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Depression and Epilepsy
Thu, 03/30/2006 - 14:35Topic: New to Epilepsy.com
When I turned 30 I was diagnosed with complex partial sz. I can honestly say that it didn't impact my life (except losing my licence for one year), like I thought it would. It was like I was in denial. I didn't do much research about it, because my meds keep me in check, just the odd aura during that time of the month. Lately, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress (caring for an older live-in parent) and because of this, well you know. Anyway my Dr. just gave me a prescription for Effexor. She originally wanted me to make alternative living arrangements for my parent, but I just can't do that, so I'll have to self medicate myself until whenever. I'm on Carbamezapine. I know the side affects from Effexor can be pretty strange, and believe me I think I've got everyone except for the vomitting and suicide (I'm such a lucky girl). Anyone out there on this crazy med Effexor?
I've also been noticing that my memory is getting terrible. I used to be able to tell everyone where everything was in the house at all times. Now I can't even remember where I put things at all. I'm feeling stupid!
Jacquie
Comments
Re: Re: Depression and Epilepsy
Submitted by andy m on Fri, 2006-04-28 - 05:54
Hi there,
Depression and epilepsy unfortunately go hand in hand. Although i had the absences for years as a child i was not diagnosed properly until I reached puberty and the grand mals kicked in big time. Because I felt that part of my life would be pinched away by succumbing to meds so early in life i either refused to take them or skipped them when i felt like getting wasted. All these years are covered in my blog but getting back to the depression i found that one of the biggest boosts for me was seeing a specialist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) I know opinion is divided on it and i was very sceptical at first as a lot of the things said to me seemed so obvious as to be ridiculous. As the CBT progressed everything began to make sense and I recovered a lot of the things that had been drained from me by a long battle with epilepsy, such as self esteem, self confidence, self belief and a willingness to get out into the 'normal world, and stop the epilepsy being the be all and end all. Now that I am on the right combo of meds after years as a lab rat i feel that the world really is my oyster. As for memory I used to suffer from Swiss cheese memory due in part to the wrong meds and many severe bangs on the head but now that my meds are spot on and i'm seizure free (touch wood) my memory is if anything improving all the time.
Good luck and good health.
Andy
Re: Re: Re: Depression and Epilepsy
Submitted by jennamay on Fri, 2006-04-28 - 07:54
Hello Everyone,
As you all know depression and epilepsy often go hand in hand. There will be a new article on Epilepsy.com addressing this issue in the early part of May, but in the meantime please feel free to read the following:
www.epilepsy.com/articles/ar_1123862747.html
www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/interprob_depress.html
Best,
Epilepsy.com Editor
Re: Depression and Epilepsy
Submitted by fzMousie on Fri, 2006-04-21 - 08:21
My memory is getting worse and worse. Some of the things I am reading indicate that it could be because of the long term impact of the seizures on the brain. It drives my husband up the wall. I'll be reading something and I'll want to tell him about it, but then I can't because I cannot remember any of the details. And I JUST READ IT, too. Same thing with TV. Don't ask me to recap a show, I won't be able to do it. ...unless it's Star Trek, and then only because I've seen every episode a gazillion times. ;) It usually takes 20 questions for him to prompt my memory. I also have trouble with words. Like, I'll use completely the wrong word (virgin, instead of version. Coke intstead of Cup. "I'm going to get a cof of cuppee.". that sort of thing). I always put it down to just my brain "misfiring", but it's happening more and more often. I'm only 26, so I'm way too young to be going senile. It's very strange, but it is so reassuring to know that other people have been through the same thing.