Memory loss and focus

I am 64 now and had my first grand mal at 26. they didn't give me an mri until 1999 and discovered the avm. I refused suggested surgery and seemed to be controlled by medication. While my grand mals weren't frequent and all but disappeared in my middle 30's my paitie mals have been in the many thousands since my first seizure. I am not satisfied with memory loss and the ability to completely focus (not vision) on the subject as I did in my earlier years. I assume 38 years of medication has it's side effects.

Does anyone have thoughts on this matter?

thanks, Bob

Hi Bob,

It could be the meds, could be the seizures, could be the effects of the AVM. An active AVM "steals" blood from the rest of the brain, so it can affect cognitive ability overall...not just in the area of the AVM.

There are new treatments for AVMs and for seizures, since 1999. Are you seeing an epileptologist for the seizures? That's the only kind of neurologist that keeps up to date on all the seizure meds and seizure research.

And it might also be time to check in with a neurosurgeon about the AVM, and see if there are less invasive options you might be willing to do to treat the AVM.

Many people would likely tell you it's just the ordinary aging process, but I've found that a lot of people with a serious condition will write off important symptoms for a long time by relying on that explanation. So I'd encourage you to give the doctors another look at your AVM, or at least to make sure that the doc prescribing your seizure meds is really an expert in epilepsy.

Good luck,
JH

Hi Bob..I'm close to your age. I talk to my family about my memory loss and we have discussed that even though they didn't have an AVM..they, as we are getting older, have the same memory loss. However, I would still talk to your doctor.

Ther are activities and exercises to improve your memory and attention. They work for everyone not just someone with a TBI.

http://www.mind360.com/scientificbackground/cognitive_skills/attention

I am a little younger at 54. They found AVM at 29. I had crainiotomy and gamma knife with meds. But I have memory and focus problems also. Last year they called ADHD caused by brain injury. You might want to investigate if you have a similar problem. It does not fix my problems, but it does give me a way to handle my problems. One explanation was the ADHD was created by the blood starved parts of the brain near the AVM.

I hope this helps you find a better way to deal with your AVM.

Hi Bob, You're not alone with that problem. I'm 50. I too have memory problems and trouble focusing on tasks and just things in general. My doctors aren't sure if it's from the avm or the GK I had in 2007. My problems started in 2010. When I was tested, they said my short term memory was compromised. I only remember 57% of any thing that's new to me or recent. Luckily, My long term memory still works. :) Since the fall of 2010, I have had multiple gran-mal siezures. I don't know if that has aything to do with it or not. I tend to think, it's the long term effect of having an avm. Where the avm is located, that aera of the brain is deprived of the proper amount of oxygen (if any) that it needs. I write myself notes of things I need to remember.

Ben