis, SK life science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Queen of Self-Care joins the pod for a hilarious, inspiring, and raw conversation about building your dream life—even when epilepsy has other plans. (It can be such a jerk.) After three years seizure-free, Krissy Lewis faced the fear and disappointment when a seizure broke her streak. She shares how creativity, daily routines, and even taking some risks (shout out to Lisbon!) help her keep building a life that feels like her own, especially when she’s on her own. We also talk about Epilepsy in Blk, the Instagram community she created to help bridge the gap in health equity disparities, and how changing hospitals led her to reflect on healthcare bias and what it takes to advocate for yourself when the system doesn’t always serve you well. Check out Krissy's Instagram accounts! Inspiration and self care: @iamkrissylewis Epilepsy In Blk: @epilepsyinblk Shout to sponsors Neurelis, SK life science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A doc told him to follow his dreams. Adam Franks went pro in hockey. With epilepsy. Adam breaks down how he played safely, adapted when his meds slowed him down, and started a clothing company “by accident” that ended up outfitting Olympians and his former team. He also shares why he hid his epilepsy for years, what changed after his last seizure seven years ago, and the two self-care habits he swears by. Oh, and the merch line at his epilepsy awareness event? Around the block. Shout to sponsors Neurelis, SK life science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've all been asked The Question: What should I put in your mouth if you have a seizure? (Please, put the spoon down.) Dr. Ashlyn Sanders, a pediatric neurology resident, has been asked this question, too. After emergency brain surgery left her with seizures, Ashlyn became a pediatric neurology resident—and created PATI, a prescription, FDA-cleared device designed to protect the mouth and tongue from seizure injuries. We talk about going from patient to doctor, what living with seizures taught her about caring for patients, and the jar of things people have actually tried to put in someone's mouth. (Spoiler: there's a Halloween finger.) Shout to sponsors Neurelis, SK life science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Learn more about PATI here: usepati.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's be honest: most of us with epilepsy have been in a Deep Denial phase at some point. Lucca Bevan joins us to talk about hers. She shares what it took to move toward acceptance and the power of connecting with others who just “get it.” We also talk about the impact of epilepsy on your sense of self and being denied opportunities because of it. Plus, how an 1800s history book explained the mystery seizures that five neurologists couldn't. Shout to sponsors Neurelis, SK life science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's talk about the thing nobody wants to talk about: SUDEP. If you're wondering what it is, whether you're at high risk, or how to find some peace of mind, this one's for you. Dr. Rebecca Garcia Sosa and Mary Duffy get into why this may not come up at the doctor's office, how to check in with your neuro about it, and how overnight devices can help you sleep a little easier. Mary also shares Danny's story and how to get help from Danny Did Foundation at dannydid.org.  It's a heavy topic, but it's a hopeful conversation. Thank you to NightWatch+ for sponsoring this episode about SUDEP. To learn more about this new device, visit: https://nightwatchepilepsy.com/en-us/ Shout outs to the folks who believe in this podcast and make these convos possible! Thank you sponsors Neurelis, SK Life Science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation of America, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ah, the driving debate. Matt Suchan's breakthrough seizure dragged this issue back to the front of his life—and put a spotlight on just how wildly inconsistent the laws are. Three months seizure-free in some states. Six or twelve months in others. Cool, cool, very normal system we've got here. Turns out, top docs have strong opinions on what they actually think the minimum should be before patients get back behind the wheel. (Spoiler: it might not be what you expect.) Also in this episode: Mama Suchan sets the record straight on Matt's already-unhinged diagnosis story (don't worry, it's still completely nuts), I unveil my personal conspiracy theories on the link between epilepsy and creativity, and Matt explains what it's like to see colors in letters and music—a real phenomenon called synesthesia, which may be linked to heightened creativity. Shout to sponsors Neurelis, SK life science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! 2uesday - Matt's Album "Seizures, Driver Licensure, and Medical Reporting Update: An ANN Position Statement" Neurology Journals, March 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It started with wings on the first date. Now Joellys gives Albert pop quizzes on her seizure meds and he calls auras super powers. These two share how epilepsy has become a part of their love story...something that always seems tricky, until it doesn't. Joellys is also making history by changing the standards for occupational therapy (OT) and epilepsy. (Don't worry, she also explains what the ef OT is!) And ya know how we've all been told “no” from our docs because of epilepsy? Like swimming, sports, or bathing your child? Joellys is already using OT to problem solve those No’s into Yes’s! What “No” do you want changed to a “Yes”? Tell Joellys -- she'll get on it! Fill out this survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/epilepsy Torie being hilarious episode: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Shout out to the folks who believe in this podcast and make these convos possible! Thank you sponsors Neurelis, SK Life Science, & PATI and community partners Epilepsy Foundation of America, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’d never guess that Drew Dixon quit guitar lessons at 7 years old. But through this same childhood whimsicality, a journey began in which he discovered a deep belief in music’s effects on the brain and the soul. Now Drew has a successful music career that his 7-year-old self would never believe — including his recent hit "Running." (Stay to the end for an acoustic play of it!) Drew shares his songwriting process, what it actually takes to survive the music industry (full rooms, empty rooms, overnight tours — you play them all), and his work doing music therapy with hospital patients. And how he manages all of this while managing his epilepsy.  