A longstanding climber, mountaineer and outdoor instructor puts pay to any idea that being diagnosed with epilepsy should curtail his career.

First, a little history…

I had been a climber for seven years when I was first diagnosed with Epilepsy. I was then climbing and working full-time in the Outdoor industry; I had two seizures in the space of 24 hours and was admitted to hospital. Various scans followed and I was informed I was now epileptic. I was given Tegretol, an anti-seizure drug, and told not to drive, cycle, climb or work as an instructor! I was 25 and my world was collapsing around me!! Interestingly I was recently informed by a consultant that today people in my situation would have more tests and more time would be taken to consider the diagnosis prior to starting medication.

Fortunately I had a great many good friends and to this day I vividly remember a friend knocking on the door a few weeks later and dragging me off to Pen Trwyn – we used a GriGri and I flashed a 7A+. A few weeks later we did the girdle of Left Hand Red Walls at Gogarth! I then went to see some of the senior staff at Plas y Brenin to ask if I could undertake my MIA training – which they gratefully agreed. I spent two years climbing full-time until I could drive again and passed my MIA.

So what now

I've now been in the industry for over 20 years and hold the MIC and other outdoor qualifications. This has never stopped me doing what I love. I am still on medication and cannot afford to take the risk of stopping. On expeditions I ensure that all members have spare drugs on them in case mine are lost. On harder multi day routes there are drugs in both sacs and on big walls there are drugs in the haul bag and in any small sac or in my pocket.

I never went down the line of becoming an IFMGA Guide due to my condition, and work with some commercial expedition companies was not allowed.

Having spoken with the BMC's Honorary Medical Advisor it appears that once a long period of time without a seizure (probably years) has passed the risk of further seizures is going to be reduced.

As with so many aspects of climbing many insurance companies make decisions without truly considering the evidence and without looking at each individual. I have had no further seizures since the very first few and once established on medication I have been fine. Because my condition has proved to be so well controlled by medication, and because I have taken great care over matters of health and medication since my diagnosis, I don't feel my climbing partners or my clients have ever been put at extra risk. Indeed close friends who I climb with on serious routes have often forgotten about my condition. To quote – 'I have never given your epilepsy a second thought when we have been sticking our necks out!'

So to conclude

Work in the outdoors is entirely feasible if you have well controlled medical conditions, even with a label of Epilepsy. Be open with employers, although you are not obliged to inform customers. However, driving regulations are now fairly strict and very specific and this may be the biggest stumbling block. I was fortunate to get established before the law changed and this did not cause me a problem. I am still working full-time in the outdoor industry though due to the change in minibus regulations I have changed the focus of my work somewhat. You will never get a PCV if you have Epilepsy. I took this to the House of Lords unsuccessfully!

So all the very best and please, if your condition is well controlled, do not stop climbing. Be open about your diagnosis for your own safety but also to educate others. A career in the outdoors may be a challenge due to the driving but there are organisations where this is less important.

A few lessons learned along the way

Diving: a medical note is needed in advance and the condition must be declared to the DVLC.
Mountain Leader Training: there is no requirement to disclose a medical condition and therefore if candidates fulfil the requirements to undertake a training course then this is permitted. During training if a medical condition is disclosed, then the course director is likely to discuss how a candidate can progress towards assessment and some advice may be taken from the BMC's Honorary Medical Advisor. MLTs perspective is more on technical ability to undertake a course rather than on employability. However if a candidate has a seizure on a course then this is likely to result in the candidate having to demonstrate their ability to prove they are under control before the award is granted.
RYA: need a medical note to prove you are well controlled on medication.
Flying as a passenger: never leave all your tablets in the hold. Always carry enough for the duration in your hand luggage.
Scuba diving: need a medical note before training allowed (even initial pool sessions).
Spare tablets: keep them everywhere! On big mountaineering expeditions I ensure I have enough medication for the entire trip in my hand luggage and an equal amount in the main luggage. This will mean some explaining to a GP as the usual amount you'd get would be 56 tablets at a time. On the trip I have secreted tablets in many places. For example on big wall trips I have a few days of tablets on my person, my climbing partner has a few days and the rest in a haul bag.

I hope this is of use and maybe inspires a few people with controlled Epilepsy to get involved or continue mountaineering.

The author of this article wishes to maintain his anonymity.

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