Sleep deprivation is my biggest trigger, and barometric pressure is scary, but I did keep a food diary last year because there was something else. I have had tonic-clonic only twice - 1st sleep deprivation, 2nd because I hadn't been told which OTC drugs to avoid. Thanks ER & doctors.

But I have complex partial seizures that are still not under control & those come with strong auras. I was able to track it back: caffiene and chocolate. Yeah, it stinks. I very rarely have caffiene - tea in a restaurant, occassional soda - and the doctor upped my Lamictal XR dosage to deal with the chocolate. Since I'm not having any bad reactions to the Lamictal, he wants to try to eliminate the complex partial seizures too, while letting me eat everything. We tried it over Christmas last year and it definitely decreased the CP's but they haven't gone away.

Uberzwitter,

You are definitely onto something. Foods can trigger seizures and reactions to foods can trigger seizures. This is well documented for migraines. Seizures and migraines are closely related. Sometimes I think they're even the same thing.

Aspartame and glutamates are two bad ones. Glutamates occur naturally in foods such as soy, parmesan cheese, tomatoes (especially tomato paste), mushrooms, beets, "savory" foods. Aspartame is just toxic. It isn't good for anyone even people who don't carry a gene for PKU.

Tyramines are another baddie. They, too, occur in delicious foods. No smoked or cured meats. No meat that isn't really fresh. No dry aged beef. Aged cheese. It's hard to find good information about which foods contain tyramine because there is so much wrong information out there. Stahl's The Essential Psychopharmocology: The Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications has the only accurate list I've found. Try to find it online or in a bookstore and get the info you need.

Allergic reactions can cause seizures. Histamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Also blood levels of everything go flooey when you have an allergic reaction. Other types of sensitivities wreak havoc as well. Histamines also occur naturally in certain foods or cause the body to produce them.

Caffeine can trigger headaches and seizures because it is a vasoconstrictor. Ironically it can trigger symptoms, but if you have a migraine it can help. You have to be careful about eating foods that have a bad glycemic index, especially with caffeine because you get a spike in insulin levels and then your blood sugar drops. Low blood sugar can trigger seizures.

You also have to make sure about your electrolyte balances. Out of whack electrolytes can trigger seizures. Hyponatremia (low salt) is extremely dangerous and is a side effect of some AEDs.

I would say go with how you feel. I had to start keeping a food diary. I noticed a pattern when I ate. I finally traced it to beets. I stopped eating beets and my seizure frequency dropped. That was from the naturally occurring glutamates. I have a lot of food allergies and I assiduously avoid anything that I know I have a problem with.

Here is a list of foods. This one looks pretty good on superficial inspection. Go with how you feel rather than what this said. Use it as a guide. You are the best judge of what does and doesn't work for you.

http://web.archive.org/web/20070830124324/users.bigpond.net....

Best of luck.

Baruch Hashem. Hoshia na.

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Based on personal experience, I would suggest getting tested for gluten intolerance, which may end up leading to testing for Celiac Disease if the blood work is positive. There is a connection between CD and seizures/epilepsy, because CD can have neurological manifestations with or without intestinal signs. Some (but not all) studies have shown a higher incidence of CD (as much as 1/40) among those with epilepsy than among the general population (1 in 133). In my case, I am still undergoing investigation of my seizures, but I was diagnosed with one condition then the other within a 3-month time period, so I can't help but think I am one of the ones where they are related.

I have noticed that I'll have an Episode a few hours after or right after i have a diet drink / or anything with Aspartame (fake Sugar). also if i take some cold medicines that cause drowziness.

I find that if I stuff myself I could a focal sez. So I just need to watch how I eat when I go out or at any functions.

I can't believe you had the same symptoms as I did when I eat Thay food. Hmm I will take a observe this in the future and post again.
Hope you find out sooner and post agin :)
Good luck, email sender !

I have found that recently red meat gives me absence seizures!! I really, really wanted a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. I enjoyed it . Had an absence seizure as I sat down after and started knitting.  So my husband thinks it is the knitting. No. The knitting calms me. I am vegetarian with fish and ocassionally chicken. Lots of greens, folates, seem to help me feel better, too. Thai food has a lot of potassium in the sauces that is used as flavourant. And their flavourings are high in MSG. I ask for the food without the sauce...they bring mine on the side. I ask for my salads without dressing unless the chef makes it without flavoured sauces.

It makes me sound like a pain in the ... but it is easier than explaining my condition. Fresh organic food always helps control my seizures. And coffee is no trigger for me.

If your seizures are in your limbic system, could food smells trigger your absence seizures?

Caffine,pork,cut back on dairy,cheinise cooking,drinking,not enough fiber in diet,

Matt

Nutmeg is a big trigger for me and Thai food often contains it. Sometimes it's a pain in the neck for me to go to a Thai restaurant because often the staffs' English isn't the best. Usually what I have to say is "If you're not sure it's not in there I'll eat something else.". No sense in waking up on their floor just to eat something that smells good.

MCS

Reading what everyone wrote  we can't always go by everyones  food thoughs either . Because everyone body is different to . I know no one should do any achol at all.  If i ate only certian things i  weight 10 lbs  i only  weigh 90 and eat tons food.

Hello everyone,

Great forum.  I've been doing research for the past 20yrs and have found that it is ABsoLUTEly true that foods trigger my seizures.  So, I avoid all food products with (wheat, corn, soy, caffiene, alcohol, msg, sweeteners) ...I think that's it.  And I feel fantastic.

Most recently I learned that I have a seizure condition called Catamenial Epilepsy.

Here is a website that you may find interesting:  "Catamenial Epilepsy and Progesterone" http://professionals.epilepsy.com/wi/print_section.php?section=hormones_catamenial

"the woman [with Catamenial Epilepsy] may tend to have more seizures at particular times during her menstrual cycle, usually just before or during the onset of menstruation or at the time of ovulation...the surge of serum estrogen levels at the time of ovulation may be associated with increased seizure tendency; as may the fall in serum progesterone levels just before and during menstruation...If a catamenial pattern of seizure exacerbation is established from this record, additional steps in the evaluation will help to guide treatment...Because progesterone has anticonvulsant effects and estrogen has proconvulsant effects, treatment with progesterone or estrogen antagonists may prove to be useful adjunctive treatments in appropriate patients."

Also, a search engine like Google:  "Catamenial Epilepsy" progestrone   OR  define     This will get a whole bunch of stuff on the subject of Catamenial Epilepsy, which is having seizures around hormone changes that women tend to have around their menstrual cycle and at the time of ovulation.......when Estrogen containing foods really tend to INCREASE estrogen and LOWER the seizure threshhold.

I'm not a doctor, just done LOTS of research over the years.  My seizures, PMS, and other behavioral changes around my menstrual cycle and ovulation have stopped now (Thank G-d) .....with the elimination of certain estrogen containing foods and seizure-provoking (for whatever reason....like soda since I was 12yrs old).  I am so greatful that I've got my life back in order.

Good luck to you all.  And it really does sound like those of you women with seizures that happen mostly around your menstrual cycle may have this type of seizure disorder (Catamenial Epilepsy).

I suggest to log your seizures (how many & what type) on a calendar or in a journal.  As well as try a food journal to see which foods provoke certain unwanted Emotions/Seizures and such.

Be well,

LovesMath  :) 

Without seeing this topic before, bananas are something I've craved ever since my seizures first started. Another craving is peanut butter and jelly, I hated eating it when I was younger. I usually keep a cut up honeydew mellon in the fridge to munch on, the riper it gets, the sweeter it is.