Hey, my memory is getting better!

[Loopy Lou]

I've always had a good memory for random things - phone numbers etc. I can recite Pi to quite a lot of decimal places, and i can remember every safe combo, password, username and phone number for every job i've ever worked at (There's been quite a few, hehe). I only need to look at something once or twice to remember random information like that and it sort of gets stuck in my brain.

It's only now that i've come off the Lamictal entirely that i've realised how fuzzy it made me - i've been remembering stuff at work which i'd previously forgotten, and when i had to take a client to hospital for some tests, i could remember most of her her medical information and history and medications/dosages without the info in front of me.

Of course, i'm still having problems with everyday stuff, but the "useless info" part of my brain is working again, wooot! I still forget stuff like what i was going to say, or peoples faces/names occasionally, but i can definately see an improvement. The last year has been a nightmare - i was sure i was getting stupid by forgetting stuff that normally i'd find so easy to recall, so i'm glad to find that it was the Lamictal :P

I suppose i've been so bogged down in all the crap things that have been happening lately that i never noticed that something was actually right for once!



Edit - also noticed a decrease in partials. Instead of having many every day, i'm not having them every day now unless they're ones i haven't noticed, and normally it's if i'm tired/missed meds/stressed etc. Slight increase in T/Cs though, which could be worrying. Will have to see how that pans out.

[Endless]

Lou,

This is really GOOD NEWS about your memory. Please remind me - what are you on in place of the Lamictal?

And with that excellent "useless info" memory, are you planning to go on the game show "Jepordy" any time soon?

[Loopy Lou]

I'm on Keppra now instead, it seems to be much better. Also, i'm glad to be taking just one medication instead of two!

Of course, i'm not expecting perfection, but at least it's working better than the Lamictal! With any luck i won't have any more T/Cs too, because they're really no good

Ima go on a game show and win loads of money lol.

[lindinig]

I really miss keppra. My son was on it 2 separate times for about 4 weeks each time. The first time, generic, the second time, brand name. I swear he was thinking so clearly, and for those 2 months, he did better in school than any other time. Unfortunately, it took 4 weeks for the nasty side-effects to kick in, and he had to be taken off. That was my first experience with how powerful and mind-altering these drugs are.

Since he's been on 1250 mg of depakote, I've noticed his memory getting worse. I'm so afraid to switch meds as this is the third one we've tried in the past year and it has worked the best for seizure control, even though it still doesn't 100% control them.

[Loopy Lou]

I'm just glad to realise that i'm not going stupid after all. Now if only i could get back the part of my memory that remembers normal everyday stuff i'd be fine.

I think that even if the Lamictal did get full seizure control, i wouldn't have remained on it. Considering the doc said that it was one with fewest side effects, i seemed to hit nearly every one lol. I was on it for well over a year though, so i think i gave it a fair try.

I still get tired and dopey on the Keppra, but so far it seems to working better than the Lamictal (at least as far as side effects and partials go)

If i have any more T/Cs though, i think i'll maybe ring the neurologist again.

How long has your son been on the depakote for? It could be that he's still getting used to it.

[lindinig]

He's been on it for a little over a year. This weekend, I've noticed his memory improving, so maybe it is just residual from his last seizure (cluster). I think he has the most problem with the day-to-day too.

[Loopy Lou]

Doesn't it make you wish there were simple answers for everything, eh?

[Bernard]

Love to hear good news.

[KARDSHARQUE]

Glad to hear the good news.

[SteveUK]

Hi,

Thanks for this post.

Loved your comment about ..sometimes you get bogged down with the things that don't work without realising the things that are working..cheered me up lots!

I'm going through a medication change at the moment which is providing plently of petit mals into my daily routine, naturally getting in the way of leading a 'normal' life. I'm now heading outside, prior to this I had seriously considered staying in - Larry David will have to wait until it's dark

Take care and keep the positive vibe running.

Steve

[ColmanMac]

My short term memory loss is the most arguably useful symptom of my brain injury - with it I can get away with most things!!!