[Info] Info on Herbs, Vitamins

[Endless]

There's a lot of chat on here about alternative/complementary remedies for epilepsy. There are a lot of great ones that do a good job. There are also some substances we'd think would be okay, but aren't.

Below is a link to the University of Washington's regional epilepsy center. They have doctors on staff that specialize in integrative medicine (alternative therapies).

This site does a good job of summarizing the various research into alternative therapies, It clearly spells out what works, what doesn't, and where there isn't enough research about a substance for anyone to have a scientific opinion.

It also spells out which herbs and vitamins could increase seizures, or can actually be dangerous for people with epilepsy or that are on anti-epileptic drugs. It's not all-inclusive of vitamins and herbs, but has quite a few.

The site uses objective research data as it's source, and often explains the mechanism of how or why they got the results they did. Pretty interesting. Especially useful are the interaction matrices towards the bottom of the page. For all you hard core readers, much of the research is cited at the end and you can go read the originals.

I'm going to be consulting this page before I take any supplement, be it vitamin or herbal remedy.

I posted the link in another thread, but I thought this was important enough to deserve it's own.

http://pcs.hmc.washington.edu/Epilepsy/EpiInfo/CAM.html


Happy reading

[Endless]

P.S. You should be running alternative therapies by your neurologist, too!

[RobinN]

"The big flaw I see in our medical care system is that clinical medicine - the care you receive from your local doctor - is at least 40-50 years behind what we are discovering in thousands of scientific laboratories around the world.

Most patients think that their doctor is up-to-date concerning the diseases they treat. This is usually far from the truth. In fact, most are using information that is decades old, and even older.

Much of the material now being taught doctors is directly linked to pharmaceutical treatments. In traditional medicine, whenever a problem is discovered, doctors are taught to look for the combination of drugs that is needed to treat the symptoms.

A massive amount of research is ignored because natural compounds don't make profits for the pharmaceutical companies, who are major contributors to medical schools."

Dr Russell Blaylock
Board certified Neurosurgeon
health practitioner, author, and lecturer
nutritional studies and research

Blaylock Wellness Report
March 2010

[Endless]

I agree. My neurologist really won't talk about supplements with me. A clinic like the one I linked to is great - they have actual M.D.'s that specialize in integrative medicine and natural healing. They bring in the best of both worlds, but make sure they use the science available while they are at it. Makes me think about searching for an epilepsy specialist who is also into integrative medicine.

[RobinN]

Many can't discuss therapy that isn't covered by your insurance plan.
I weighed the risk when considering alternatives and many times did not seek approval of Rebecca's neurologist. I find it is within my right to control my own healthcare.

Making nutritional changes shouldn't have to be approved by a doctor. Our supplements are researched. No one has ever died from taking a vitamin that I know of. Can't say that about pharmaceutical drugs.
Neurofeedback was also a choice of ours, and I didn't see approval for that either. I didn't hide the fact that it was a therapy that we chose to experiment with. That is my choice and my right to do so.

[Endless]

Wow. And I thought my insurance was cruddy. Some people's insurance is even cruddier. I think my neurologist's issue isn't insurance, it's where he's chosen to focus his attention, and it's not on alternative therapy. I wish he would. It would be easier for me than having to research drug/herb/vitamin efficacies and interactions in epilepsy myself. The ND I used to see knows about enough about epilepsy and anti-epileptic drug's to fit on the head of a pin, so he's not terribly useful in this situation either.

A long time ago I used to go to an integrative medicine clinic and I got spoiled. There were MD's, ND's, massage therapists, nutritionists, acupuncturists, etc. all under one roof, and they all talked together and worked together as a team to manage any given patient's case. I really miss that holistic approach. Now, I have a family doctor that would call the ND and talk with him if needed. Good, but not quite the same. I wish I could find an epilepsy dr. that would even take that step. I think the UW integrative medicine epilepsy docs work together as a team with natural healers, but they aren't under the same roof. I see an opportunity for a whole epilepsy clinic that follows that integrative medicine clinic model. You can find them all over the place for cancer. We need them, too.

[RobinN]

Yes that would be an ideal situation.

[droolmonster]

while I found the site interesting, I have to say that I am sick of doctors telling me I can't do anything. I hate doctors because they pretend they know everything and they know almost nothing. They can shove it.

I take keppra, by the way, so maybe that was a little keppra rage.

Not drink coffee???? When the medication that THEY prescribe feels like a heroin overdose? They must be crazy. It's nice to be awake during the day, you pompous overbearing frauds (doctors).

done.

I personally think that I'm incurable at this point, being of the 30% that medication doesn't help. I have no faith in silly alternative treatments, just like I have no faith in God. I love how belligerent that sounded.

Women know about herbs and vitamins, those male doctors are keeping the witches down! That is a reference to folk medicine and the witch hunts, and crazy wiccans if you've ever met any.

Now I'm really done. Enough of this.

[epileric]

Giving alternative treatments such as homeopathic remedies instead of conventional medicines to children may have deadly side-effects in rare instances, a new analysis says.

Australian researchers monitored reports from pediatricians in Australia from 2001 to 2003 looking for suspected side-effects from alternative medicines like herbal treatments, vitamin supplements or naturopathic pills. They found 39 reports of side-effects including four deaths.

They described one case of a 10-month-old baby who had severe septic shock after being given naturopathic medicines and was assigned to a special diet to treat eczema. In another case, an infant who suffered multiple seizures and a heart attack died after being given alternative therapies — which the parents had chosen due to their concerns about the side-effects of regular medicines.

Herbal medicines may be risky for kids

Making nutritional changes shouldn't have to be approved by a doctor. Our supplements are researched. No one has ever died from taking a vitamin that I know of. Can't say that about pharmaceutical drugs.

People have died from Not taking drugs when they haven't gotten their vaccinations. Russell Blalock is very much against vaccinations & even attended an anti-vaccination conference in Jamaica

[Andrew]

P.S. You should be running alternative therapies by your neurologist, too!

My pediatrician first administered vitamin B6, I was only five months old. That was almost 40 years ago. With my doctor's consent I have also used a multi B complex tablet, on a daily bases, with my B6 from the age of 19.

My medication consists of B vitamins only (mainly B6).

I have a very rare condition.

B vitamins - for me - are the equivalent of your anti-epileptic drug(s).

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/pyridoxine.html

**DO NOT ALTER ANY MEDICATION WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR'S CONSENT**

Andrew

[Endless]

Andrew -

It's GREAT the b vitamins help your seizures. Same thing for my cousin's baby right after she was born. Odd their local neurologist didn't know to do this - they had to go 1500 miles away to a pediatric neurology specialist. The B6 stopped her seizures and she continues to take it. She's been seizure free for 6 years now.