thyroid disorders and epilepsy

[mkgent]

Hi all.

Sorry if this has been done before, I'm new to this site so bare with me please!

Nine years ago I began to suffer from grand-mal seizures.
Following a plethora of tests and examinations, no cause or trigger was found
so my neurologist classed me as having 'general' epilepsy.

Subsequently I also discovered I had hypothyroidism (under productive thyroid gland).

Under medication for both conditions my fits stopped. I am now enjoying my sixth year seizure free, touch wood (touches fore-finger to temple) and I have my driving licence back.

I'm a bit miffed at being labled as having 'general' epilepsy, as this has closed some exciting career paths off to me.

My neurologist is/was I believe unaware of my hypothyroidism and when he comes back off holiday will be meeting him to discuss the possible connection
between the two conditions.

Could it be that I don't actually have epilepsy? and that my seizures were a result of hypothyroidism?

Does anyone else have, or heard of a similar story to mine?

Any advice would be greatly affected.

Many thanks.

Mark

[survivor]

I dont know much about relation of thyroid hormones and seizures in human beings, but being a veterinarian, I know the fact that thyroid dysfunctions lead to seizures. So ur thinking that ur seizures are a result of hypothyroidism may be true, but i would like other experienced people to comment on this. But dear, one thing I know for sure and that is- U have to do what ur neurologist says! So best of luck! See him and let us know what he says so that we can also learn.

[Nakamova]

Hi mkgent, welcome to CWE!

Epilepsy is just a descritpive term for when someone has had more than one seizure. "General" or "Generalized" just means that the seizure is the kind that spreads to the entire brain and results in grand mals (also called tonic clonics). So your diagnosis, annoying as it may seem to you is descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, it describes what was happening at the time. At this point it may not describe what will happen in the future.

If you still need anti-epileptic medicine, then your seizure disorder is considered to be well-controlled; that doesn't necessarily mean that it has gone away. If you were to miss a few doses, or go off meds altogether, your seizures might (or might not) return.

Given this "unknown" factor, some careers might be more appropriate than others. Good seizure control is terrific, so you should be eligible for the vast majority of jobs. But there may be a few where even the small risk of a seizure might have bad consequences.

If you feel that your underlying seizure disorder has gone into remission, and would like to try going med-free, definitely discuss this with your neurologist. Any tapering down should be done very slowly, and under his supervision.

The thyroid disorder could well have played a role in your seizures, but keep in mind that not everyone with hypothyroidism has grand mal seizures. In addition, the links between the two are unclear. People with hypothyroidism tend to lose sodium easily -- this can lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which in turn can cause seizures. But it's also case that some anti-epileptic medications can cause hypothryoidism, so it can be tough to know for sure whether your conditions are causal in any way, correlative, or simply co-existing.

You can read a discussion from the CWE archives about thyroid disorders and epilepsy here: Thyroid dysfunction and seizures

I do hope your neurologist can provide some guidance. It's great that you have been seizure-free for so long, and that you have your license back.

Best,
Nakamova

[Cint]

Hi Mark,

I also have hypoythroidism along with epilepsy and diabetes. No cause was found for my seizures--- no encephalitis, meningistis, falls, brain injuries before surgery. I'm the only one in my family that has epilepsy + diabetes, but both sisters,my mother, father and brother all have hypothyroidism. My daughter has Hashimoto's disease and she discovered it at 25 years of age. She hasn't had any seizures.

As Nakamova said, some of the seizure meds can cause hypothyroidism and electrolyte imbalance, so depending on which meds you're taking, it can impact your endocrine system.

I hope your neurologist has knowledge of this and will give you good advice.

[gigi]

Hello Mark -

I have had E. since 1969 (officially). I have been on Dilantin for over 30 years. The medical community has always labeled my E as idiopathic (no known cause). I also have the T/Cs.

My thyroid did not start to tank on me (hypo) until around 2006, three years after total hysterectomy. I would like to think that the medication has contributed to that, but I am female and middle aged, so I can only guess on that. It is hard to know what comes first, or if one caused the other or just co-exist like Nakamova said.

Problems with the thyroid seem to be prevalent in this country, and I had zero interest in this little gland that is so important until I started to feel like the walking dead.

Personally, I will take my E. any day over the roller coaster ride of trying to manage a compromised thyroid gland.

[DebbieT]

I was diagnosed with hypoT first, and epilepsy later, but had symptoms of both ever since I was a teen. I really do think there's a connection, but when I google it, I only find veterinary information - lol. I think there needs to be research into this on humans! I also have multiple food allergies, not sure if that's a factor or not. I've been diagnosed with generalized convulsive epilepsy.

[RobinN]

Mark,
I have often wondered about the very same thing.
My daughter began having seizures and the medication made it worse. She also was found to have hypoglycemia. So I now have decided to claim that she has had a seizure disorder due to the blood sugar imbalance.

My daughter has been med free for (losing track now) about 3-4 yrs. She will be seizure free for 1 yr (on Jan 10th).

I don't think conventional doctors even know how to classify individuals that have this disorder. Many are guessing, and are thrilled with the drugs reduce the number of seizures, rather than searching for the cause.

I personally believe that the meds change brain function so much, that for many the chance of eliminating them is a long shot. If I were you, I would figure out why you are having thyroid issues and work to improve adrenal and thyroid health. For us, nutrition has made all the difference in the world.

[gigi]

RobinN

I don't think conventional doctors even know how to classify individuals that have this disorder. Many are guessing, and are thrilled with the drugs reduce the number of seizures, rather than searching for the cause.

I personally believe that the meds change brain function so much, that for many the chance of eliminating them is a long shot. If I were you, I would figure out why you are having thyroid issues and work to improve adrenal and thyroid health. For us, nutrition has made all the difference in the world.
===================
well put. modern medicine is so still in the dark ages in my opinion. I have come to the conclusion that w/o a doubt our health is "about the money". So sad but true. I have not been to a neurologist in 8 years, because I already know the drill and they will treat me the same as they did over 40 years ago at diagnosis time. Thyroid issues are about the same, and complicated, and not treated in the context that even gives you a clue as to how to deal with it. Here is a pill to take, and may God bless...After over 30 years of dilantin I am dealing with the dark side to long term side effects, and none too happy. Who am I w/o it, I will never know.