Epilepsy Talk

Seizure Provoking Conditions

October 18, 2017
4 Comments

Few of these conditions will cause epilepsy itself…but many can lead to seizures. So consider this a definition of the possibilities…

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues, Research
Tags: Epilepsy, Medication Issues, seizure provoking conditions

Anti-Epilepsy Drugs Lose Effectiveness Over Time…

October 10, 2017
17 Comments

It may be the dose prescribed…the type of epilepsy you have…even something as simple as your age or weight. But research shows that, over time, the effectiveness of your anti-epilepsy drug may decline.

Posted in Epilepsy, Medication Issues, Research
Tags: anti-epilepsy drugs, decline, drug-resistant, effectivness, metabolism, time, tolerance

Epilepsy Related Conditions

October 8, 2017
11 Comments

In chronic conditions, such as epilepsy, the coexistence of more than one illness in a patient is the rule rather than the exception…

Men and women with epilepsy have a two-to five-fold increase in the occurrence of conditions, such as migraine, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disorders, along with gastrointestinal disorders, pulmonary disorders, dementia, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, anxiety, and personality disorders.

Posted in Epilepsy, Research
Tags: diabetes, epilepsy related conditions, heart disease, infection, inflammatory disorders, migraines, sleep disorders

Epileptic Synesthesia: What Is It?

October 3, 2017
8 Comments

A friend of mine with TLE, told me he had synesthesia and I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.

And so, I set to find out exactly what this mysterious sounding condition was…

Posted in Epilepsy, Research
Tags: aura, consciousness, demon, emotion, Epilepsy, reality, reason, sight, smell, sound, synesthesia, taste, touch, unknown

New Hope for Epilepsy Stem Cell Therapy

September 29, 2017
5 Comments

About stem cells: “They’ve been called magic seeds. They have the potential to cure disease, regenerate organs, and even prolong life. And they could completely alter the way we practice medicine” – Fortune Magazine

There are many exciting areas in epilepsy research. One topic of great interest is the use of stem cells to treat seizures.

Posted in Epilepsy, News, Research
Tags: beneficial effects, chronic epilepsy, cure disease, data, Epilepsy, help memory, hope, medication resistant, neurons, prolong life, promise?, regenerate organs, Research, seizure focus, stem cell

Help Line

September 25, 2017
5 Comments

The secret here is the numbers 211.

Go to the website: http://www.211.org/. Where available, 211 allows people to give help and to get help.

211 can also give people who live in rural areas better access to health and human service information.

Posted in Epilepsy, Tips

Depression is quiet…

September 22, 2017
7 Comments

You would be surprised how many people in your life could be going through depression at this very moment.

People hide it like a paper bag over their heads out of fear of being judged, made fun of, seen as weak, or just not taken seriously.

Posted in Epilepsy
Tags: depression, lonely, love, support

The Stigma of Epilepsy

September 17, 2017
34 Comments

The stigma is ancient and it still remains today.

Laws in the United States and Great Britain that prohibited epileptic people to marry were just repealed in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Until the late 1970s, legislations in the United States also prevented epileptic people from entering public buildings such as restaurants, shopping centers, and theaters. [US Department of Health]

Although these laws are no longer in effect, the underlying social divisions that they have created in the past thirty years are still present today.

In most states, having a seizure is technically illegal, and while prosecutions are rare, they do happen.

Posted in Epilepsy
Tags: Dr. Orrin Devinsky, Epilepsy, ignorance, madness, Pulitzer prize-winning author Jon Meacham, social rejection, stigma, suicide, twitter

Updated — 40+ Different Kinds of Seizures

September 13, 2017
23 Comments

When I was first diagnosed with epilepsy, there were two kinds of seizures. Grand Mal and Petit Mal. (Can you guess how old I am?)

Now, things are much more different and difficult. No more cut and dried.

So, please, if you have any additions, subtractions or corrections, feel free to chime in.

Because I don’t pretend to be an expert. In fact, this has certainly been a learning experience, from start to finish.

Here, to the best of my knowledge, are the 40+ different types of seizures.

Posted in Epilepsy
Tags: classifications, names, seizures

Conversion Disorder and Epilepsy…

September 10, 2017
10 Comments

What is it?

Is it epilepsy or conversion disorder?

The term “conversion” comes from the idea that psychological distress is being converted into a physical symptom.

The cause is not known…

Posted in Epilepsy, Research
Tags: conflict, Conversion Disorder, diagnosis, distress, duration, EEG, Epilepsy, Neurologists, physical symptom, PNES, prognosis, psychiatrists, psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, psychological problems, subconscious