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Add and epilepsy
Tue, 05/23/2006 - 00:54Comments
Re: Add and epilepsy
Submitted by pgd on Wed, 2008-03-05 - 13:10
Inattention is a symptom associated with both ADHD Inattentive as well as some of the many epilepsies (petit mal/absence/etc.).
As a generalization, the central nervous system stimulants - alerting agents used to treat ADHD - ADD (examples, coffee - caffeine compounds, Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall, etc.) tend to temporarily improve the ability to pay attention (including memory) for some.
As a generalization, many of the meds used (not all of the meds used) to treat epilepsy tend to reduce seizures but they often are neutral or can even slightly cloud/slightly impair the ability to pay attention for some.
ADHD - ADD and epilepsy are not the same. ADHD - ADD does not show up on an EEG. Often epilepsy shows up on an EEG.
That's my understanding. Best wishes.
Inattention is a symptom associated with both ADHD Inattentive as well as some of the many epilepsies (petit mal/absence/etc.).
As a generalization, the central nervous system stimulants - alerting agents used to treat ADHD - ADD (examples, coffee - caffeine compounds, Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall, etc.) tend to temporarily improve the ability to pay attention (including memory) for some.
As a generalization, many of the meds used (not all of the meds used) to treat epilepsy tend to reduce seizures but they often are neutral or can even slightly cloud/slightly impair the ability to pay attention for some.
ADHD - ADD and epilepsy are not the same. ADHD - ADD does not show up on an EEG. Often epilepsy shows up on an EEG.
That's my understanding. Best wishes.
Re: Add and epilepsy
Submitted by apmast on Wed, 2008-03-12 - 08:53
One positive note I can add to this is that Epilepsy is not hereditary. It can happen to anybody in any family tree. Some of the brightest more inspirational minds were epileptics.http://www.epilepsiemuseum.de/alt/body_prominenteen.html
Although you may have issues with concentrating, perhaps school is at a faster pace for you than what you can handle. I would recommend that you take more time at home to review you work at your own pace. Try to be ahead of the class as much as possible. I had a lot of trouble concentrating in school because I learned by DOING, not by listening. So, it took me to have to go home, close the doors, and dig into my work, drawing examples and pictures and really getting into what i was learning. I felt like I had to work 1000 times harder than my peers. But in the long run, I brought my grades from Cs to As. So, try not to get too hung up on the drugs affecting your memory. Just look for the ways that you best learn and use those ways!
Cheers, Andrew
One positive note I can add to this is that Epilepsy is not hereditary. It can happen to anybody in any family tree. Some of the brightest more inspirational minds were epileptics.http://www.epilepsiemuseum.de/alt/body_prominenteen.html
Although you may have issues with concentrating, perhaps school is at a faster pace for you than what you can handle. I would recommend that you take more time at home to review you work at your own pace. Try to be ahead of the class as much as possible. I had a lot of trouble concentrating in school because I learned by DOING, not by listening. So, it took me to have to go home, close the doors, and dig into my work, drawing examples and pictures and really getting into what i was learning. I felt like I had to work 1000 times harder than my peers. But in the long run, I brought my grades from Cs to As. So, try not to get too hung up on the drugs affecting your memory. Just look for the ways that you best learn and use those ways!
Cheers, Andrew