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LadyEnvy
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Epilepsy & Medicine Linked to Memory Loss?
Posted: 02-15-05 15:29pm
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I was wondering if anyone has any
information about epilepsy and the
medications prescribed have any affect on
the memory.
I was diagnosed with epilsepy about a year
ago and have been takin keppra. I've
noticed that my memory has worsened- i've
been more forgetful of even the simplest
things. My spelling had even gotten
worse- I found myself using the dictionary
to spell words that normally wouldnt have
been a problem for me.
I used to have an exceptional memory, and
its so frustrating not knowing why its
deteriorating. Any suggestions?
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kayakmom
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Posted: 02-15-05 21:36pm
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Http://www.Epilepsy.
Org.Uk/info/memory.Html here is some
info. It is common with seizures as well
as the meds to have memory issues. I do
see this with my son just from increase in
seizures. It is frustrating.
I also have frequent migraines and many
memory issues on some days, word finding
and my spelling gets worse on bad days,
too.
I use lots of lists and writing down and
it can help me.
Have you talked this over with your neuro?
Might be time to look into neuropsych
testing......
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MickeyFan
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Posted: 02-18-05 17:31pm
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Yes, I have experienced this on several of
the meds I have been on. Zonegran was
probably the worse. I could hardly spell
my own name.
Right now I am on pegenone, and the doc
has pushed my dose up again and I am have
a real hard time with my memory, spelling,
math, comprehension, and also a hard time
sleeping.
The web site
www.Epilepsy.Com
has alot of info on the meds and other
stuff too.
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kayakmom
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Posted: 02-18-05 18:13pm
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My son had more trouble when on high doses
of zonegran. Could not add 2 plus 2 with
me holding fingers up!! He did fine when
we lowered it....
Epilepsy.Com is a great site!!
Www.Efa.Org is also
good. Go to answerplace......
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feelgood
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Posted: 02-20-05 17:54pm
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Me too!....My memory has gotten so bad,
that while i'm talking sometimes I stop in
the middle of a sentence and can't
remember what i'm talking about....I used
to be in spelling b's in high school and
now I have trouble with the simplist words
and I don't like it at all ...I never
could figure out if it was from the
seizures or meds...........S
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shelbe
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Posted: 07-26-05 17:22pm
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When I was first diagnosed I was in
hospital.I'd just given birth to my baby
girl the suffered about 30 seizures in 24
hours.When I came round after,i didn't
know who I was,where I was...Etc.When my
daughter was brought to me I pushed her
away,i was convinced she wasn't mine.I
eventually came to a conclusion that I was
15,still at school.It took me a while but
eventually I recognised my parents,baby
etc.
When I got home I didn't recognise it or
the area where I lived.Bit by bit my
memory started to come back,but there is a
big part of my life(about 2 years),prior
to my daughters birth,that I have
completley forgotton.
They think my memory went so much because
of 2 things.The fact I had so many
seizures in such a short space of time and
the amount of eppillim I was taking.Since
reducing that and introducing lamictal my
memory has improved.
It is very frustrating but I felt there
was little things that helped me.Like
looking at photo albums,watching old
movies,and getting family and friends to
run over things with me that I have
forgotten.
Good luck in the future,shell.Xx
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feelgood
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Posted: 07-26-05 18:51pm
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How is your memory now??...I too have
problems remembering the past sometimes,
but I also have problems remembering
things now, like recognizing people and
there names...I think alot has to do with
medication and the side effects........How
do you like lamital? Ss
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Teine
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Memory Loss With Epilim, So I Had Memory Test
Posted: 08-10-05 17:11pm
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Please excuse me this is my first posting
ever on internet forum, but I have had
epilepsy for 18 years, since age 12 and
have been on epilim for about 16 years, to
be honest i'm looking now for opinions
outside my doctors predictable answers.
Im so dissilusioned about the whole taking
long term medication. I, like many others
have been consistent, then been seizure
free for long periods so 'sneakily' &
probably :? Arrogantly decide to ween
myself off as I am suspicious of the side
effects - esp memory loss. Even though
ive had a basic memory test that was all
right, I just don't remember my memory
always being so bad. Ironic I know, but
i'm sure other epileptics on meds feel the
same????
