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Simple Partial Seizures & Long-term memory

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 05:26
Topic: New to Epilepsy.com

Hi, I am new to this forum.

I suffer from what are suspected to be Simple Partial Seizures. They are currently under investigation, and having had an MRI and EEG with nothing abnormal showing, the doctor is starting to suspect epilepsy, although nothing has been diagnosed as yet. I have always thought since they started that these simple partial seizures are just a minor inconvenience which I can live with, and as such I probably wouldn't want medication in case the side effects were worse than the actual seizures.

However recently I've started wondering if these seizures are cumulatively damaging my long-term memory. Sometimes my wife talks of things we've done, places we've been, and it's worrying that, for some things, I have no memory of them at all.

If this is the case then of course I'd want to take medication in the assumption that controlling the seizures might prevent further memory loss.

Does anyone know of a link between seizures (I believe they are temporal lobe based) and long-term memory loss? Or maybe I've just always had a lousy memory anyway?

Comments

Re: Simple Partial Seizures & Long-term memory

Submitted by 1Mystery on Thu, 2008-07-24 - 16:44

I have also had problems with my SPS and memory loss.   I have recently started playing "brain games" and puzzles hoping that it might help. I have tried to spend more time reading also.   I think that whether a person has epilepsy,  is aging or smoked too much pot growing up!  they still need to "feed their brain" to keep their memory and thought process working....   Never give up!  

I have also had problems with my SPS and memory loss.   I have recently started playing "brain games" and puzzles hoping that it might help. I have tried to spend more time reading also.   I think that whether a person has epilepsy,  is aging or smoked too much pot growing up!  they still need to "feed their brain" to keep their memory and thought process working....   Never give up!  

Re: Simple Partial Seizures & Long-term memory

Submitted by JessicaWingler on Fri, 2008-07-25 - 01:27
I too suffer from memory loss. I have grand mal seizures, but have been seizure free (I think) for a few years thanks to the meds. The worst part about it is that people don't really believe that you can't remember, they just think you aren't paying attention. I really wish more people would understand that I would love to remember things, I don't get a choice sometimes. I tell people that my mind is like a big spaghetti strainer, it just has really big holes, and a lot of things fall through the holes. Why can I remember some stupid commercial from my childhood and not things that are important? I don't know. I keep a notebook and several pens with me to try to keep track of things. I also will program important dates like appointments and birthdays into my cell phone as soon as I get them so I won't forget. I know that I'm smart, and can read a 1000 page book in 2-3 days. I'll know that it was great, but 3 months later I might have trouble explaining the plot. Sometimes maybe 3 weeks later.  Just know that there are other people out there who understand what you're going through. I personally think that it's one of the very worst things about having epilepsy.

Re: Simple Partial Seizures & Long-term memory

Submitted by Wiz on Sat, 2010-07-17 - 18:44
'People' can be so foolish. I can't count the times I've been told "just pick yourself up and get on with life". My seizures are are hard to spot if you don't know what to look for, if only they could see and feel what it's like on my side of the fence. There's so much that's hard to remember or gets mixed up in sequence yet music and songs are easy. I can stutter when stressed yet sing just fine, and I can forget what I did yesterday yet play a song I learned twenty years ago. I wouldn't remember when to go to work if my schedule wasn't the same week after week after week. This would be incredibly boring to a 'normal' person, but for me it's a lifesaver. Another lifesaver is a good support system. As hard as it is, you need to be able to communicate what a seizure is like [I know, how do you explain color to a blind person?], sometimes telling it like a story or getting it across in a picture you draw can help. Most people never will get it, but the important people in my life do now. One more thing, if you are able to get a job, NEVER tell them at work about your seizures, it will just scare the crap out of them and you'll be out of a job. Good luck.

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