|
|
If you (or your loved one) have had a vagus nerve stimulator implanted, what happened after it?
(Note: You must log in or register to participate in this poll.)
Elderly persons are also prone towards falls. Approximately one-third of those over age 65 years will fall at least once each year. Many of these falls are associated with head injury, which can make seizures more likely and contribute to cognitive and behavioral problems. Drug side effects and interactions are another prominent problem, as nearly 25% of elderly individuals take between four and six medications. Drug side effects are more than twice as likely to occur in patients over age 60 years than in younger people. Some drugs can cause or contribute to the occurrence of seizures. Memory problems, financial limitations, and side effects also commonly prevent elderly patients from taking their medications in the prescribed dosages.
Certain antiseizure medications have an impact on balance and walking. For instance, high doses of phenytoin and/or carbamazepine can impair balance. However almost all seizure medications have the potential to influence one's balance. Balance is a concern because imbalance can lead to falls. Falls lead to fractures.Thus, falls and the possibility of fractures that may ensue is one of the most concerning issues facing older adults with seizures. A broken hip or pelvis, can have profound consequences in an older individual’s life. Such an injury can lead to immobility and dependence. There have been several studies that have shown that falls have a serious impact in older adult life. In one study, researchers found that falls are one of the biggest predictors of being admitted to a nursing home, with its accompanying loss of independence, privacy and financial issues.
A related issues to balance, falls and fractures is bone health. Seizures and sntiseizure drugs can influence bone health. There is a fourfold increased risk of hip fractures in people with epilepsy as compared to other patients of the same age without a history of epilepsy. People who have taken certain medications such as phenytoin and/ or phenobarbital often have changes in their bone density, and this can occur in both adults and children. In fact, one study showed that the continuous use of enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital) increases the rates of bone loss at both the hip and the leg and it decreases levels of hormones in the blood. That decrease in hormones leads to an increased rate of bone loss. If this continues to occur, the rate of bone loss at the hip among users of seizure drugs such as phenytoin can increase the risk of fracture by 29% over five years among women who are over the age of 65 years. Thus, your neurologist may request that special bone xrays be performed to check for osteoporosis particularly if you are taking a medication that is known to affect your bones.
Topic Editor: Joseph Sirven, M.D.
Last Reviewed: 4/16/08
This content is user-generated. Content is not monitored nor consistently reviewed by the epilepsy.com Editorial Board. Epilepsy.com therefore cannot guarantee the accuracy of any content edited with the Wiki sections. While epilepsy.com, the Epilepsy Therapy Project, and its partners encourage visitor interaction and publishing within these sections, users should use caution when exploring content, especially as it pertains to health concerns. No content on epilepsy.com is intended to replace the care of a doctor. We encourage you to contact your own health care provider for individual medical advice. We cannot provide second opinions or make specific recommendations regarding therapy, nor does this Wiki content constitute a recommendation for any diagnosis or treatment options.
Elderly persons are also prone towards falls. Approximately one-third of those over age 65 years will fall at least once each year. Many of these falls are associated with head injury, which can make seizures more likely and contribute to cognitive and behavioral problems. Drug side effects and interactions are another prominent problem, as nearly 25% of elderly individuals take between four and six medications. Drug side effects are more than twice as likely to occur in patients over age 60 years than in younger people. Some drugs can cause or contribute to the occurrence of seizures. Memory problems, financial limitations, and side effects also commonly prevent elderly patients from taking their medications in the prescribed dosages.
Certain antiseizure medications have an impact on balance and walking. For instance, high doses of phenytoin and/or carbamazepine can impair balance. However almost all seizure medications have the potential to influence one's balance. Balance is a concern because imbalance can lead to falls. Falls lead to fractures.Thus, falls and the possibility of fractures that may ensue is one of the most concerning issues facing older adults with seizures. A broken hip or pelvis, can have profound consequences in an older individual’s life. Such an injury can lead to immobility and dependence. There have been several studies that have shown that falls have a serious impact in older adult life. In one study, researchers found that falls are one of the biggest predictors of being admitted to a nursing home, with its accompanying loss of independence, privacy and financial issues.
A related issues to balance, falls and fractures is bone health. Seizures and sntiseizure drugs can influence bone health. There is a fourfold increased risk of hip fractures in people with epilepsy as compared to other patients of the same age without a history of epilepsy. People who have taken certain medications such as phenytoin and/ or phenobarbital often have changes in their bone density, and this can occur in both adults and children. In fact, one study showed that the continuous use of enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital) increases the rates of bone loss at both the hip and the leg and it decreases levels of hormones in the blood. That decrease in hormones leads to an increased rate of bone loss. If this continues to occur, the rate of bone loss at the hip among users of seizure drugs such as phenytoin can increase the risk of fracture by 29% over five years among women who are over the age of 65 years. Thus, your neurologist may request that special bone xrays be performed to check for osteoporosis particularly if you are taking a medication that is known to affect your bones.
There are special concerns about drug interactions and side effects of epilepsy medications for seniors.
