My epilepsy

[Lori Buckman]

I've had twenty grand mal seizures since I was 18. The last two were terrible. I had been on Dilantin when those happened. I've since found out that Dilantin can build or lessen in your blood stream. It lessened in mine. My doctor (at that time) suggested I take a little more medication to doubly-control my seizures: It just made me that much more depressed. I changed to Lamictal last January of '07. It took a lot of trial and error dosage but it's marvelous! My neurologist said Lamictal is the 'top of the line' anti-convulsant. But, boy, is it expensive!
Question: Does anybody have seizures due to eating too much sugar? Last neurologist I saw was actually stymied that my seizures were sugar-related.

[xenome]

The cause of my seizures are still unknown but I WISH they were caused by something as simple as too much sugar. How can I find out if thats the reason?

[Bernard]

Hi Lori, welcome to the forum.

Yes, Stacy (my wife) is borderline hypoglycemic and eating too much simple carbohydrates (including sugars) is a seizure trigger for her.

xenome, it helps if you keep a seizure diary and record all your seizure activity *and* everything you eat and drink. Over time, you will start to see a pattern develop. You could also just try the LGIT diet and see what happens.

[brain]

Lori!

Welcome to CWE! Glad to have you
here and I encourage you to click
on the link that Bernard provided as
it contains a lot of info there! And
stick around and you'll learn tons
and meet lots of friendly folks!

[RobinN]

Welcome Lori
Sorry to hear about your seizures. My daughter has Gran Mals (Tonic Clonic) seizures. She is 16. I do believe some of hers are related to blood sugar levels. We began to change her diet quite a bit, and she is putting on the brakes to try something else that might be limiting her from the things that make her happy. She is being better about soda (I think), but one must consider simple carbs, and she is still living on that even though they now tend to be organic and as healthy as possible. It still changes in the body to sugar.

The Atkins Diet also received a lot of attention as it is helpful in Epiliepsy.
Is that because simple carbs are limited, and protein and fats are increased.. most likely.

Then there is the research that eliminating Gluten and Casein, Soy and Corn from the diet is also helpful in reducing seizures.

[Lori Buckman]

Hypoglycemia affected me long before I had my first seizure.
For years, while I was being forewarned physically that I had epilepsy I was nevertheless eating my huge daily diet of sugary foods. I know, now, that those simple carbohydrates were the cause of my first and quite a few of my succeeding seizures. In my twenties I began to realize that whenever my blood sugar was low I tended to have more seizure activity than when my blood sugar was in the normal range. Eating healthy foods every three hours has kept me on an even keel.

[Lori Buckman]

Whenever I am stressed or have a myoclonic jerk, I feel much better and 'come on line' faster when I deep breathe. So I'm going to take a meditation class.

[RobinN]

Lori, does this show up in a typical glucose test? Or are your numbers so subtle that it doesn't show up except in the physical form of seizures?

[keyna]

The only thing the Dr.s do know so far is what makes my seizures worse, and Lamictal is one of them. I'm glad you found something GOOD LUCK!!

[Stacy]

Welcome Lori,

My seizures are hormone triggered, stress and sugar related. I take Dilantin, which effects my hormone levels... so it doesn't always help. Every time I go into the hospital, the neurologist comes in and says, 'increase her Dilantin levels'. They just don't get it. Hopefully, I'm starting to.

[Lori Buckman]

Everyone, I used to take Dilantin. I've taken it for 30 years. I used to blame my depression only on hypoglycemia, but Dilantin was also bothering me that way and it took this long to realize that. Since taking Lamictal I have actually become happier and take charge of our finances for the first time in my married life. Every week I feel better than the last.