Epilepsy and Memory Loss

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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 mygirl071980 on Thu, 2013-11-07 - 22:28

Helpful info

Re: Re: Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Submitted by Terri N. on Fri, 2006-10-27 - 13:21

Hi Jennie: T/y for responding to my message. It must have really been hard losing memory at such a young age, while still in school! I'm 59 and very active, but I've decided that if this is what I have to deal with as I get older, I will, and keep doing everything I want to do. So many of my friends are losing abilities with their older bodies, and so we always kid...we'll use my body and your brain, and between us, we have one good whole person! Like you said, I think stress/lack of sleep can have alot to do with the weird feelings...and think about what's going on right now. I had an argument with my husband one day, and then had a seizure a couple of days later. Had been feeling weird and then felt weird and sleepy after...totally the opposite of how I'd been feeling before the disagreement. Looking back, I'm sure the argument was the cause. You're right...it does help knowing someone else out there feels the same way. Please keep in touch! Hugs and blessings...Terri N. Ps: We're having the funeral today for my step-dad. This has been a very hard time to go thru...but I'm doing good! Praise the Lord!

Re: Re: Re: Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Submitted by rtankrider on Fri, 2006-10-27 - 19:01

Terri, I'm new to epilepsy.com so this is my first time writing. I am currently 53 and started w/sz after the birth of my daughter 27 years ago. Been on all kinds of meds, Tegretol being the worst. It lowered my sodium levels (actually causing my worst ever tonic clonic sz), made me confused and bone loss. I actually now have osteopenia (one step before osteoporsis(spelling ?) and broke two bones in the last two years. So for those of you on it, please watch it. For 25 years I suffered to tonic/clonic sz, but since I've finished menopause, I started with partial or simple complex sz. I was diagnosed by 3 doctors as having panic attacks and was treated with Paxil. Paxil combined with the tegretol made me feel like a zombie. The Paxil caused benign memory loss. The more panic attacks I got, the more the doctor increased the Paxil. I feel as if I've had amensia for roughly 1` 1/2 years. Finally I met the right doctor and he said he thought they were not panic attacks, but were partial seizures. He said I was being treated with the wrong meds, kind of like "playing golf with a tennis racket." They put me in the hospital for 10 days, took me off my meds, and induced seizures. Turns out the seizures are coming from a benign meningeoma on the surface of the brain (which I've had to 27 years). As it turns out, one of the tonic clonic sz came directly from the tumor so now I am undergoing more testing to see if they will operate. One thing though, I will not be seizure free if I have it out, only about 70% to 80% free, but that's a lot better than what I have now. So my memory is still bad, I can't drive, and am very sensitive about my memory loss. It's even starting to affect me at work. I know it is a disability and I can't help that I have it. It's comforting to know that there are those that have memory loss. I think I am getting it back but ever so slowly. Not driving is real tough as I have to depend on so many people and hate to inconvenience anyone. Sorry I am just complaining. Any recommendations? Sorry for just pouring out my heart. It's a tough disability, but I am persevering. Thanks for listening. rtankrider