Epilepsy Talk
Epilepsy and Memory…
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To say that lack of memory is a major worry for those of us with epilepsy is hardly a surprise.
In fact, it’s the number one concern.
Simply put, memory is our brain’s ability to store information and find it again later.
Chemical and electrical changes happen in your brain when new memories are made.
It’s a natural brain process that requires continuing attention and recording by parts of your brain.
Seizures interfere with your memory by interfering with attention or input of information.
Confusion often follows a seizure, and during this foggy time, new memory traces aren’t being laid down in the brain.
Antidepressants and Epilepsy…
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For a long time, depression was thought to be a complication of epilepsy.
“People with a history of depression have a 3 to 7 times higher risk of developing epilepsy. This kind of information is forcing us to take a second look at the interaction between depression and epilepsy” said Dr. Andres Kanner, a Professor of Clinical Neurology and Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine.
Tags: Abilify, antidepressants, Ativan, Busperone, Celexa, Cymbalta, Doxapin, drugs, Effexor, Elavil, Epilepsy, Halcion, Klonopin, Lamictal, Lexapro, Librium, Lyrica, MAOIs, Paxil, Prozac, Remeron, risk, Seroquel, SSRI, Tofrail, Tranxene, Trazone, Valium, Valproate, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Zoloft
Can You Believe It?
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Just when you thought the modern world was becoming enlightened, there are still a whole lot of myths and fears about epilepsy — fueled by ignorance and misinformation.
These fears might sound ridiculous to you…but they’re real for those who don’t know better.
Tags: contagious, cured by medications, die, Epilepsy, not employable, physically limited, rare
Is Epilepsy Inherited?
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Just because you have a parent, sibling, cousin or aunt who has epilepsy doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have it also.
In fact, if you have a close relative with epilepsy, the chance of you having epilepsy is only about 2-5%, depending on the specific type of epilepsy.
The risk in the general population is about 1-2%.
On the other hand, there is a 92-98% chance for the close relative of someone with epilepsy to NOT have the same condition!
So, even though the risk in families with epilepsy is higher than in the general population, most people with epilepsy do not have any relatives with seizures, and the great majority of parents with epilepsy do not have children with epilepsy.
Tags: Epilepsy, family risk, genetic abnormalities, genetic testing, Research, seizure threshold, seizure-free, seizures
Good news, there’s a new AED in town!
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On November 19, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved cenobamate (XCOPRI®) for the treatment of focal epilepsy in adults. This medication will be available in the pharmacy by the spring or summer of 2020.
Tags: focal epilepsy, lower seizure frequency, new drug, XCOPRI
Blood Tests May Help Diagnose Epilepsy
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A recent study shows that a simple blood test can determine whether or not someone has had an epileptic seizure.
Doctors at Stanford University, California, reveal that the level of the hormone prolactin may be indicative of the type of seizure and can be measured by this blood test.
The blood test which must be used within 10 to 20 minutes after a seizure, can identify generalized tonic-clonic seizures and complex partial seizures in both adults and older children, because the level of prolactin in the blood goes up.
Sodium and Seizures
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You may think that sodium is a “bad guy” to be avoided or reduced at all cost, because too much is linked to high blood pressure.
But sodium is actually an essential electrolyte, and a deficiency can trigger seizures.
Seizures from low sodium levels are most likely to occur from a serious disease, acute infection or because you tried to run a marathon on a hot day.
One-time or isolated seizures from these causes don’t warrant a diagnosis of epilepsy.
However, epilepsy is sometimes misdiagnosed and you may have an underlying health condition that’s causing an electrolyte problem.
Tags: balance, blood panel, coma, death, high sodium, low sodium, monitoring, seizures, sodium
Drug Resistant Epilepsy News
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News of this groundbreaking scientific discovery comes from “zarabia” a member of the epilepsy support board at WebMD.com. It’s very exciting and offers real hope.
Epilepsy and Electrolytes
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It’s a situation often mentioned but rarely understood – the effects electrolytes have on seizures.
But a simple blood test can detect the danger of unbalanced electrolytes.
Taking extra doses of certain minerals can help to prevent side-effects that may follow the long-term use of some seizure medicines.
And taking supplements can help protect the brain (as can a B-Vitamin complex), but it’s no guarantee of seizure control, since there are a lot of different factors at play that can trigger a seizure.
But, making sure you have the right nutrients is just as important as having the right balance between all of them, so that proper electrical connections are maintained.
Tags: balance, blood sugar, Calcium, electrolytes, Epilepsy, magnesium, minerals, oxygen, potassium, seizure control, side effects, sodium, Vitamin-B
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