Epilepsy Talk
Traumatic Brain Injury and Epilepsy
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In a fraction of a second, head trauma can dramatically change a person’s life.
Head trauma caused by falls, physical abuse, violence, vehicle crashes and sporting accidents, not to mention modern warfare.
However, it’s important to realize that not all head injuries, even severe ones, result in seizures. And seizures frequently occur in people who haven’t experienced head trauma.
But close associations do exist between head trauma and seizures — as much as twelve times as opposed to someone without a head trauma.
Tags: cooling grid, head trauma, new research, prevent or reduce seizures, seizures, TBI, traumatic brain injury, varied problems
How were YOU first diagnosed with epilepsy?
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I almost drowned in the shower.
It had three round shower heads on the wall with one more huge one overhead. And a heavy plate-glass door that was like trying to get out of a vault!
All of a sudden, I felt the blood rush through my toes (that’s what it felt like) and I knew I had to get out. Or drown.
Scientists Find a Possible Link Between Gut Health and Depression
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New research has identified a possible link between gut health and brain function.
Building on this work, the study reveals that clinical depression could also be affected by the amounts of certain bacteria in the gut.
For all of us with depression, this could be a real breakthrough.
Who is Your Personal Hero?
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For me, it was my Grandfather, who believed in me completely and thought that I could do anything I set out to do.
At the age of 14, I said I wanted to be a writer.
“Fine, he said. You’ll go to the Columbia School of Journalism.”
(Unfortunately he died long before that and nobody else had any faith in me. They all thought I was “damaged goods.”)
A Neurologist Talks About His Own Epilepsy…
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In this eye-opening article from the New York Times, a neurologist talks about his own journey with epilepsy: his perceptions, other people’s reactions (not good) and how he decided to become a neurologist.
Tags: "must" reading, eye-opening, Neurologist, perceptions, reactions, reality, stereotypes, stigma
Epilepsy Support Groups
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One thing I’ve discovered is the search for support groups is endless — and seldom successful. Unless you live in a metropolitan area.
But, if you do find a support group, you’ll find an amazing wealth of camaraderie, compassion and caring.
Not every group does the same things. Even groups with similar activities may have different results because of the individuals involved…but think of it as a learning and bonding experience.
You’re interacting with people who share a similar illness, but perhaps different solutions. You can share your feelings, fears, concerns and perhaps get answers.
But most importantly, you can join a community of caring and know that you’re not alone.
Auras without Seizures
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Do any of these sensations sound familiar to you?
Suddenly you’re sweating, flushed, become pale or have goosebumps.
Your stomach feels queasy, like you’re going to puke.
There’s a foreboding or fear that something awful is about to happen…
Tags: aura, deja vu, distortion, foreboding, no seizure, odd sensation, perceptions, simple partial seizure, spatial, visual
The Perils of Discontinuing Your Meds
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One of the most common questions is “when can I stop taking my meds?”
Especially for those whose seizures have been under good control.
It makes sense. Because if you’re doing well, you start to wonder “why do I need these meds anymore”?
This review is organized around four issues…
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.
Tags: Epilepsy, family risk, genetic abnormalities, genetic testing, Research, seizure threshold, seizure-free, seizures
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