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Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Sun, 10/08/2006 - 19:36
I'm brand new to this forum. Looking it over, I don't see my major problem & don't have much info about it. I have lost alot of my memory & it supposedly is because of seizures. I have been on Neurontin since I had some blackouts, which I guess are called Absence Seizures. I just blank out & my eyes get glassy. I want to know if the memory loss & "feeling weird" are the result of having Epilepsy, or could they be from meds? I also take Effexor XR for depression. I tried to go off that when I thought maybe I'd been mistakenly diagosed with depression before they realized I have Epilepsy. That resulted in some very bad mental & emotional health problems. I'm taking both now, & the memory loss & (sometimes)weird feelings persist. Anyone out there know anything about these issues?

Comments

Re: Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Submitted by beachjunkie3 on Sun, 2009-11-29 - 18:45

Hey Emily,

I wanted to write you to share my experiences. They sound very similar to yours! I am 21 and had my first grand mal seizure a year and a half ago (I think - I believe I had a few partials before that) and I was put on 500mg of Keppra.  I noticed I was all of a sudden angry, impatient and just sad.  Most often nothing triggered the feelings...it just came out of nowhere and it was very frustrating with no cause for why I felt this way! I felt alone and that no one could understand how I was.   I would wake up crying and have no idea why.  I was determined to get to the bottom of it.  My doctor was convinced that seizures didn't cause the feelings so he told me to wait it out a little longer and see if anything changed.  It didn't - go figure - so I went back the next time I was home from college and he decided to take me off the Keppra and and try me on Lamictal.  I see that you do already take it, but after Keppra was out of my system, I've felt SOOOO much better!! The anger and sadness is almost gone! It comes in random waves but rarely.  I TRULY believe the Keppra was the cause for my feelings!! I mean, it makes sense since it didn't happen before the seizure and after I was weaned off, things changed.  Maybe suggest this to your doctor...I don't know if u need the keppra but its worth a shot!

I do also have memory loss - mostly long term - friends and family will bring up past memories and I have a hard time remembering many of them - its very sad and embarassing! Some short term for me but not like the long term.  Know you're not alone!  Its so hard because we are young and its scary to think if itll only get worse. 

 Hang in there!!! I'd love to hear what you think...or anyone else who has had a similar situation???

- Lex

Hey Emily,

I wanted to write you to share my experiences. They sound very similar to yours! I am 21 and had my first grand mal seizure a year and a half ago (I think - I believe I had a few partials before that) and I was put on 500mg of Keppra.  I noticed I was all of a sudden angry, impatient and just sad.  Most often nothing triggered the feelings...it just came out of nowhere and it was very frustrating with no cause for why I felt this way! I felt alone and that no one could understand how I was.   I would wake up crying and have no idea why.  I was determined to get to the bottom of it.  My doctor was convinced that seizures didn't cause the feelings so he told me to wait it out a little longer and see if anything changed.  It didn't - go figure - so I went back the next time I was home from college and he decided to take me off the Keppra and and try me on Lamictal.  I see that you do already take it, but after Keppra was out of my system, I've felt SOOOO much better!! The anger and sadness is almost gone! It comes in random waves but rarely.  I TRULY believe the Keppra was the cause for my feelings!! I mean, it makes sense since it didn't happen before the seizure and after I was weaned off, things changed.  Maybe suggest this to your doctor...I don't know if u need the keppra but its worth a shot!

I do also have memory loss - mostly long term - friends and family will bring up past memories and I have a hard time remembering many of them - its very sad and embarassing! Some short term for me but not like the long term.  Know you're not alone!  Its so hard because we are young and its scary to think if itll only get worse. 

 Hang in there!!! I'd love to hear what you think...or anyone else who has had a similar situation???

- Lex

Re: Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Submitted by Mejia1990 on Mon, 2012-02-27 - 04:46

Your story almost exactly matches mine. Same age, same meds. It's so nice to hear that in not alone. I dont think many people understand what we go through. And at such a young age.

Rebecca

Your story almost exactly matches mine. Same age, same meds. It's so nice to hear that in not alone. I dont think many people understand what we go through. And at such a young age.

Rebecca

Re: Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Submitted by teener1818 on Thu, 2012-01-19 - 13:35
Hi Emily.. I'm not sure if This forum is still going but I will post anyways. I am 26 y.o. I was diagnosed w petit mal and ocassional grand mal seizure disorder. I have a horrible long term and short term memory just like yourself. I have trouble remembering words in the middle of a sentence. I really wanted to be a RN but I was scared I wouldn't be able to remember all the information. I went to beauty school instead and I'm having trouble rembering stuff unless I'm doing it daily w my notes. My boyfriend thought I was just doing it for attention but after four years realized I live day by day bc I can't rem what happened yesterday which scares me bc I'm only 26. I have to ask my friends and fam about events from the past. Certain things may trigger but hardly ever. I try to play scrabble games to keep my brain thinking a little instead of stairing at the tv all day. I'm about to go look for a job soon and I'm very scared I won't get hired bc I won't rem things. Well thanks for listening

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