We rewind and talk about the normalcy of keeping epilepsy a secret as a teenager and why Drew didn’t even tell his childhood friend who *also* has epilepsy and what happened when he did….you might recognize this friend! Dr. Dan Snelgrove (re: “The Pitt” episode) joins the convo to talk about his and Drew’s journey co-founding Electric Minds Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing joy — and Disneyland — to kids with epilepsy. Check out Electric Minds Foundation: https://www.electricmindsfoundation.org/ Shout to Neurelis, SK life science, Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Never did Katie Czyz think she'd become an expert in AI. She started using it while trying to process her epilepsy diagnosis and quickly realized it could be something much more than a chatbot—it could be a thought partner. That experience changed the trajectory of her career and inspired work that eventually landed her in the New York Times Modern Love column. We talk about the promise and responsibility of AI, why it should help us think instead of think for us, and how technology can create space for reflection during some of life's hardest moments. We also get into getting drunk in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, killing an embarrassing number of plants, and the strange ways a diagnosis can send your life in a direction you never saw coming. Check out Katie's writing! Substack -- A Voice Returned: avoicereturned.substack.com New York Times Modern Love: "Learning to tell the truth to those I love" Huge shout to out the folks who believe in this podcast! Thanks sponsors Neurelis & SK life science and community partners Epilepsy Foundation of America, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It started with jokes on Twitter. Now comedian Jake Lambert is touring internationally with his stand-up show, The Sunshine Kid. Jake joins the podcast to talk about building a comedy career while living with epilepsy, surviving a schedule where nights are work and days are recovery, and why he started joking about seizures in his act. We get into epilepsy running in his family, varying audience responses to his epilepsy jokes, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, and trying to explain a completely ridiculous aura to another person. We also discuss Jake's attempt to convince the BBC that epilepsy was more interesting than competitive slapping. Come for the comedy. Stay for the seizure stories, weird auras, and British accent. Subscribe to Jake's newsletter to stay up-to-date on his tour schedule: www.jakelambertcomedy.com Shout to Neurelis, SK life science, Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if there was something you could wear that gave you a heads up before a seizure? Truman Pierson and Chris Fitz are working on making that a reality. In this episode, they share their evolving device that uses EEG technology – without the wires OR the glue – to create a wearable device that predicts your seizures based on brain wave patterns. That means we could wear something the size of a paperclip, go about our lives, and get to safety before a seizure hits. They share how much warning time the device may be able to give before a seizure, when they hope people with epilepsy could actually get their hands on it, and what inspired them to create it. And there’s something you can help with – naming this device! Truman and Chris are looking to folks in the community for inspiration. Submit your ideas here: https://forms.gle/Gzc1SeTJ7GRQhTtT7 Learn more about their work: https://www.thetaneurotech.com/ Shout to Neurelis, SK life science, Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Calling your boyfriend by an ex’s name post-seizure. Avoiding “Bridget Jones-ing” your seizure moments. Forgetting conversations, faces, and entire vacations. (We all agree remembering names is out of the question). Ivana Garcia, Alison Kukla, and Torie Robinson join the podcast this week and get brutally honest about the weird, embarrassing, heartbreaking, and hilarious parts of living with epilepsy. (If nothing else, tune in for the sexy British, Argentinian – and Ohio – accents!) But underneath the chaos and laughter is something deeper: we get real about mental health, the isolation of not feeling understood, and why we became advocates in the first place. Come hang on the couches with us and tune into this messy, funny, vulnerable convo! Shout to Neurelis, SK life science, Epilepsy Foundation, Danny Did Foundation, & Epilepsy Alliance America for believing in this podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Put epilepsy powerhouses together for a weekend, and what happens? Real change. Tune in for convos about everything, like taking leave from work to do a med change, eclampsia-triggered seizures (The Pitt fans, you’ll recognize this one), loopholes when insurance won’t cover meds, and moms being told there are “no other options” for their kids. Researchers living with epilepsy themselves share what it’s like to study SUDEP and new treatments, plus the real deal on what clinical trials actually mean for people trying new epilepsy medications. Thank you to the Epilepsy Foundation of America for letting the podcast crash the Research Ambassador Program! Help keep "What the Ef" going! Subscribe and rate on whichever platform you listen to! Subscribe to YouTube:  @WhatTheEfPodcast  Follow on Insta: @whattheefpodcast Shout out to the folks who help keep things real in the epilepsy community! Thank you sponsors Neurelis & SK life science AND community partners Epilepsy Foundation of America, the Danny Did Foundation & Epilepsy Alliance America! Check out Matthew's TED Talk here: https://youtu.be/uLjnPYJiBFE?si=BENTwG_T1wRyz1qd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two neurologists. Both have epilepsy. (Anyone watch “The Pitt”? Here’s the real life version.) Docs Dan and Patrick share their stories about growing up with epilepsy—like failing 9th grade and why your town's Baptist choir showed up after your first seizure. We talk about the awkward moments in med school, what it’s like to understand their patients’ perspective, and get into the weird guilt of not having seizures anymore. Tune in to meet docs you'll wanna grab a beer with and for the peak behind the curtain of living two sides of the epilepsy story. Help keep "What the Ef" going! Subscribe and rate on whichever platform you listen to! Subscribe to YouTube:  @WhatTheEfPodcast  Follow on Insta: @whattheefpodcast Shout out to the folks who help keep things real in the epilepsy community! Thank you sponsors Neurelis & SK life science AND community partners Epilepsy Foundation of America, the Danny Did Foundation & Epilepsy Alliance America! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.