Epilepsy
- Health and Wealth
Contents
- Introduction
- Health:-
- A Prayer
- Freshly Diagnosed?
- The Global Emergency Medical Archives
- Medical Databases of Drup
Names
- A Dictionary of [Brain-related] Medical
Terms
- How Memory Works - with age.
- Massachusetts. General Hospital
- The Epilepsy Web Page
- Epilepsy and Brain Mapping Program (Pro Page)
- Mount Pleasant Epilepsy Links
- An Internet Epilepsy support group
- Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
- An unusual use of Tegratol (to control
addiction)
- Vagus Nerve Implant
- Epilepsy FAQ, or Andrew's Site
- Bromide back again!
17. Brain Damage from Seizures
- Wealth
- Under construction
Freshly Diagnosed?
New to Epilepsy? Or only just been diagnosed? Or -
perhaps someone you know has it....
Scared? Well, a general description of it can be found by
clicking here... It's not a complete document - epilepsy is such
a complex subject that it couldn't be. It's only one page. But
it's a very good introduction. Try it.
The Epilepsy Surgery Unit at MGH works in close conjunction with the Neuromedical
Department's Epilepsy Unit to treat medically refractory seizure disorders
in children and adults. This service is complemented by the MGH's research in
functional neuroimaging, beginning with the invention of positron emission
tomography (pet scanning) at MGH and continuing with the latest developments in
functional magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging. In addition the neurosurgical
patient care units are equipped with facilities for performing continuously
video-monitored EEGs and for continuous subdural and depth electrode monitoring
when these procedures are necessary.
and
Brain Mapping Program
The purpose of this site is to give those with epilepsy the opportunity to
learn more about their disorder and about the medical treatments available to
them. You're invited to browse through this Web site and explore all the
information available at your fingertips.
The Epilepsy and Brain Mapping Program is a comprehensive healthcare center
for treating adult and pediatric epilepsy and other neurological disorders
presenting with seizures. Our medical and surgical center offers people with
epilepsy a multitude of treatment options including medical management of
seizures through established anti-epileptic medications and clinical drug
trials, ketogenic diet, surgical treatment and psychosocial assessment,
counseling and rehabilitation.
For more information on the Epilepsy and Brain Mapping Program:
The Brain
10 Congress Street
Suite 507
Pasadena
CA 01105
(213) 481-1777
(800) 621-2102
FAX (213) 481-1880
e-mail: epipro@ix.netcom.com
Drug Descriptions
Sometimes it is useful, and comforting, to know details about
the Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AED's) that have been prescribed for you.
In fact, life may be saved by this knowledge, if something "goes
wrong" and the doctor either can't help or can't be found. So
the following few links may prove useful; bookmark this, so that you
always know where to come again - in a hurry!
-
http://users.skynet.be/ikaros/link.htm
A long list of epilepsy guides internationally.
2. Site
Copernicus Guide
The British Epilepsy Association, at http://www.epilepsy.org.uk
has a great and varied site. Included in it is a series of documents
describing the different types of epilepsy, and
what Joe Public should do with one. So I recommend
that all those wanting to tell families, friends, workmates, and so on, look
here.
The addie for the types of seizures
is http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/charttxt.html
The Ketogenic Diet was first conceived in
the 1920's, when it was noted (God only knows where) that starving epileptic
children - didn't have seizures. So a diet was produced that
simulated starvation whilst actually providing good nutrition. This,
I believe, was done by making the bosdy burn fats instead of carbohydrates,
which of course is the body's reaction to the "no food" situation.
This diet is reported to have a 33%
success rate, 33% reduction in seizures, and 33% no change. Although
centres working the diet say that you will know if it is going to work in one or
two months, it has been known to take up to six months for improvement to
appear.
For all people who develop epilepsy, or for those wishing to
find out more about it, world-wide, I have been given an excellent reference
given to me by Paullette Motzko for
the University of Washington,
Canada. I hope that this will help a lot of people.
To those with the dreaded Epilepsy,
or helping those who have it (it is hardly correct to call it
"suffering" from it, it is more like a completely new way of life),
there is an Internet-based support group which you can join.
To join, Email listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com
In the message part of the body (where you would normally
type "hallo" etc.....) type the listserv commands as follows....
subscribe epilepsy-l <firstname> <lastname>
end
That's all, folks! Then send it by your usual route.
As people age, and as epilepsy, maybe, reduces the brain power
available, so our ability to remember things seems to decrease. This is an
article which does not deny that, but does put it into perspective, especially
for those of advancing years (I lost the next two chapters, which probably dealt
with more topical matters to the younger. Sorry!)
The
link this refrs to is an archive from a mailing list or bulletin
board. Basically, it merely confirms that the VNS can and
usually does improve living conditions for an epileptic patient. Being a
transitory nature, I would expect it to expire after a given date - which I
don't know!
It is also possible for a VNS implant to have an effect not
expected by this post; patients in epilepsy are unique, with each one
having their own world. Thus for one - and maybe two or three - the
implant will be a great relief. But the fourth may (whether or not
it is medically correct) decide not to use the implant, and have it turned
off. That is the joy of the surgery - if it works, fine. If it
doesn't, then just switch it off! The only thing lost is, of course, money
in the operation.
Personally, I would always regard the Quality of Life as the
prime indicator of success or failure.
or
A lot of questions about epilepsy are asked by every one new to it; so
The Epicentre put together a series of question-answer things that can satisfy
lots of people. I note that it seems to be fairly exhaustive, but I
should imagine they've built in a disclaimer somewhere - I know I would!
The link to follow is http://137.172.248.46/frequent.htm
In the past, the only treatment for epilepsy was to administer
Potassium Bromide to the poor patient. This frequently stopped the
seizures - but just as frequently caused psychiatric problems in the
patients! Now, however, it is hoped to avoid the latter effect by
continuously monitoring the plasma bromide level. The new treatment
is called "Triple Bromide", to differentiate it from the old
treatment, and to describe the new elixir (a mixture of three metal ions instead
of just one). Further information can be gained from the following
links.... I myself offer no expert advice.
http://www.vin.com/PetCare/Articles/VetHospital/M00597.htm
http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/library/randrep/pb_paper/mr1018.2.chap10.html
http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/neurowebforum/EpilepsyArticles/TripleBromide.html
Poetry in Motion
There is a relief to be had from the problems of Epilepsy, for
some people, who write about their feelings and worries. Malcolm is
an Epileptic who is also a poet, and I am glad to be able to present
some of his work here. Please feel free to read it.
Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
This is a sort of (juvenile) epilepsy that is best described at LKS
on this site. Please take a look if your offspring show speech
difficulties or autism that - isn't.
To contact the page owner, please email dickibus@dickibus.co.uk
Thanks, all
Dickibus
