Food allergies and seizures??

[squirrellover]

So I recently got my EEG results and they came back with nothing wrong with them. At this point, no one is sure if I have been coping with seizures or not. But, I did come across something interesting. Food allergies and seizures.

Has anyone else been diagnosed with food allergies that cause their seizures? Looking back at the last few years, I've been eating more sushi than before. I do not like fish, so I never ate it that often. The past year or so, I was eating sushi almost once a week. For the past three months, I've only had sushi three times or so, and my episodes have completely stopped. I do not know if i'm allergic to anything in sushi, like the tuna or shrimp, but it's just something that I've been looking into.

 

[lindsayschu2]

I made some drastic changes to my diet and saw a great increase in seizure control. I was eating a couple of foods I had tested allergic to years before but didn't seem to have a problem with. Once I started really paying attention, I realized I was having a problem with those foods--I just wasn't getting classic allergy symptoms. My tongue would swell, sinuses would clog, I would retain fluid for several days and I was more prone to seizures. Fish, shellfish and pork (an unusual one, but I tested allergic to it and I react to it) are my three. Shellfish is a bad one here. I have completely eliminated those and don't retain fluid at all anymore and the other symptoms went away--my seizures reduced as well. Elimination diets are a good way to find out what your food sensitivities may be. Diet can and does have an impact--not only allergens, but pesticides, food additives, glutamates, etc. The cleaner your diet and the better you eat for your own sensitivities, the less stress you are putting on your body--and less stress usually equals fewer seizures. Keep a food diary and track seizure activity with what you have eaten as well.

 

[masterjen]

A true allergy would be associated with things like any or all of tingling in the mouth, hives, breathing difficulties, GI symptoms or even anaphylaxis (see here for more details http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-allergy/basics/symptoms/con-20019293 ). Seizures in absence of any of the other symptoms of a food allergy would not be likely.

It might be possible that the fish you are consuming is highly contaminated with mercury, but that would have to be a pretty large dose of mercury: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002476.htm And as you can see from this there are many sources of mercury and it doesn't all have to come from one source.

There can be other causes of seizures that supposedly have no cause identified, lyme disease being one of them as just an example.

 

[lindsayschu2]

I might beg to differ slightly--if you have food sensitivities, that can cause inflammation, digestive issues, diarrhea, fluid retention, leaky gut and other things that can cause bodily stress--and any kind of physical stress can lower your seizure threshold. I also did test positive for allergies to the foods I was eating--my reaction wasn't that severe to any of them but shellfish, which is severe and I quit eating that years ago. Allergies can range from tongue swelling and sinus congestion all the way to difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis--there is a range. I would agree eating something once you are mildly sensitive or mildly allergic to might not cause seizures, but if you are eating these foods all the time it can cause more serious issues and lead to seizures. I was eating my problem foods many times a week. I do know speaking for myself, having cut out foods I was sensitive and allergic to made a big difference in my control.

 

[AlohaBird]

The things I've cut out are grains, dairy, soy, booze, and caffeine. (Plus any fake stuff like MSG, aspartame, fake colors and such).

It is very possible to have a sensitivity to a particular food that does not manifest as a classic allergy. With me it is systemic inflammation that is most obvious in puffy ankles if I have been bad about sticking to my diet.
When I got my father to go paleo, his BP came down by thirty five points and his diabetes went away (not just managing the symptom, gone completely).

I am able to reduce my medication dose and still keep the same seizure control when I am good about my diet.

Bottom line, yes, it really matters. Welcome squirrellover.

 

[Emee]

Chemicals or additives in foods can trigger a seizure for me. One of the worst things I have to cope with is perfumes or any fragrance.