Category: News

Melissa Hunter was used to having occasional seizures — she’d been diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, but medication kept the condition at bay. When she was in her late 20s and decided to try for a child, doctors in Portland, where she lives, recommended switching her epilepsy medication. The switch caused her condition to worsen, leading to a seizure behind the wheel, a hospital stay, a long recovery, and more frequent seizures. She knew something had to change. In 2015, she decided to undergo brain surgery. She has been seizure-free ever since. This is her story, as told to McKenna Princing. 

I’ve battled epilepsy my whole life. I always lived a normal life with medication: the only time I’d have a seizure was if I forgot to take my meds. 

The trouble started in 2006, when my husband and I decided we wanted to start having kids. The medication I’d been taking most of my life was deemed unsafe for me to take during a potential pregnancy, so my doctors in Portland switched me to different medications.

To read the full article featuring UW Medicine’s Dr. Nicholas Poolos, please visit the link below:

She Had Seizures All Her Life —  Brain Surgery Cured Her

Meet Bryan – a man with a mission to face a diagnosis of early onset Parkinson’s disease (PD) with fitness and connection.

Opening up about a diagnosis of early onset PD at age 31 was an obstacle in and of itself. Doing so has proven an empowering way to create awareness for Parkinson’s, and to support his family to live an honest and fulfilling life. Bryan’s impactful actions open doors to connect with others who walk similar roads.

Join in helping Bryan Hill support The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 9am University of Washington Husky Track Seattle, WA

To read more about Bryan and support him, visit the link below:

https://fundraise.michaeljfox.org/tf-2022/movewiththehills

Coming from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, Dr. Don Elbert joined as an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology. Welcome to the department Dr. Elbert!

To read the full article, please visit the link below: The UW Huddle

Drs. Sarah Wahlster and Claire Creutzfeldt were awarded the 2022 HMC Pilot Project Award for their project titled:Long-Term Trajectories Following Severe Acute Brain Injury Requiring Mechanical Ventilation: A Mixed-methods Study to Assess Outcomes of Patients and Their Surrogate Decision-Makers

This will be multidisciplinary project in collaboration with faculty from Palliative Care, Rehab Medicine, Neurosurgery, Pulmonary & Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine.  The goal to examine long-term neurological outcomes of patients and mental health outcomes of their surrogate decision makers 12-18 months after severe acute brain injury, and  to 1) explore how communication by the ICU team impacted critical decisions and understanding of prognosis, 2) identify key challenges in the post-ICU recovery process, and 3) assess how socioeconomic status, financial concerns, and access to healthcare impacted outcomes.

More than just a headache

• Migraines are a common, debilitating neurological condition.  
• Despite great progress in medical treatments, migraines remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. 
• Migraines involve intense head pain; light, sound and movement sensitivity; nausea and vomiting; and visual disturbances. 
• Migraine triggers include changes in sleep, environmental stimulation, stress and certain foods. 
• Some individuals with migraines also experience visual, sensory, motor or speech-related aura.  
• Treatments include medications, supplements, lifestyle changes and neuromodulation devices.  

Approximately 90% of individuals in the United States experience headache during their lifetime. There are several types of headaches, such as tension-type headache, migraine, cluster headache and others.

To read the full article, please visit the link below:

https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/well/health/how-to-treat-migraines

Congratulations to Dr. Weinstein on his NIH RO1 award, for the “Role of Microglia in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease (CSVD)/Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI)”

For more information about Dr. Weinstein’s research, visit his lab’s webpage: Weinstein Laboratory | Department of Neurology (washington.edu)

Highlights | Celebrating decades of MS care, research and training 

• UW Medical Center has provided comprehensive multiple sclerosis (MS) services since 1977. 
• Since 2012, all MS services have been under one roof in the UW Medicine Multiple Sclerosis Center at UW Medical Center – Northwest. 
• A team approach is important for helping patients deal with the many ways MS impacts life.
• Along with clinical care, the Center also houses research and training opportunities. 
• The Center is involved in community MS events and constantly works to offer new services.

Congratulations on 10 years! To read the full article, please visit the link below:

https://huddle.uwmedicine.org/ms-center-celebrates-10-years/

Congratulations to the Neurologists listed below for being cited as Top Docs in this year’s Seattle Magazine survey. This honor reflects the admiration of their Puget Sound area neurologist peers.

Congratulations to the Neurologists listed below for being cited as Top Docs in this year’s Seattle Magazine survey. This honor reflects the admiration of their Puget Sound area neurologist peers.

When Ryder Gordon was 2 years old, he underwent his first surgery. It took 12 hours and saved his life.

Thomas Gordon and his wife, Magi, vividly remember the day they handed over their son to surgeons at Seattle Children’s.

“It was gut-wrenching,” said Magi. “You want more than anything to switch places with your child.”

Ryder was the couple’s first child and they never imagined being thrust into a world of comprehensive medical care. But there they were, among the bright lights of the surgical suites and the bustling halls of the hospital.

To read the full article featuring UW Medicine’s Dr. Aimee Sato, please visit the link below:

https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/ill-have-scars-too-a-father-son-bond-more-than-skin-deep/