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Tokyomists
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Keppra
Posted: 08-25-05 14:19pm
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I am 22 and was put on keppra for a
seizure I had in febuary. You are not
alone in your memory loss. I too have
suffered some short term memory loss. I
was taking off of it due to changes in my
temper, and my memory. I am not
positive it was what caused the loss of
memory, but it has not gotten to much
worse for me since I have been off of it.
I recommend you see about having your
prescription changed if it gets to much
worse. However, I still do have bad
short term memory. Which may be due to
the zonegran I am currently taking.
I was put on vitiam b 12 to help with it.
You might want to check with a doctor
to see if it is right for you.
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pianist995
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
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Location: Idaho
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Keppra And Epilepsy
Posted: 10-17-05 13:32pm
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Hi,
i was diagnosed myself just 7 months ago,
I had a seizure august of 2004, no known
cause other than maybe stress and lack of
sleep (we had our third son in nov of 2003
and he is borderline asthmatic and was
born early and had rsv and stuff, so I
wasn't getting much sleep), so I went to a
neurologist and he had me do an eeg, an
mri, and the ct scan at the hospital that
they did didn't show anything. Nothing
else gave any indication why either, so he
let it go unless I had another. I had my
second in mar of 2005, it was a complex
partial, so I didn't remember either of
them, but they happened in the middle of
the night, and my husband was home both
times, though he only got home during the
first one.
After that second seizure, I was diagnosed
with epilepsy and put on keppra, started
out low, then increased to 1500 mg a day,
500 mg in the morning, and 1000 mg at
night. I had pretty intense side effects
for the first three weeks or so, I was
*really* moody, pretty depressed, and not
driving for 6 months never helps that, as
i'm sure many of you know. And plus, I
have the 3 kids, and I live in a rural
area, 15 miles from town, so for those
first few weeks, I stayed with my mom,
while my husband was working out of town
during the week.
I've pretty much adjusted to the keppra,
though the cost for it is outrageous, even
with the insurance we have through my
husband's work, we pay $200 a month, after
that, for 90 pills. We're thinking of
getting pregnant again so i'm going in to
talk to my neurologist this wednesday.
Fortunately I have a good one that treats
me well and explains things to me.
Hopefully things will work out. I know
that keppra still makes me slightly more
irritable and tired than I used to get,
but it isn't nearly as bad as when I
started on it.
Is anyone else frustrated at having
something like this? I know I have been,
I feel for those of you who have had it
your entire life. I've been quite healthy
most of mine, so this came as a pretty
huge shock, and not knowing the cause
doesn't help that.
Thanks for listening.
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Tokyomists
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Keppra
Posted: 10-19-05 12:11pm
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Heya,
i know how you feel, while I was on keppra
I became incredibly moody to the point
where for really no reason I broke up with
my boyfriend. I have since been taken
off of it and have regained control of my
moods for the most point and am back with
my boyfriend, who has been incredibly
understanding through all this.
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feelgood
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Posted: 10-19-05 12:50pm
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Hi pianist, I would re-think having
another child....The meds can effect your
baby while pregnant and trigger a grand
mal during labor....I had petit seizures
prior to having my daughter, not really
knowing what they were, but during labor
the stress turned into high blood pressure
and I had a grand mal and have been on
meds ever since...My doc has advised me
not to get pregnant again, since I almost
died the first time and the danger to the
baby...I'm listening to him, it does make
sense.....Regarding why you get them, they
say from either a head injury or a high
fever as a child and once you get them
then other things will trigger one, such
as stress, not enough sleep an not
eating.........Good luck, s.
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JosieG
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Epilepsy And Memory
Posted: 11-27-05 03:01am
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Hi to all,
i feel the same way about the medication -
I am on epilim 500mg currently (have taken
that, tegretol, keppra and a couple of
others in the last five years, and my
memory has worsened to the point where I
have to think hard about last week. It
was not this bad prior to five years ago.
I unfortunately listened to someone else's
advice, telling me that I should be
"medicated" - the worst mistake I have
made. Prior, no one knew I had epilepsy
unless I told them (simple seizures, only
I was aware of). Since beginning
medication five years ago, the complex
partial and the generalized have returned
with a vengeance - before this, my last
grand mal was when I was four.
