Aha, I was wondering if you'd sorted out a new job. You have. Good. ;-)

I have my suspicions about some AEDs in relation to this too, not just the
epilepsy itself, but whatever. I've found this be an problem too (although
in my case the brain injury from the stroke is probably the main cause).

The thing I was very impressed by, which I discovered more by accident than
design, is the trick advocated by Paul Daniels amongst others: making images
to remember names. So for me you might remember my surname by seeing me with
a smelly bit of bacon on the top of my head.

I discovered how well it worked when I was having my memory tested recently
(had to remember pairs of words) and tried it out while the testing was
going on. I worked amazingly well and even a month later I can still
remember the word pairs.

I think you're going to have start consciously doing these sort of exercises
to remember things. Bit of shocker after a lifetime of the brain just Doing
The Right Thing, but it does seem to work.

If you have not had a neurological re-evaluation (including a scan of
some sort) recently, I would strongly advise such.  This set of
symptoms may not be due to your epilepsy.

Best,

Bob

Robert A. Fink, M.D., FACS, P. C.
2500 Milvia Street   Suite 222
Berkeley, California  94704-2636  USA
Telephone:  510-849-2555
FAX:  510-849-2557
<http://www.rafink.com>

"Ex Tristitia Virtus"

I agree with Dr. Fink that it would be a good to be examined.  For the time
being, I am going to assume that the remainder of your health is just fine
(except for the epilepsy and possibly depression, which is fairly common).
This whole memory problem thing is really important to me because it has
been so troublesome.  In my case, it has improved, and I can specifically
point to things that seemed to help.

First, before I forget, here are some pointers from the AAFP web site.

      Things to help you remember

           Keep lists.
           Follow a routine.
           Make associations (connect things in your mind), such
           as using landmarks to help you find places.
           Keep a detailed calendar.
           Put important items, such as your keys, in the same
           place every time.
           Repeat names when you meet new people.
           Do things that keep your mind and body busy.
           Run through the ABC's in your head to help you think of
           words you're having trouble remembering. "Hearing" the
           first letter of a word may jog your memory.

Now back to my stuff.

It is a big problem getting doctors, family, and others to treat this as a
serious problem.  I have gone through memory testing, which revealed my
memory/recall for visual things is pretty good when compared to other things
(like recall of conversations).  In other words, if I see something like a
picture taken during an event, then I am more likely to recall the event
(although I may not be able to recall EVERYTHING associated with that event,
just with the picture).  The things that really helped my memory were taking
a medical terminology class, which provided a lot of learning tools
including audio tapes, CD disks (games, self-testing, etc.), lectures, flash
cards, workbook, etc.  I had to use ALL those resources in order to
learn/memorize, and it worked to my surprise (everything I learned in
medical terminology class has NOT been lost!!!).  It took a huge amount of
effort, which I don't think would be possible in casual learning without
training the brain.  An anti-depressant also seems to have helped a lot,
much more than I expected.  It is much, much easier to pay attention, focus,
and concentrate now, and of course, it is definitely affecting positively my
ability to remember/recall.  I didn't start taking epilepsy medication until
about 20 years after I first started having them.  The medications for
epilepsy helped somewhat but not as much as the course and anti-depressant.

I have the same problem as you of trying to recall people's names, plus if a
person changes their looks in the slightest, it throws my brain completely
off.  For myself, I've got to really get to know people before I can recall
their names.  And it does help to use their names when you talk to them.

As far as solutions, you will have to be creative, and you will probably
have to use multiple methods, ways, cues to help with this problem.  You
might have to use permanent seating plans and seating charts (with pictures
and names if necessary).  If the school has photographs of the students and
faculty, get copies and put them to use.  You have to get so familiar with
people that you know them by voice, by the way they walk, by mannerisms,
etc.  You might have to create classroom activities that allow the students
to present more of their personality, characteristics, etc.  You might have
to take steps that you don't really want such as allowing students to phone
you, attending or participating in their events, etc.  Maybe you can run out
a print copy of thumbnail images of each student and ask them to paper clip
the picture to their hand-in homework.  Or if there is a school yearbook
with pictures, turn to the student's photo before you start checking their
papers or when they call you.

In the US, a lot of speech therapists have training needed to work with
people with memory problems.  Maybe there is someone with similar background
in your country who would be able to help you.

Barb

Malcolm, it is a disability the day you are diagnosed with it. It is not
different than being diagnosed with Diabetes, you have to do what is
required to live with it. When there are some jobs that you simply cannot
get because you have a disease it is a disability.

Tim