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Seizures caused brain damage personality changes

Mon, 11/24/2008 - 12:15
Here is my background (important for the question)-
I was diagnosed with complex seizures about a 1.5 years ago. At that time I was having many per week. I was started on Lamictal which I took for about 8 months- it controlled my seizures very well. I stopped taking my meds because of repeated kidney issues (which my neuro refused to acknowledge were related). I stopped seeing the neuro and stopped taking the Lamictal.
At first I did just fine without my meds. Two months into being med free I started having the complex seizures again. I figured that the seizures were less disturbing than the meds...besides I had a strong aura so I felt safe enough. Then the grand mals came out of the blue.
I have NEVER experience anything more horrible. My entire body hurt for days, and my eyes ached so bad. I felt like I was in a fog for a day or two. I still didn't go to the neuro at first..I knew she would report me and I was only having them at night when my husband was home. He isn't so good at describing things. At first he was saying that I had a seizure and then was twitchy for about 30 minutes (normal for me). Turns out that I was having a few GM in a row.
After about two months I realized that I was having trouble finding simple everyday words- spelling became horrible. My mind wasn't crisp anymore...even simple tasks were more difficult. I felt like I had list 30+ points on my IQ. I ended up in the ER after my husband refused to take the rages that followed the seizures for a day or two after...I went from nice to a raging bit%h.
My new neuro started the Lamictal again. She upping the meds up to 400 mg and I am feeling pretty good. I let her know my concerns, my mental clarity, and crispness is still gone. I feel stupid now. She said that I probably have brain damage. She said that happens when people stop meds and seizures generalize. I asked if over time it will get better. All she would say is that if I stopped the seizures it wouldn't get worse.
Anyone else with mild brain damage from seizures? If so can you tell me why, and if it has gotten better or worse with time?
Thanks- Trisha

Comments

Re: Seizures caused brain damage personality changes

Submitted by diana-gaidheal on Wed, 2008-11-26 - 15:58

I can only tell you about what happened to me. My dr gave me a prescription of Ativan if a sz started. It stopped the szs and also made me fall asleep. One day I was with friends. We were going to a birthday party with a bunch of other friends. I had a sz but didn't take the med. Then I had 3 more. They were small & only for a few min. Then I had a big one. It was a status epilepticus - meaning a seizure that won't stop. It was intersting - I was able to walk like a crab (is what my friend told me), and communicate by action -  meaning getting med card, no talking.  Before we went to the hospital I gave the BD card to the BD girl. I was out of it for 3-4 days. I only remember being awake a couple of times.

What I'm trying to say is to stay on your meds. I was still on my meds when this happened. The problem was that I didn't take the rescue med after the second sz. I would have slept and the szs would have stopped.

Talk to you dr about possibly changing the med if you still have these side affects after several months. You need to give it a chance. I understand the problems with side affects. I almost lost my job once because of some of my meds, but my new supervisor rescued me. I always thank god for her. 

Good luck - Diana :->

I can only tell you about what happened to me. My dr gave me a prescription of Ativan if a sz started. It stopped the szs and also made me fall asleep. One day I was with friends. We were going to a birthday party with a bunch of other friends. I had a sz but didn't take the med. Then I had 3 more. They were small & only for a few min. Then I had a big one. It was a status epilepticus - meaning a seizure that won't stop. It was intersting - I was able to walk like a crab (is what my friend told me), and communicate by action -  meaning getting med card, no talking.  Before we went to the hospital I gave the BD card to the BD girl. I was out of it for 3-4 days. I only remember being awake a couple of times.

What I'm trying to say is to stay on your meds. I was still on my meds when this happened. The problem was that I didn't take the rescue med after the second sz. I would have slept and the szs would have stopped.

Talk to you dr about possibly changing the med if you still have these side affects after several months. You need to give it a chance. I understand the problems with side affects. I almost lost my job once because of some of my meds, but my new supervisor rescued me. I always thank god for her. 

