Patient Success Stories

VNS offers hope for Harvey woman

Forty-two-year-old Annette Brown of Harvey has suffered from uncontrollable seizures for more than 20 years. As a young mother of two small children, Brown inexplicably began having seizures at age 22.

"I had my first seizure standing in the middle of the living room floor," she explains. "At its worst, I had up to four or more seizures a week, and I've been hospitalized too many times to remember."

Like thousands of other epileptics in the United States, Brown was put on anti-seizure medication to control her symptoms. However, over time, her body became immune to the drugs' therapeutic effects and the seizures continued. Brain surgery became a last resort.

Hospitalized after a seizure episode, Brown met with Lawrence Wilkin, M.D., P.h.D., neurologist at Ingalls, who convinced her to try VNS therapy.

Brown had the VNS system implanted by ear, nose and throat surgeon Natan Scher, M.D., and to date, the results have been promising. Instead of having four or more seizures a week, Brown says she has two a month.

Brown continues to take anti-epileptic medication, which may become less necessary with VNS over time.

"Whereas some medications become less effective over time, the VNS system actually increases its effectiveness," Wilkin added. "The longer it's in place, the better it works."

Other benefits of the VNS system include less severe or shorter seizures, improved alertness, better memory and cognition and fewer visits to the hospital.

For more information on Ingalls Heart Care and Neurosciences, call 800-221-2199.

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