Hello

[futurOT]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have had epilepsy since 1986 and have been on and off of alot of epilepsy meds, the latest one is zonegran. I have been on this one for close to 6 years and have just begun to develop kidney stones from it. I don't really know what other options I have currently which sort of worries me. Anyway, I would like to say hello to all of you and look foward meeting everyone.

[Bernard]

Hi futurOT, welcome to the forum.

I've compiled a chart of non-drug alternative treaments (see link in signature). Perhaps one of them will do the trick for you.

[RobinN]

Hi FuturOT
Welcome to CWE I am glad that you decided to join us.
There are some threads here with some suggestions regarding this. If I can find them I will bring them to you.
Have you ever been told of nutritional changes that can help in many ways?
Bernard has a few on his chart.

[futurOT]

Hi, Robin
I had heard about the ketogenic diet for children and that it had been tried in adults but only a few cities in the US are doing this. Currently the physicians in my area are not doing it.

[brain]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have had epilepsy since 1986 and have been on and off of alot of epilepsy meds, the latest one is zonegran. I have been on this one for close to 6 years and have just begun to develop kidney stones from it. I don't really know what other options I have currently which sort of worries me. Anyway, I would like to say hello to all of you and look foward meeting everyone.

FuturOT!

Glad to have you here at CWE! One
of the main things with Zonegran
(generic - Zonisamide) - is you need
to drink a lot of water and stay away
from caffeine as much as possible;
otherwise you would result in Kidney
Stones.

I'm on Zonegran and I drink at least
16 - 32 ounces of water a day (if I
work outside, I drink more).

SPECIAL NOTE: If your water is a
treated type water that has fluoride in
it and/or other chemicals in it, you'll
be better off buying a well known brand
name Spring Water and use that to
drink - or top of the line (if you can
afford it) in sink water purifier, that
would remove that excessive chemicals
out. I just stick with Zephyrhills Spring
Water and haven't had any trouble,
but I DO drink at least 8 ounces of the
tap water so I can have some of that
fluoride in me, but that's it.

[RobinN]

There are other nutritional changes that are being used with success, but perhaps have not had "double blind studies"
One is the Modified Atkins Diet. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press.../01_28_08.html

The Low Glycemic Index Diet
http://www.med.nyu.edu/cec/treatment/diet/glycemic.html

Another is the GARD Diet
http://dogtorj.com/ (check on the side bar for Epilepsy and Diet.. a wealth of info)

[RobinN]

http://alternative-medicine-and-heal...ons/kidney.htm

Magnesium is needed to prevent the formation of kidney stones, it is also know to be an anti convulsant. There is a thread here that discusses the reasons that many are depleted of this mineral.

Foods high in Oxalates are also another cause of stones. You might do a search about that.

Magnesium....

[RobinN]

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group..._Low_Oxalates/

http://lowoxalate.info/

[skillefer]

Hi futurOT! Welcome to the forum!

[Birdbomb]

Welcome futurOT

Glad you found us.

The Ketogenic diet works well, but for adult, the Modified Adkins Diet is more preferable.

[Stacy]

hi Future OT

Welcome to the forum. Glad to see you here. I sugguest you try my good ol' standbye, "the notebook". Get a notebook (I prefer the lab notebooks with no spirals) and keep track of every little thing. It's tough to do, but it works. Start with the date, time, actvitiy, & the way you feel. I'm talking every time you make presents write it down, and write down what it looked like (if it was abnormal, etc.). Write down what foods you eat, when and what supplements you take and how much. Record how you feel and at what time of the day.

You will begin to notice patterns... for me I noticed I had sets of seizures during that "monthly visit from Aunt Flo", and moreso when my electrolite levels are down and stress is up. It will take some time, but if you do it, you will be able to look back on your notebook, find your own patterns, and show the doctors what's going on with you. Good luck.