Common Side Effects

| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Keppra and Alcohol | May 16, 2008 | |
| jppkt | ||
| Sex drive and seizure medications | May 16, 2008 | |
| dfriedman | ||
| life | May 16, 2008 | |
| kevinmo99 | ||
| son newly diagnosed with Absence Seizures | May 16, 2008 | |
| shu | ||
| Controlling absence seizures | May 16, 2008 | |
| shu | ||
| Developmentally Delayed 1 yr. old | May 16, 2008 | |
| kristy_08 | ||
| My parents dont care...I feel soooo alone! | May 16, 2008 | |
| blondestar25 | ||
| Epilepsy and marijuana | May 16, 2008 | |
| cjad234 | ||
| Absence Seizure in toddler, need more info! | May 16, 2008 | |
| KellaC32 | ||
| New to site and living with Epilepsy | May 16, 2008 | |
| asking79 | ||
| View all Forums | ||
| Title | Page Views | |
|---|---|---|
| Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures....... | 21,809 | |
| spiz | ||
| my.epilepsy.com Updates | 20,169 | |
| epi_help | ||
| topamax and weight loss | 18,721 | |
| alexia mom | ||
| kepra | 18,468 | |
| brian mattingly | ||
| Possible cure for absence seizures | 15,297 | |
| pdl1 | ||
| Epilepsy and marijuana | 14,075 | |
| cjad234 | ||
| Sexual Side Effects | 12,254 | |
| George R | ||
| How exactly do aura's feel | 11,992 | |
| WendyBendy | ||
| MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s | 10,952 | |
| picnupthepcs | ||
| Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Part 2 | 9,752 | |
| spiz | ||
| View all Forums | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Long Day | May 16, 2008 | |
| kroiz | ||
| DOES IT MATTER IF I BLOG OR NOT? IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. I WISH I COULD CRY. | May 16, 2008 | |
| ROCKNROLL | ||
| I need eye candy and explosions! | May 16, 2008 | |
| stephsobota | ||
| WooHoo! | May 16, 2008 | |
| d00r | ||
| Im not alone | May 16, 2008 | |
| jjogden | ||
| interictal dysphoric disorder | May 16, 2008 | |
| cameo | ||
| Angry with the neuro's office and frustrated by the school situation | May 16, 2008 | |
| Gina Marie | ||
| HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THOSE SPECIAL MOM'S | May 15, 2008 | |
| scratch | ||
| I've Lost My Mind | May 15, 2008 | |
| crashllama | ||
| Looking for answers | May 15, 2008 | |
| ivyrayne | ||
| View all Blogs | ||
| Title | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| This is my own blog...how cool is that | 159 | |
| Niko | 49 | |
| yannie44 | ||
| Mood at the Moment | 33 | |
| spiz | ||
| In college and trying to cope | 30 | |
| tuckerviolinist | ||
| New pictures of Grandbaby Princess Sarah | 28 | |
| txrhb1 | ||
| battlt -becareful what you wish for .... it might come true? | 27 | |
| battlt | ||
| Not In A Good Mood! | 27 | |
| spiz | ||
| Hello All New Here | 26 | |
| KyliesMom | ||
| Epilepsy and anti depressants | 26 | |
| cameo | ||
| EPILEPSY, NON EPILECTIC SEIZURES, HORMORNES, NOT HORMONES | 24 | |
| ROCKNROLL | ||
| View all Blogs | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Seizures + Weight Loss Surgery | May 15, 2008 | |
| meltingmama | ||
| Epilepsy Innovation Summit May 2008 | May 13, 2008 | |
| warren7 | ||
| Northern Virgina Support Group | May 11, 2008 | |
| Bery | ||
| Epi-teens | May 4, 2008 | |
| Epi-Teen | ||
| FACES Pediatric Subcommittee | May 1, 2008 | |
| Cindy Whiteside Hammerquist | ||
| living with epilepsy and ASD....autistic spectrum disorder | Apr 28, 2008 | |
| sophia_hill | ||
| Pacific NW USA | Apr 21, 2008 | |
| middleman | ||
| Mormons Living With Epilepsy | Apr 13, 2008 | |
| mormongirl | ||
| Temporal Lobe Epilepsy | Apr 13, 2008 | |
| katfaerie | ||
| Women and epilepsy | Apr 10, 2008 | |
| PurpleCristal85 | ||
| View all Groups | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Ms. | May 16, 2008 | |
| sueanne | ||
| shilpa | May 16, 2008 | |
| shilpa | ||
| First seizure at age 25 | May 15, 2008 | |
| suziereno | ||
| its hared but then i found this | May 15, 2008 | |
| dan2work | ||
| Nobody Understands | May 15, 2008 | |
| tmpino76 | ||
| Depakote and Children | May 14, 2008 | |
| twin12 | ||
| what goes around comes around | May 14, 2008 | |
| kelly28 | ||
| Shari Story | May 13, 2008 | |
| sharebear03 | ||
| susu | May 13, 2008 | |
| susu | ||
| Ayden's Story | May 13, 2008 | |
| aydensvoice | ||
| View all Stories | ||
| Title | Page Views | |
|---|---|---|
| no comment Aetna rejects epileptics for insurance now! | 440 | |
| wenko | ||
| my story | 423 | |
| snoby | ||
| Kelly's Life With Epilepsy | 360 | |
| kjcanada1979 | ||
| Always Have On Clean Underwear | 347 | |
| crashllama | ||
| What My Seizures Are Like...... | 331 | |
| javaman | ||
| my brain has died a thousand deaths........... | 309 | |
| banffgirl | ||
| Jessica Roiz | 291 | |
| kroiz | ||
| How I found out I hade seizures | 271 | |
| HilaryWeinberg | ||
| Crystal's story | 267 | |
| Crystal11 | ||
| Nocturnal grand mal seizures (primary generalized epilepsy) | 267 | |
| karalyeva | ||
| View all Stories | ||
