Epilepsy Talk
A menu of epilepsy auras…
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One of the good thing about auras, is that if you’re aware of them, they’re effective (if unpleasant) warning signals of an oncoming seizure.
I didn’t learn to identify mine (mouth filling up with saliva and disgusting metallic taste) until I was well into my 20’s.
Tags: auditory changes, auras, physical changes, psychological changes, seizures, visual changes, warning signs
Seniors — Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy or Seizures?
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The question of whether a person has epilepsy or Alzheimer’s can be a tough one.
Take those “senior moments” — memory lapses, zoning out and other temporary confusion. These seemingly harmless incidents may actually be a sign of epilepsy. Roughly 1-2 percent of seniors develop epilepsy — and that rate is rising.
But experts at the U.S. National Council on Aging warn that often epilepsy goes undetected in seniors.
Tags: "senior moments", Alzheimer's, drugs, Epilepsy, medications, misdiagnosed, Research, seizures, undetected
The Trouble with AEDs…
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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?
Tags: AEDS, anti-epilepsy drugs, benefits, dangers, seizures, side-effects
Other Voices…Other Lives…
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“There were times I asked myself,
‘Is life really worth living?’
Suicide, now there’s a thought,
But would God be forgiving?”
Ed L.
Tags: damaged goods, friends, memory, opportunities, relationships, seclusion, seizures, succeed, suicide
Traumatic brain injuries and epilepsy — what you need to know
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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.
Tags: cooling grid, head trauma, new research, prevent or reduce seizures, seizures, TBI, traumatic brain injury
Which of these is the cause of your epilepsy?
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In some 6 out of 10 cases, epilepsy is idiopathic — meaning the cause is unknown. In other cases, epilepsy can be traced to an abnormality of the structure or function of the brain.
These abnormalities can arise from traumatic brain injuries, strokes and other vascular problems, infections of the nervous system (meningitis or encephalitis), congenital malformations, brain tumors or metabolic abnormalities.
Seizures can literally begin at any time for any number of reasons.
Here are just a few of them.
Which pertain to you?
Is there a connection between seizures and hormones?
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Many women with epilepsy have asked their doctors about the connection between seizures and hormones. But not every woman has seen her concerns given the attention she’d hoped for.
Although it is not very well understood at this point, there are scientifically documented connections between seizures and hormones that not all physicians are educated about.
What are hormones?
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.
Conditions commonly misdiagnosed as epilepsy…
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A moment of unresponsiveness — the inability to recall what just happened…convulsions or jerking movements…sudden stiffness of the body.
These are classic symptoms of an epilepsy seizure — triggered by abnormal electrical impulses in the brain.
And while these symptoms may indicate epilepsy, other brain abnormalities or injuries could also lead to seizures.
Having a seizure doesn’t automatically mean you have epilepsy. And without testing, the diagnosis – or misdiagnosis – can be pretty scary.
There are loads of conditions that have symptoms similar to epilepsy.
Here are the most common…
Tags: auras, brain, disorders, misdiagnosed epilepsy, neurological, seizures
Sleep apnea — it’s not just what you think it is
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It’s not just snoring. It’s much more dangerous than that. Even deadly.
The estimated prevalence in North America is approximately 15 to 30 percent in males and 10 to 15 percent in females, But, as much as 40 percent of epilepsy patients suffer with undiagnosed sleep apnea. Especially those with refractory epilepsy.
Tags: breathing, CPAP, dangerous, Epilepsy, oxygen, seizures, sleep apnea, sleep quality, snoring
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