Epilepsy Talk

Brain fog and you… | August 13, 2024

The lights are on but nobody’s home.

You feel confused, stressed, disoriented – like the thought is just out of your reach.

You’re concentrating, but the words elude you.

There’s this cloudy-headed feeling that surrounds you.

And you’re so forgetful, you could scream with frustration.

Damn, what is this?

Pure, but not simple, brain fog.

Stress and depression are the main triggers. (Aren’t they always?)

And don’t forget sleeplessness.

But, not everyone is the same.

Different seizures can have different impacts on patients’ memory depending on which area of the brain they affect.

For example:

Generalized seizures affect the whole brain.

Focal seizures can affect specific areas of the brain.

Our brain stores different types of memories in specific parts of the brain.

If you have focal seizures that begin in one of these places, it might disrupt the way memories are being stored or processed. 

Many other factors can affect memory in people with epilepsy.

Some of these factors are fixed (meaning permanent), such as if you have a history of a prior brain injury.

Some evolve. Some go away.

The Ictal phase (when you are recovering from a seizure) can often make people feel confused and mean they struggle to remember where they are or who they are with – but your memory will usually return in time.

Of course, your seizure meds may be a culprit. Side-effects are the devil and cause all kinds of problems.

Ask the doc for a substitution or other “cocktail”.

If brain fog is due to a lifestyle issue, such as too little sleep, or a temporary physical cause, identify the bad guy and try to improve situation.

(I’m sure you’ve read a zillion articles about how to fall asleep and get the best night’s slumber.)

And, although this might sound odd, there are diets that can help, brain games that can sharpen your acuity (my friend credits Sudoku with her breakthrough in memory) and even little reminders to get you through the day.

But no magic pills, no silver bullet, no easy answers will solve the frustration of brain fog. (Even post-Its!)

The fear that you just won’t be able to remember something important.

The embarrassment of losing your place in a conversion. (That’s what I’m most afraid of. The social aspects, where I feel inadequate.)

But you can practice…practice…practice. Try to drill down to the physical source of your problem. And not least of all, have a little patience with yourself.

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Resources:

https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/epilepsy-and-memory-loss

https://www.epilepsy.com/complications-risks/thinking-and-memory

https://www.epsyhealth.com/seizure-epilepsy-blog/epilepsy-and-memory-loss-whats-the-link#:~:text=While%20there%20is%20not%20currently,by%20damage%20to%20the%20brain.

https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/living-epilepsy/memory/how-epilepsy-may-affect-memory

https://www.epilepsy.com/connect/forum-archive/epilepsycom-help/help-brain-fog

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