Seizures

[Pimlico carer]

My mother is 80 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 8 years ago. Fortunately she is able to live at home with a live in carer. She has recently been having seizures which the doctor says may be linked to her illness. When she has the seizures she sometimes falls and has had to have some stitches for cuts to her head. The doctor says the medicine for the seizures may make her dementia worse.

Has anyone on the forum had a similar experience?

 

[nae sporran]

Welcome to the forum @Pimlico carer. What a horrible worrying new problem for you and your mum.
My partner had a seizure about two years after being diagnosed with vascular dementia and that was scary to deal with. She was given an epilepsy drug called Levetiracetam, but of course your mother's condition and other meds will be different. I have been told that seizures are sadly common with Alzheimer's and Dementia. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/what-link-between-seizures-and-dementia may give you some more information.
Sorry that was a rambling answer, but you will find support and advice here from others going through similar battles and worries.

 

[Pimlico carer]

Thank you for your welcome and for sharing your experience. I will have a look at the link.

 

[Ramblingrose]

Hi, My mum has had a number of blackouts which we now know were TIAs. When looking back over the years she has had a few which in turn has caused vascular dementia. Finally she had a scan which showed the damage to the brain and the specialist gave her medication for epilepsy. This seems to be a standard practice. Her own doctor told us the blackouts or fainting are something that comes with dementia. We did not give her the drugs and she has had only one episode since which was a few years ago.

After reading many posts you recognise that many others undergo the same changes both physically and mentally. For example developing a very very sweet tooth.

 

[CarolandVic]

My husband was diagnosed with vascular dementia four years ago. This was two years after a major stroke. The MRI showed that he'd had a few TIA's before that which we hadn't recognised. A year after his stroke he had his first seizure. a second seizure meant that he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Since then he has had, on average, three seizures a year. These always end up with him in critical care as he is status epilepticus which means that he has to be sedated and intubated to stop the seizures. The damage to his brain from all of this is enormous. However he has only this week stopped being able to walk. His memory is brilliant for facts, loves his quiz shows, but his short term memory is getting worse. His main problem is balance, coordination, understanding and logic. Everything with vascular depends on where in the brain the damage is. That's why everyone is so different. He is now sleeping much of the day and I think I shall have to start having help with his care. The doctor thinks the next stage is coming on quickly.