memory loss

[piwi007]

I use to have Epilepsy when I was about 5 years old and had very bad seizures until I was about 15/16 years old and had no need to continue to take pills but now that I am 38 I am having a very hard time remembering things, people. what is happening, could this occur form have epilepsy when I was young and if so what would I need to do.

[Rowena Santos, MD]

Hi piwi007,

How are you? I hope you’re fine. The presence of memory difficulties in people with epilepsy is well recognized.  This is because epileptic seizures can interfere with the brain’s normal process. It disrupts the storage of information and the confusion that follows the attack could prevent memory from working properly. Some anti-epileptic medications could also interfere with the memory functioning.

However, while memory problems cannot be cured, it is possible to adapt to having a memory impairment, making it easier to cope and live a relatively normal life. You should first visit your doctor for a neuropsychological assessment, to assess how well your memory is currently functioning.  It will determine how well your visual memory (your ability to remember pictures) and your verbal memory (your ability to remember information presented orally). This information then provides some focus on which memory enhancement strategies are going to be the most helpful to you. Some of this strategies include: following a set routine, adapting your surroundings, using external memory aids, using ‘mnemonics’, and improving general well-being.

You can learn more about this through this link:  http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/memory.html

I hope this helps. Take care and regards.