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Food-Triggered Siezures
Sun, 05/18/2008 - 14:10So I have never found a trigger my siezures beyond them occuring around my period...but I think I might be on to something. Maybe even something that might give me the origin to my seizures- since they haven't found anything on my CT scans or MRI. I went out for Thai food this week and last to a specific place. I had a small siezure right after eating both times. The first time I didn't think much of it since I was on my period, but it was my only one that week (odd, I didn't have more that cycle) but the second time I looked at my plate suspiciously. I had crab rangoon both times, but I had it once before at this place and didn't react so *scratch*...
However, I recalled the number of times in the past four years that my seziues began at the dinner table. Some of my worst ones began at the dinner table. Could I have an allergy to something? Why would I not be reacting to it more often outside the time of my period? Some minor research does pull up that allergies are stronger during menstration. Could I be more predisposed to a reaction then when my seizure threshhold is lower as is?
I'm going to have to keep track of what I eat now.
Does anyone else have anything similar to this, or heard of it? Is it a possibility?
Comments
Re: Food-Triggered Siezures
Submitted by zealot on Sat, 2011-02-19 - 15:15
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.au/allergydietitian/fi/amines.html
Best of luck.
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Re: Food-Triggered Siezures
Submitted by princesscakes on Thu, 2011-07-28 - 07:31
I agree keep a food journal that is the only way you will know what foods bother you .
I thought about a food journal as I had IBS symptoms for years and I wonder what food is bothering me that day and the stomach cramps are getting bad lately and more often to the point I feel like I can't sit up any more I get so bloated and sharp gas pains .
Re: Food-Triggered Siezures
Submitted by tcameron on Tue, 2013-11-12 - 16:33
How can we tell which foods are 'safe'? I thought most of these were "good-for-you" foods. Dry milk solids, ultra pasturized, broth, boullion, gelatin, milk powder, vitamin "enriched" and the real kickers: whey and soy protein?
I shop at a natural food store, where I purchase whey protein in canisters. I try to purchase fresh and organic food whenever possible. Now I'm wondering if I should even have Jello as a dessert. "Pasturized"? I thought it was a way of making food safe. What's the difference between "pasturized" and "ultra Pasturized"?
How can we tell which foods are 'safe'? I thought most of these were "good-for-you" foods. Dry milk solids, ultra pasturized, broth, boullion, gelatin, milk powder, vitamin "enriched" and the real kickers: whey and soy protein?
I shop at a natural food store, where I purchase whey protein in canisters. I try to purchase fresh and organic food whenever possible. Now I'm wondering if I should even have Jello as a dessert. "Pasturized"? I thought it was a way of making food safe. What's the difference between "pasturized" and "ultra Pasturized"?