Epilepsy Talk
Seizures won’t wait — even during COVID-19
7 Comments
COVID-19 seems to be knocking on everybody’s door. Along with the peril and the terror.
And the possibility of seeing your doctor during these dangerous times seems risky, at best.
So, you can’t see the doctor and they can’t see you.
Except in a hospital setting, critical care or a clinic.
That could means more exposure. More jeopardy. Is it really worth the exposure?
Tags: COVID-19, Epilepsy, follow-up care, improved access, neurological assessment, pandemic, saved time and money, seizures, technology, telemedicine
Domestic Violence — When Love Goes Wrong
20 Comments
Carol found herself in a cycle of violence from the time she was a child. By adulthood, she had already experienced multiple beatings and hospitalizations.
In the most recent attack, her husband beat her with a board, leaving her with permanent brain damage and a life-long disability.
As a result of her injury, she now has frequent seizures, difficulty with balance, and is terrified to leave her home for fear of having a seizure or falling.
Epilepsy: Meditation vs. Medication
23 Comments
Neither is mutually exclusive.
You can have medication without meditation. Most of us do.
You can do meditation without medication. Most of us wouldn’t and shouldn’t take that risk.
But together, they can enhance one another.
Tags: benefits, Complementary Alternative Medicine, enhance, Epilepsy, medication, meditation, relaxation, risks, seizures, stress
Exactly what IS Neuropsychology?
26 Comments
I never had a clue what neuropsychology was all about. Although it sounded like a good idea.
Then a while ago, I had an assessment. (Mercifully, it was the two-hour test and not the 8-hour version.)
The neuropsychologist I went to had all the records from my last 12 years with my neurologist and it was clear he had done his homework.
The question was, did my deficit in memory come from my history of seizures, my previous concussions (one of which had only been a month ago) or even age itself? (I thought to myself, geeze, I’m only 67!)
Here’s basically what happened…
Tags: age, attention, brain behavior, brain tissue, cognitive impairment, concussions, damage, functions, learning, memory deficit, neuropsychology, organization, planning, problem-solving, retraining, seizures, treatment
Heat Is Not Our Friend…
26 Comments
And it can trigger some pretty awful consequences.
Like the time I was gardening at high noon. (What was I thinking about?) I fell backwards, hitting my head on the walkway. And I couldn’t ask for help because I was out cold. Baking in the sun.
And I’m sure you have your own stories. About passing out, puking or just feeling like you’re as dizzy as if you were on a roller coaster ride.
An epileptologist explained that heat can trigger a seizure for some people because it’s firing up the neurons in the brain which can cause a seizure.
Some examples:
Tags: dehydration, first aid, heat, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat index, heat rash, heat stroke, hot weather, lightning, medication side-effects, seizures, sunstroke, thunderstorms, tired muscles, Topamax
Seizures…Memory…Depression. YES, They Are Linked!
26 Comments
At least one third of people with epilepsy also have depression.
Epilepsy can have different effects on memory functions and depression for various reasons.
Because the portion of the brain where memory and emotions are stored — the limbic system — can be disturbed by epileptic seizures.
In fact, memory problems are one of the most reported problems that coincide with epilepsy.
A Menu of Epilepsy Auras
29 Comments
The fact is: There are probably as many or more types of auras as there are types of epilepsy…
Auras can last from several seconds to more than an hour, and can sometimes end with feelings of extreme tiredness, weakness, heart palpitation, sweating and warmth throughout one’s body.
And some people can experience auras with no seizure(s).
Each and every person’s aura patterns are different. They vary significantly between individuals.
Tags: auditory changes, auras, physical changes, psychological changes, seizures, visual changes, warning signs
Stress and seizures…
66 Comments
Let’s be honest, you probably didn’t plan on having epilepsy.
But here we are.
And we all know that stress is #1 in the hit parade of seizure triggers.
Endless surveys prove the fact.
Tags: #1 trigger, anticipation, cortisol hormone, emotions, fight or flight, negative feelings, relaxation, seizures, stress, vicious cycle
Seniors — Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy or Seizures?
6 Comments
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
Other Voices — Other Lives
29 Comments
“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: adapt, damaged goods, emotional, friends, fulfilling, memory, opportunities, relationships, seclusion, seizures, succeed, suicide
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