Epilepsy Talk
11 Companies Hiring for Jobs You Can Do at Home
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These companies have remote jobs that may be great for people with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
Epilepsy Versus “Pseudo-Seizures”
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Epilepsy is not a dirty word. Neither is pseudo-seizures.
But they both coexist, side by side.
One of the most common complications is the misconception that people who suffer from pseudo-seizures are hypochondriacs, hysterics, or “faking it.”
The name for the condition alone, “pseudo-seizures,” perpetuates that misunderstanding.
The term “pseudo-seizures” is extremely misleading. The seizures are quite real, and people who have then do not have conscious, voluntary control over them.
Epilepsy and Education…Coming Out Of The Shadows
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It starts in the playground. A kid has a seizure and everybody freaks out.
Nobody knows what to do. Maybe not even the school nurse.
Even though epilepsy first aid is a cinch.
It’s frightening to see a child seize and then, based on that fright, they think:
“I can’t deal with this.”
Tags: children, colleagues, discrimination, educate, employers, EMTs, Epilepsy, firemen, hospital staff, ignorance, judges, Legislators, nurses, parents, police, prison wardens, resources, teachers
Epilepsy Stats and Facts
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I call epilepsy a “stealth disease”, because it’s difficult to imagine how so few people know about a “silent” condition that affects so many.
For example, few people know:
Updated — 40+ Different Kinds of Seizures
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When I was first diagnosed with epilepsy, there were two kinds of epilepsy. 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 epilepsy.
Where’s The Funding? Epilepsy As An Orphan
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Here are the facts, unhappy though they may be…
Epilepsy is the 4th most common neurological problem – only migraine, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease occurs more frequently.
Its prevalence is greater than autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease combined.
As many people die from epilepsy as from breast cancer.
There are 200,000 new cases of epilepsy each year, and a total of more than 3 million Americans are affected by it.
Yet, public and private funding for epilepsy research lags far behind other neurological afflictions, at $35 a patient (compared, for instance, with $129 for Alzheimer’s and $280 for multiple sclerosis).
Gratitude is the Attitude…
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Sometimes, I get into a funk so bad that it’s like a black hole.
Until I remember the safety ladder that I always carry in my pocket.
I think of at least five things I’m grateful for.
Or if I’m down there awhile, I stretch it to ten.
Here are the top five on my gratitude list:
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome — a danger for those on Dilantin or Lamictal
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This article is not for those with a weak stomach. Because Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is an ugly and sometimes deadly disease.
But if you are on Dilantin or Lamictal, I urge you to read this information.
According to the Mayo Clinic: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is a rare, serious condition, thought to be caused by a disorder of your immune system.
Tags: dangerous, Dilantin, Epilepsy, Lamictal, rare, Research, skin shedding, sometimes deadly, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
Dilantin — What People Are Saying…
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When I was first diagnosed with epilepsy back in 1969, the availability of AEDs was limited.
Phenobarbital or Dilantin.
Pick your poison.
I chose Dilantin. It was not a pretty picture.
Tags: bone density, dangers, Dilantin, Epilepsy, health issues, side effects, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
Dilantin — Hero or Horror?
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Dilantin (Phenytoin) can be considered the grandfather of all epilepsy medications.
Although it was invented in 1908 as a chemical that could prevent convulsions during electroshock treatment, its popularity grew quickly, and as early as 1940, it was hailed as initiating a whole new epoch of anti-epilepsy drugs, motivating researchers to seek even more effective medications and pharmaceutical companies set up aggressive screening programs.
In the next two decades, a dozen new anticonvulsants were introduced into clinical therapy!
Today, Dilantin remains one of the most widely used drugs in the world.
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