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Epilepsy and marijuana

Sat, 02/05/2005 - 12:32
Hi all, I was wondering whether or not the effects of pot on the brain can intefere with the effects of the epilepsy medicine Tegretol 400mg per day. I know grapefruit and alcohol have adverse effects on the drug's treatments and can lead to uncontrollabe seizure possibilities in some cases. However, in the case of weed I do not not if it does have any interference or not. So if anyone could help me here I would appreciate it. Thanks.Chris

Comments

RE: Epilepsy and marijuana

Submitted by chef68 on Sun, 2005-01-30 - 10:22
This is such a great topic. When I started having a bad bout with my seizures a few years ago (partial complex) a friend gave me pot. I can't remember which med I was on at the time because I've been on so many. i did ask my neurologist about it though and he gave me a roundabout but interesting answer. In short the Germans do use pot a lot in treating epilepsy. Try doing some research with results outside of the country. I think that we are too conservative in our approach to medicine. I am cautious in what I do but not close minded. I think that alcohol is far more damaging when you are taking medication.

Re: RE: Epilepsy and marijuana

Submitted by merrimari on Sun, 2007-04-08 - 06:53
I would like to know where your doctor heard this about Germans treating epilepsy with pot? I have been here in Germany for almost four years and I have been treated my a German neurologist who always wants to make sure I am not using the stuff, but I do anyways for about 25 years now because I also find that it helps me too!! Although, I never asked her if other neurologist's in Europe use this to treat seizures. I will ask her next time I go see her. I only have been on Valproic Acid and just recently Keppra and Surmontil because of suffering my third grand-mal seizure so I don't know if my seizure's are caused by me smoking for all these years or all of the other factors that I put in my first blog, especially alcohol!! I will always agree that we American's seem to be too conservative and I am going to hate going back to the doctor's in America!!! I love it here!!!! MerriMari

RE: Epilepsy and marijuana

Submitted by ccs123 on Tue, 2005-02-01 - 09:20
I cannot believe my eyes...I can't believe questions and discussions of such are not filtered out of a website made to teach you about doing your body right and taking necessary precautions while living with epilepsy!  Call me conservative or whatever you want, but I am uphalled that ANYONE with epilepsy and taking anti-seizure meds would even entertain the thought of messing with illegal drugs!  Epilepsy or not, we all know that marijuana has a terrible long-term effect on brain cells!!! Shame on epilepsy.com for allowing such discussions when there evidently is no proof shown that marijuana is safe to mix with epilepsy.  If you want to relax, take a long walk or a warm bubble bath, take the phone off the hook, read a book, listen to soft music, but don't be an IDIOT!!!!  I now feel even more deeply for people who have become invalids because of the effects of seizures on their brains and bodies...they had no choice and you dimwits are taking a chance at sending yourself down that same road!  One more thing, you might want to consider young epileptics looking for advice here when you want to post questions like this...your pleasure seeking is very inconsiderate!

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