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What Is The State Of Your Memory When You Have Had No Seizure Recently?

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Lakeville, MA

I am asking about how hampered is your memory and memory recall when you have gone days or weeks (or more) since the last significant seizure (the ones that take longer for the brain to reset and thus takes longer for you to get access to memories).

We all have the base hampering of Memory Recall from Epilepsy itself. And there is further hampering because of the cumulative side effect of all of the anticonvulsants and some other medications that have this same side effect. And then there are… read more

February 10, 2022
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A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

Whenever I have a seizure, I have several days that i cannot remember. Then it gets better. I haven;t had a seizure in over 5 years. My memory is pretty good most of the time. However when I am tired, sick or stressed, I can have monormemory lapses but when I rest it gets better. In the meantime I write everything down. Other side effects of my Epilepsy: I "get stuck" say the same thing multiple times, sometime when I am tired I will just talk too much. I can lose balance if I am worn out. For me, I have days that are a careful balancing act if a get stressed or tired

February 13, 2022
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

And a key point is that just like everything else about the epilepsies, the recovery time and brain reset process has many variables and many variations in the time and steps in the recovery process. And here is the explanation of this time at the end of the seizure and after:
Ending
As the seizure ends, the postictal phase occurs - this is the recovery period after the seizure. Some people recover immediately while others may take minutes to hours to feel like their usual self. The type of seizure, as well as what part of the brain the seizure impacts, affects the recovery period – how long it may last and what may occur during it.

Common symptoms after a seizure
Awareness, Sensory, Emotional, or Thought Changes

Slow to respond or not able to respond right away
Sleepy
Confused
Memory loss
Difficulty talking or writing
Feeling fuzzy, lightlheaded, or dizzy
Feeling depressed, sad, upset
Scared
Anxious
Frustrated, embarrassed, ashamed
Physical Changes

May have injuries, such as bruising, cuts, broken bones, or head injury if fell during seizure
May feel tired, exhausted, or sleep for minutes or hours
Headache or other pain
Nausea or upset stomach
Thirsty
General weakness or weak in one part or side of the body
Urge to go to the bathroom or lose control of bowel or bladder
NOTE: the above details are from Brainline: https://www.brainline.org/article/seizures-and-....

February 12, 2022
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

My memory is awful since my surgery for seizures. I recall things from my childhood but not from my teen years just prior to the surgery. Now my short term is better than long term. I don't remember details from movies I've seen, books I've read, places I've been, or even family memories. It's terrible. I've often thought about trying hypnosis to see what could be recalled. If anyone has tried this or something else that helped, please share.

February 11, 2022
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A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

My memory is bad all the time. I don't remember huge portions of my life & my short term memory is almost nonexistent.

February 11, 2022
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

My memory is affected in different ways, I have yrs. & Events completely erased, my vocabulary is much smaller, I can remember electrical code. Can't remember most people names, & quickly forget resent past, short term memory, my ex wife for a while thought I was denying or lying 🤥 when I truly don't remember. I don't remember music, I've played drums since 9 yr old. I can play But, I'm training myself to use intuition as soon I try to memorize I lose my coordination.

February 11, 2022

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