hi has anyone suffered memory loss with there epilepsy .
memory loss: hi has anyone suffered memory... - Epilepsy Society
memory loss
Written by
supermum
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6 Replies
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Hi supermum,
I've had Epilepsy for 46 years and have suffered substantial memory damage.
At 15 I had Status seizures which caused me to lose all memory I ever had. I was reluctant to go home from the hospital with my parents since I didn't remember them.
I have had thousands of Tonic Clonic seizures, those combined with 46 years of anticonvulsants and multiple episodes of Status have severely impacted my memory. Although I never regained any of the memory I lost I have read of many people who have. I knew one man who had an episode of Status and he contacted me and was very scared because he walked into his living room and didn't recognize anything. Prior to this he was misplacing his keys and cup of coffee. I told him I use to put my keys in the refrigerator so he looked and found both his keys and coffee there. He did this for about a month on and off. As for the items in the living room, his kids told him what the items were and where they came from and he eventually remembered or re-learned what most of the stuff was although it took about six months. Fortunately most peoples memory problems are mild and often go away shortly after starting seizure meds. Although if seizures and meds persist for a long time they can impact the memory to varying degrees.
There is a good thread on ways to remember on the Epilepsy Society Forum, here is the url...
epilepsysociety.org.uk/foru...
I hope all works out well for whoever is having memory problems and that they are and stay mild.
Jake
Hi
I've had e for over 40 years and had a period when the Tc's were constant. They definately had an impact upon my memory. My mate from school days fills me in on all the details I can't remember and my family do the same. Sometimes I'm amazed that I ever did such daring things (don't ask lol). It does have a bonus....I can see a film 2 or three times and never remember that I've seen it before lol.
I hope things improve for you.
Dewi
Hi I have just joined the site,I got Epilepsy due to the shock of my mum dying in 2003,I have Grand Mal Seizures which are not controlled.I also get seizures without any warning and have done serious damage to myself, knocked out my front tooth, fractured my jaw, the list goes on.My personal thing is I know what I want to say and sometimes I can see what I want to say but I can`t remember the words, it is very frustrating, I am now 51yrs old so my memory is not what it was but I think Epilepsy is very frustrating. I have a good long term memory but no short term memory, is that the same for most of us.?
Wendy x
I started Late Onset Epilepsy six years ago. I am nearly 60 now. From the start I have had memory problems which one specialist told me was a side effect with tegretol retard. I also battle at times to get words out, have absences as well as full blown seizures. Plus the not so lovely headaches for 2 to 3 days at a time. It is very hard especially when it first started as its a total life change. I worked with horses all my life now its a No No. Si I also suffer bouts of chronic depression. But the good news is there can be a life, I married the most fantastic man nearly 2 years ago. So hang in there.
YES! lool i get so bad i forget i've got epilepsy! 
hey, yeah i have, tbh i had my first fit when i was six months old and its been getting worse and right now i forget my meds too eat my appointments and i've been known too forget i've even got epilepsy weird i know but its 'normal' so say