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Help with marijuana and epilepsy
Fri, 12/09/2011 - 11:57Topic: My Epilepsy Diary
Hi, my name is Rich and I have been dealing with epilepsy since 2004. Before 2004 I smoked marijuana just about every day for about 8 years without a seizure. One morning when I woke up I had a minor convulsion, got checked out and all was fine but I quit smoking in fear I could get worse. Six months after that I had my first full blown seizure and it never stopped from there. I have been on phenytoin (dilantin) for years and just back in 2010 was added a second medication carbamazepine (tegretol). I have not smoked marijuana since before that first episode back in 2004 but after doing research have heard it could hurt or help. In my case would you think since I smoked all those years before my epilepsy with no problem that it would help me today or is the smoking all those years the reason I am permanently damaged today. I am only taking these two medications but will still randomly have a seizure. Do you think starting to smoke marijuana again would help me or hurt me?
Re: Help with marijuana and epilepsy
Submitted by jesgal on Sat, 2011-12-10 - 09:39
It makes sense genetically, I'm Native American and the challenges that exist within my community and family with alcohol is horrific. While marijuana usage doesn't have the terrible addictive effects for our genetics. I am just disgusted that society finds alcohol usage acceptable but marijuana is illegal. What's up with that? It's sad, but hopefully someday awareness will occur.
First, everyone has a unique life story about their seizure disorder. What works for me will not work for you, but my experiences might help. I have had complex partial seizures since I was 13. I use to think it was caused by an injury when I was 12, but it isn't. I had a tesla 3 MRI and the results showed polymicrogyria of the temporal lobes. My injury has nothing to do with my seizures, polymicrogyria is a congenital defect. I was born this way, puberty brought it out. I have never been seizure free, but they changed my medication from Tegretol XR to Lamictal this year. The transition took about 6 months, and my rate of seizures have lowered.
It makes sense genetically, I'm Native American and the challenges that exist within my community and family with alcohol is horrific. While marijuana usage doesn't have the terrible addictive effects for our genetics. I am just disgusted that society finds alcohol usage acceptable but marijuana is illegal. What's up with that? It's sad, but hopefully someday awareness will occur.