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Controlling seizures without medication
Wed, 04/22/2009 - 13:27I hope that this does not turn out to be a controversial subject.
Let me just start by saying that I don't know what kind of seizure disorder I have. I have had only 3 EEGs between the time I was 19 and now 35.
After the first EEG, my doctor told me I had epilepsy and put me on Tegretol. I took the medication only for a year, and then moved over to Klonopin, which I have taken ever since. When I was 22, I had another EEG, and the doctor told me I was fine. I was living overseas at the time of my 2nd EEG and I really can't vouch for the expertise of the doctor.
Despite what the doctor told me of my EEG, my seizures continued and had never stopped.
The seizures I was having were incredibly breif lasting only a second or two. My eyes would roll back into my head, I would NOT fall to the ground. I'd lose muscle control from the neck and above, and kind of twitch my head back and forth with very small jerks that were almost unnoticeable.
In any event, I was sick with the flu recently, and during my doctor's visit, I had one of these seizures, and he insisted I see a nuerologist again.
I had an EEG and MRI, and I've been told again that I have a seizure disorder. I just started taking Lamictal.
I'm very keen to how my body responds to foods, stress, and specific situations.
If I were able to simply avoid all the situations that trigger my seizures which in most cases are stress-induced, I believe that I could live seizure-free without medication.
But that is not possible. What IS possible - is for me to overcome the situations that trigger my seizures with a different mental outlook. Although I have not been able to successfully change my mental approach to the situations that cause my seizures all the time, I have had success in many instances.
To sum it up, I strongly believe that it would be possible to take control of my seizure disorder through a non-medicated approach. Perhaps my seizures are just different. I don't even know at this point what kind of seizures I have. All I know is that both of my EEGs in the US showed with certainty that I have a seizure disorder. I have left a message with my doctor today, to get more information on his diagnosis, and will post it here when I receive that information (see below).
I will continue taking my Lamictal. What I want to know is if anybody agrees that it could be possible to correct a form of seizures with a non-medicated mental approach; any doctors or patients?
I am not a scientologist. In fact, I'm not even sure what their approach to a seizure disorder is. I am just stating what I think I have the power to do, and want to find out if anybody shares those ideas.
Update
I spoke with my doctor today. The seizures that I have been having are simple and complex focal seizures.
Comments
Re: Controlling seizures without medication
Submitted by jacky99 on Sun, 2010-02-07 - 11:43
when life gives you lemons... smell an orange
i was diagnosed with juvenile abscence epilepsy when i was 11 years old and am not almost 25. i've been on valproic acid, tegretol and topomax in the past 14 years.
over the last four years i was taking tegretol and topomax. i kept on having seizures... it actually progressed from abscence seizures to GM and simple partials. i kept on getting increase after increase after increase until i couldn't go any higher on either med. it was at that point where i said something has got to give. i would tell my neuro that i was doing fine but still get increased. so i stopped taking my meds all together.
that was over one year ago and since then i have had only one seizure while i was sleeping. i have been doing great. i have been feeling clear headed and not walking around with a perpetual aura 24 hours a day.
though i do not recommend doing something so rash as stopping your meds it has worked for me. i know when i get too tired it is a trigger so i make sure that i get plenty of rest and try to keep my stress at a minimum. and thus far it has been working for me.
when life gives you lemons... smell an orange
i was diagnosed with juvenile abscence epilepsy when i was 11 years old and am not almost 25. i've been on valproic acid, tegretol and topomax in the past 14 years.
over the last four years i was taking tegretol and topomax. i kept on having seizures... it actually progressed from abscence seizures to GM and simple partials. i kept on getting increase after increase after increase until i couldn't go any higher on either med. it was at that point where i said something has got to give. i would tell my neuro that i was doing fine but still get increased. so i stopped taking my meds all together.
that was over one year ago and since then i have had only one seizure while i was sleeping. i have been doing great. i have been feeling clear headed and not walking around with a perpetual aura 24 hours a day.
though i do not recommend doing something so rash as stopping your meds it has worked for me. i know when i get too tired it is a trigger so i make sure that i get plenty of rest and try to keep my stress at a minimum. and thus far it has been working for me.
Re: Controlling seizures without medication
Submitted by Chrissyml on Sun, 2010-02-07 - 11:32
Well, my brother-in-law started having seizures in teens. He quit taking medication and tried to control his seizures through eliminating stress and better diet.
How did it go? Well, he can't tell you because he died from a seizure. Christmas Eve 1994 his room-mate went to check why he wasn't up for work and found my brother-in-law dead in his bed.
Merry Christmas, eh?
You've got nothing to lose--except your life.
Well, my brother-in-law started having seizures in teens. He quit taking medication and tried to control his seizures through eliminating stress and better diet.
How did it go? Well, he can't tell you because he died from a seizure. Christmas Eve 1994 his room-mate went to check why he wasn't up for work and found my brother-in-law dead in his bed.
Merry Christmas, eh?
You've got nothing to lose--except your life.