Memory

[998446436]

Hi, I am a 21 year old female who has been experiencing memory loss issues. I've always had not the best memory, but now in the past 4-5 months its gotten to a point where its negatively impacting my life on a daily basis; I can't remember things I've done with my friends, inside jokes, people I've met, what a movie I watched a month ago was about. Every day when someone says "Remember this happened.." It could have been years ago, or a month ago and I can never remember. It makes me want to cry because I am so frustrated and constantly find myself saying "Umm no, I don't, I have a bad memory." It's impacting my University career, I am struggling to remember things, and when I try to remember information I've learned in previous classes in previous years it just upsets me because I can't remember anything and feel like the past 3 years has been a waste.

Here are the other issues though; I have struggled with bulimia for the past 8 years. In the past 3 months I realized this was something I want to seriously get rid of for various reasons, and have been eating a more balanced diet, trying to ensure I have proper nutrients, and have minimized purging to about once a week. I have also always taken multivitamins in attempt to avoid vitamin deficiencies(which I am aware can impact memory). Despite eating healthily in the past few months, there has been no improvement in my memory.

The second issue is that I have epilepsy. I have myoclonic seizures and sometimes grandmals, that were mostly controlled by medications for years. I switched medications last september however, he started me on a lower dosage and said he would probably need to raise it in the spring, but when I called to make an appointment, my neurologist had no openings until next January, and my family doctor would not raise it. About a month before or around the same time my memory problems started, there was a period of 2 months where my epilepsy got extremely bad. I was having grand mal seizures twice a week and was always exhausted, but after 2 months I decided to raise my medication dosage on my own because I couldn't function normally and no one would help me with my medication. I incrementally increased my keppra dosage of 250 mg twice daily to 500mg twice daily, and my seizures completely stopped within 2 weeks and I have been seizure free for about 3-4 months, but am still experiencing memory issues.

I am thinking that these memory issues were caused by that period of time when I was experiencing so many grand mal seizures, but am concerned because it just seems to be getting worse despite being seizure free. I am wondering if I am on the right track, or if it could it be something completely different, I just don't understand why it's getting worse and not better, and the walk in doctor said it was not a side effect of the keppra medication. Could that spell of seizures have caused damage in my brain, and if so will it get better? Or do you think it is something else? My family doctor just said to see my neurologist and keep eating on a  balanced diet, but my next appointment with my neurologist is January 2014, and I don't know what else to do at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Soph41510]

My son struggled with memory issues very similar to what you are describing before his seizures were controlled. He also had grand mal seizures as well as partials. After a number of months on lamictal, his memory is definitely better, although it is not perfect. There is lots of information on the web about the association between memory issues and epilepsy--I think seizures can often affect the hippocampus, which is linked to memory. Perhaps you could try to get on a cancellation list with your neurologist so you could see him or her earlier.

[teddybears4ever2]

I am no expert but do know that some of that medication can cause memory loss.  I don't know what else to tell you, about this. Maybe call and talk to your doctor about it.  Please feel free to come back and update us again soon.