Good luck - Diana :->

Re: Seizures caused brain damage personality changes

Submitted by Teemoo on Sun, 2009-11-01 - 13:37

Well i am brought to this discussion because i fear i am getting worse with my seizures. ive had them since i was 12 (im 19 now) i am not diagnosed becuz when i went to the hospital only once for it..being rushed there from sleeping at my friends house at age 14 he was scared n i was unconsious so i dont blaim him. But when my father went to the hospital he swore i must of been doing drugs. Plus my docter at that time did not wanna diagnose me till i came into the hospital again after having another one. Well i was pissed off at my fathers acusation i didnt tell him. i after once in a while having my seizures it boosted to having them once or twice a month then would decrease in numbers for a while. NOW these past few weeks ive been having them almost dayly..n also in my sleep. So since i am not on my fathers insurence any more im about to get a medical card in 2 weeks finally to go get what i need done about it. Then soon see a neuro. Im starting to have weird twitches..almost like the feeling in ur head u get when ur getting a coldchill..that instant muffled fog rush in ur head then i twitch. Days when that happends i find it hard to say things right, i stumble over words n i mess up alot on sentences n cant focus like i used to.

 can any one tell me if i do have some kind of epileptic kind of seizures? ill explain them..

At first i get this weird feeling usually alittle bit before hand..then suddely i get shakey alittle..then my nerves shoot up and my heart rate increases, next is my eye sight..goes to crap..then hearing after as well. i start feeling faint, hard to focus on things, every thing around my seems slower then usual. As it gets that far my heart is pounding and it gets very hard to breath and n im shaking frantically. usually at this point i fall over n im on the floor..occasionally when it gets to this point my eyes rolled in the back of my head and then i am incoherent for a while.

things ive noticed after the passing years that hav gone by with it being not treated is..

i cant get too happy, to angry or sad, i hav to sleep a decent amount of hours, i cant drink most energy drinks, and strobe lights dont bother me usually..as far as i know n a few other things. BUT most of the time i still dont knw why i have alot of them. N what scares me most is now they all of a sudden hav become frequent the past 3 weeks.

n e idea on this? if so reply to this, or email me.. TylerGerace@aim.com

Well i am brought to this discussion because i fear i am getting worse with my seizures. ive had them since i was 12 (im 19 now) i am not diagnosed becuz when i went to the hospital only once for it..being rushed there from sleeping at my friends house at age 14 he was scared n i was unconsious so i dont blaim him. But when my father went to the hospital he swore i must of been doing drugs. Plus my docter at that time did not wanna diagnose me till i came into the hospital again after having another one. Well i was pissed off at my fathers acusation i didnt tell him. i after once in a while having my seizures it boosted to having them once or twice a month then would decrease in numbers for a while. NOW these past few weeks ive been having them almost dayly..n also in my sleep. So since i am not on my fathers insurence any more im about to get a medical card in 2 weeks finally to go get what i need done about it. Then soon see a neuro. Im starting to have weird twitches..almost like the feeling in ur head u get when ur getting a coldchill..that instant muffled fog rush in ur head then i twitch. Days when that happends i find it hard to say things right, i stumble over words n i mess up alot on sentences n cant focus like i used to.

 can any one tell me if i do have some kind of epileptic kind of seizures? ill explain them..

At first i get this weird feeling usually alittle bit before hand..then suddely i get shakey alittle..then my nerves shoot up and my heart rate increases, next is my eye sight..goes to crap..then hearing after as well. i start feeling faint, hard to focus on things, every thing around my seems slower then usual. As it gets that far my heart is pounding and it gets very hard to breath and n im shaking frantically. usually at this point i fall over n im on the floor..occasionally when it gets to this point my eyes rolled in the back of my head and then i am incoherent for a while.

things ive noticed after the passing years that hav gone by with it being not treated is..

i cant get too happy, to angry or sad, i hav to sleep a decent amount of hours, i cant drink most energy drinks, and strobe lights dont bother me usually..as far as i know n a few other things. BUT most of the time i still dont knw why i have alot of them. N what scares me most is now they all of a sudden hav become frequent the past 3 weeks.

n e idea on this? if so reply to this, or email me.. TylerGerace@aim.com

The same thing has happened

Submitted by courtneylarreinaga on Wed, 2017-07-12 - 04:38
The same thing has happened to me except I started with sever tonic clonic seizures I quit taking lab made medication and turned to thc. Which controls the tonic clonic seizures but I started having simple and complex partial seizures which were really weird because I never remembered my seizures and I remember these. But I used to be able to do algebra in my head with ease now it's hard to multiply in my head I always have to write it out now. Year seemed to have mushed together. I dont really remember things anymore but my neurologist said it should return after I get my seizures under control. I went undiagnosed my whole life it started as blackouts in childhood. She said since I have never had my seizures under control I'm having a hard time forming short term memories so they can't get stored in my long term memory. Hope this helps.

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