Epilepsy Talk

Bipolar versus epilepsy. Are they related?

March 5, 2024
2 Comments

Yes they’re related. And they even overlap. Although one doesn’t necessarily cause the other.

A psychiatrist might tell you that you are bipolar. A neurologist might diagnose you with psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES).

So which is it?


Senators Thrash BIG Pharma CEOs for Pricing Drugs Higher in the U.S.

February 12, 2024
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One in four Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs.

No big surprise.

Price are higher than any other wealthy nation.

Here are some stunning examples: Johnson & Johnson’s arthritis drug Ustekinumab (Stelara) costs $79,000 in the U.S.

But it costs $20,000 in Canada and $12,000 in France.


Keppra — What People Are Saying 

December 7, 2023
12 Comments

To say the word “Keppra,” is to invite instant controversy.

For some people it works, for some it doesn’t and for others, it’s a living nightmare.


How much is epilepsy costing YOU?

November 25, 2023
4 Comments

Here’s a look at how epilepsy can affect your pocketbook. And why it’s called an “orphan disease”.


Anti-Epilepsy Drugs Lose Effectiveness Over Time… 

July 17, 2023
5 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.


Many neurologists unaware of AED safety risks

July 13, 2023
13 Comments

A study by Johns Hopkins researchers shows that a fifth of U.S. neurologists appear unaware of serious drug safety risks associated with various anti-epilepsy drugs, potentially jeopardizing the health of patients who could be just as effectively treated with safer alternative medications.


Food or medications — which would you choose?

May 1, 2023
7 Comments

It’s heartbreaking, but all too common…

A patient calls their doctor after repeated seizures.

He had missed his medication for about a week. He had recently been laid off and lost insurance coverage.

He couldn’t afford to refill his eslicarbazepine acetate (Aptiom) prescription.


Epilepsy and Diabetes — Confusion or Common Cure?

April 18, 2023
2 Comments

A seizure can be quite serious and can be a scary experience for not just the person experiencing it but for the people around them.

While seizures are caused due to many reasons, one of the prime reasons for a seizure to occur is when people have epilepsy.

Among those types of seizures are diabetic seizures, which can sometimes turn into an emergency quite quickly.


The Trouble with AEDs… 

February 19, 2023
4 Comments

At the very best, finding the right anti-epilepsy drug is a crap shoot. There’s always the hope that this one will do it.

Or maybe adjunct therapy will work. Or, sigh, the side-effects derail you and you’re on to the next.

Is asking for seizure control too much to ask?


Why you should AVOID going to the hospital… (If You Can!)

January 30, 2023
5 Comments

Medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease and cancer.

A recent Johns Hopkins study claims more than 250,000 people in the U.S. die every year from medical errors.

Other reports claim the numbers to be as high as 440,000.


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    About the author

    Phylis Feiner Johnson

    Phylis Feiner Johnson

    I've been a professional copywriter for over 35 years. I also had epilepsy for decades. My mission is advocacy; to increase education, awareness and funding for epilepsy research. Together, we can make a huge difference. If not changing the world, at least helping each other, with wisdom, compassion and sharing.

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