Strange, isn't it? I've concluded the
medication is overrated, and has just made
my problem (and my memory) worse.
Regards, jo
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marla88
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Questions With Seziures And Meds.
Posted: 11-27-05 20:53pm
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I'm marla and 35 years old. My first
seziure was when I was 16 and my last was
nov. 15, 05 also my worst one yet. I
first took dilantin for approx. 16 yrs.,
the drs starting changing my meds due to
such harsh side effects that I began
having seziures again. I went from 400
mg a day of dilantin to now 3750 mg total,
a day of neurontin and keppra. No dr nor
test have been able to tell me why I have
the seziures. I went to an herbalist and
he told me a few interesting things but my
iridologist really has helped me. I
found out my body has too much calcium in
it. And alot of reserch has helped me to
find out more about it. I would
recommend "seeing" an iridologist for any
one. I enjoy learning from everyone in
on their stories. I hope I may help
anyone and they me. Good luck to
everyone. Thanks for reading. Marla88
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marla88
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Questions With Seziures And Meds.
Posted: 11-27-05 20:57pm
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I'm marla and 35 years old. My first
seziure was when I was 16 and my last was
nov. 15, 05 also my worst one yet. I
first took dilantin for approx. 16 yrs.,
the drs starting changing my meds due to
such harsh side effects that I began
having seziures again. I went from 400
mg a day of dilantin to now 3750 mg total,
a day of neurontin and keppra. No dr nor
test have been able to tell me why I have
the seziures. I went to an herbalist and
he told me a few interesting things but my
iridologist really has helped me. I
found out my body has too much calcium in
it. And alot of reserch has helped me to
find out more about it. I would
recommend "seeing" an iridologist for any
one. I enjoy learning from everyone in
on their stories. I hope I may help
anyone and they me. Good luck to
everyone. Thanks for reading. Marla88
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Avaseal
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Posted: 06-21-07 20:50pm
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Hey, this is my first time posting on
here, I was just googling epilepsy and
memory loss and this was one of the first
search results. I was diagnosed with
Epilepsy when I was about 4, and over the
course of the next 8 years i was put on a
couple different medications. All I can
remember is that one of them was a yellow
triangle-shaped tablet and I had to chew
it and it tasted horrible, The other one
that I remember was Dilantin. Up until i
was about 12-13 i took about 3 gel caps a
day of Dilantin before i decided on my own
to stop taking medicine alltogether. I
know it wasnt the safest move but i've
heard about people growing out of the
disorder. With it now being about 10 years
later I find myself being a little bit
slower than most people. I tend to pause
mid-sentence when i'm talking just to I
can remember what i was going to say. My
word retrieval skills are getting worse
and I find that I have trouble remembering
a lot of my childhood (dont know if this
is related to some PTS that i'm not aware
of). Anywho I just find myself having a
hard time to cope sometimes and was
wondering if anyone has been diagnosed
with Epilepsy find themselves with any of
these problems.
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livestrong
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Posted: 06-21-07 22:58pm
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has anyone found out from their doctor if
the memory loss is from the med's or the
seizures ???
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lalupfer
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Memory Issues
Posted: 09-08-07 13:32pm
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i'm glad that I found this site. I have
been having some memory loss that I have
been concerned about...it seems to be more
short term. My doctor said that it was
due to prolonged seizure activity. I am
39 years old, and I have been having
seizures since 12 years old. After
reading some of these entries; however, I
want to ask him about the effect of the
Zonegran.
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dinowk
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I Am Taking Kappra For More Than 3 Years.not Too Bad
Posted: 12-02-07 00:01am
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Before i had my grand mal, i experienced
memory loss (without medicine). The first
year with Dilatin was bad (memory
problem).
I am OK with Kappra and Depakote
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dinowk
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Do Not Worry About Your Memory Problem
Posted: 12-02-07 00:08am
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I believe that I had memory problem since
I was a kid (I might have had seizures
when I was a kid). I tried not to remember
things. I am not able to remember my
closely worked collegue's name.
I am now 45 years old with a good job. I
had a high education (straight A student).
do not panic if you can not remember
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