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Soda (non-diet) and epileptic seizures

Sun, 03/30/2008 - 02:45
I have been epileptic now for over 6 years and I have been having seizures that are very regular.  I need very much to make changes in my life and consequently, I am writing this while I am in a drug rehabilitation center.  Not only have I been addicted to drugs for over half of my 28 year life, but I have excessively consumed non-diet soda (Pepsi, Coke, etc.) for at least 18 years.  I am interested in hearing from anyone who is willing to reply about the affects of this type of soda on seizures; regardless of the input type, I want to know anything that is relevant.

Comments

Re: Soda (non-diet) and epileptic seizures

Submitted by GodivaGirl on Sun, 2008-03-30 - 12:11

Hi There,

I can't really relate to the drug addiction you mention.  My nickname here (GodivaGirl) is due to a love of chocolate - specifically treating myself to stuff from the Godiva Chocolate store once in awhile, that's it.

Personally though, I've been epileptic since I was 5, and I'm now 33.  So, the only "drugs" per say I take are my seizure meds - keppra, topomax & clobazam.  So, to address what you want to know.

 Well, everyone is different, but for me ANYTHING with aspartame in it triggers seizures. It could be diet coke (used to love the stuff), or it could be having too much gum that has aspartame, or even buying HALLS for my throat, or yogurt that has aspartame in it.  It's not that it's "diet" it's the aspartame.  Splenda (also a diet sugar) is okay for me.  Nestea (sp??) iced tea makes some great drinks with splenda.  Yoplait has a great yogurt, and there are more and more diet products with splenda instead of aspartame.  Splenda = Sucralose (sp) from a reading labels perspective.  

 Also, for me being on Topomax any kind of pop tastes like metal on that med. - it's one of the side effects.  So, I've switched to "steamers" (warmed milk type drinks from Starbucks) and iced tea - purely because they don't taste like metal.

Don't know if this is relevant or not, but I know my neuro tells me to watch the caffeine intake as well.  He always tells me no more than 3 sources in a day....can be 2 things with chocolate, 1 lattee or whatever, but no more than 3, preferably less.  Too much caffiene isn't a good thing.  Better to stick to natural sugars.

Hope this helps.

~Erin/GG

Hi There,

I can't really relate to the drug addiction you mention.  My nickname here (GodivaGirl) is due to a love of chocolate - specifically treating myself to stuff from the Godiva Chocolate store once in awhile, that's it.

Personally though, I've been epileptic since I was 5, and I'm now 33.  So, the only "drugs" per say I take are my seizure meds - keppra, topomax & clobazam.  So, to address what you want to know.

 Well, everyone is different, but for me ANYTHING with aspartame in it triggers seizures. It could be diet coke (used to love the stuff), or it could be having too much gum that has aspartame, or even buying HALLS for my throat, or yogurt that has aspartame in it.  It's not that it's "diet" it's the aspartame.  Splenda (also a diet sugar) is okay for me.  Nestea (sp??) iced tea makes some great drinks with splenda.  Yoplait has a great yogurt, and there are more and more diet products with splenda instead of aspartame.  Splenda = Sucralose (sp) from a reading labels perspective.  

 Also, for me being on Topomax any kind of pop tastes like metal on that med. - it's one of the side effects.  So, I've switched to "steamers" (warmed milk type drinks from Starbucks) and iced tea - purely because they don't taste like metal.

Don't know if this is relevant or not, but I know my neuro tells me to watch the caffeine intake as well.  He always tells me no more than 3 sources in a day....can be 2 things with chocolate, 1 lattee or whatever, but no more than 3, preferably less.  Too much caffiene isn't a good thing.  Better to stick to natural sugars.

Hope this helps.

~Erin/GG

Re: Soda (non-diet) and epileptic seizures

Submitted by swedlundtom on Thu, 2008-08-28 - 05:43
well I'm glad you have seen a little improvement. when you get tired of half baked results and you want to stop having seizures altogether you could do what my wife did who has been seizure free for 13 years after several years of them before we marrried. when she married me she reluctantly started to eat more like me. I eat 85% raw fruits and veggies and no refined or processed food. I dare you to try it. check out the halleluya diet. I won't bore you with the long list of other chronic "incureable" illnesses that disappeared from our bodies like bad dreams. this is not a prank or a joke it's the truth and it has been documented in hundreds upon hundreds of people. now if you want to go on taking medications that's your choice. your doctor may say that this is not true but he's not really in a possition to be objective is he. I'm not saying he's a bald faced liar. it's called selective perseption. many very smart folks [like doctors] miss the most simple solutions because of choice not lack of intelligence. in other words if what I say is true he would only be able to make money from emergency type procedures because chronic illness is 100% preventable. this is a very unatractive prospect for him. Sorry doc. I'll come see you when I get a broken leg or I'll shake your hand at church.

Re: Soda (non-diet) and epileptic seizures

Submitted by shu on Sun, 2008-03-30 - 12:30
Hi!  My son is newly diagnosed with Absence seizures.  I do think there is a connection between sugar level in your body and seizures.  If he has a soda (not something we normally do), we do see an increase in seizures the next day.  There is research on hypolycemia or just low blood sugar levels and seizures.  I think everyone should eat and drink a variety of foods and the healthier the better.  It can't hurt to try getting off the soda and drinking water instead.  Good luck to you!

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