This post is part of the Epilepsy Blog Relay™ which will run from June 1 through June 30. Follow along and add comments to posts that inspire you!
Comorbidities
are a big issue for people with epilepsy because many have to deal with them
every day. So, what is a comorbidity?
The Epilepsy Foundation website defines it as "the presence of one or more
additional disorders that co-occur with the primary condition."
The NIH explains comorbidity this way:
"When two
disorders or illnesses occur in the same person, simultaneously or sequentially,
they are described as comorbid. Comorbidity also implies interactions between
the illnesses that affect the course and prognosis of both."
This is just the scientific way of
saying that you have more than one disease/disorder/health condition and the interactions
between them are complicated. Some of
these include depression, anxiety, mood disorders, migraine, diabetes, autism
spectrum disorder, and ADHD.
It is difficult to determine what
causes comorbidities, but according to Michael Seidenberg, it is possible that
treatment of one condition could lead to another health condition
developing. Also, another possibility is
that there is a common bacteria causing both diseases. When it comes to
treatment, many medications have side effects that mimic other medical
disorders. They therefore have a way of
intensifying the effect, if the person already has the disorder.
An example of this would be of
Phenobarbital or Depakote having depressive effects. It is important to be aware to avoid them if
possible for someone who has depression. I myself have never been treated for a
comorbidity, but I have friends who have other conditions besides
epilepsy. Despite not having another
health issue myself, I know how it feels to be depressed for long periods of time
and to be suicidal, although I was able to come back to myself, thanks to my
supportive family.
Many people are not as lucky as I
am. The ultimate goal is seizure freedom and a satisfying quality of life.
However, if a person has comorbidities, the journey to recovery will be that
much more difficult.
Definition
from NIH drug abuse site
National
Library of Medicine
Seidenberg,
Michael. "Association of epilepsy and comorbid conditions." Future
Neurology, September 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802344/
Epilepsy Foundation website
NEXT
UP: Be sure to check out the next post tomorrow by Alyssa Jaden at livingwellwithepilepsy.com for more on epilepsy awareness. For
the full schedule of bloggers visit http://livingwellwithepilepsy.com/epilepsy-blog-relay/ebr-june-2017-participants.
Don’t miss your chance to connect with bloggers on the #LivingWellChat on June 30 at 7PM ET.
Don’t miss your chance to connect with bloggers on the #LivingWellChat on June 30 at 7PM ET.
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