Questions. My friend started having seizures

[Fyr]

My best friend just told me that she have been getting seizures over this last week when she drinks lots of coffee or smokes lots of weed. She has also been very very stressed out recently and has been eating very little. She says she is going to take better care of herself now and has been eating a lot more (3 meals a day vs 1). She says she also had some seizures 2 years ago when she was also very stressed and not taking good care of herself. One more thing that might be worth mentioning is that she was abused when she was young and had a memory come back to her during a seizure this week. I don't know anything about seizures except for the little Ive read on the internet today. What do you think is causing her seizures and how do you stop them from happening? Does she need to see a doctor (she doesn't want to) and will they put her on drugs if she does? Any other words of advice? Thanks so much,
Fyr

[Nakamova]

Hi Fyr, welcome to CWE!

It's great that you are helping out your friend!

One of the best approaches to controlling or reducing seizures is to identify any seizure triggers and avoid them. If your friend has noticed that she has seizures when she drinks a lot of coffee or smokes a lot of weed or skips a lot of meals, then she should... avoid drinking, smoking, or skipping meals.

Generally, caffeine and other stimulants are common seizure triggers. Weed has a mixed reputation -- some people have found it helps with seizures, others that it makes them worse. Because marijuana can mimic some of the body's own brain-sedatives, smoking weed can throw things out of balance as the brain tries to adjust to being sedated, then not sedated, then sedated, then not sedated... As for skipping meals, low blood sugar can definitely be a trigger, as well as the associated dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.

You mentioned stress and emotional issues -- those can also play a role. If she can, your friend should find ways to manage her stress, perhaps with counseling. Improving one's overall emotional, physical, and physiological health can go a long way towards minimizing the risks associated with a seizure disorder. There's more good info here: Proactive Prescription for Epilepsy

If your friend's seizures are increasing in frequency or duration, or are changing for the worse, she should consider seeing a neurologist. It's important to prevent the brain from "getting in the habit" of seizing. A neurologist would most likely recommend medication. Your friend would be under no obligation to go that treatment route, but it might be a good idea for her to be evaluated by a professional, and know what her treatment options are.

Best,
Nakamova

[redpoppy]

Your post spooked me for a moment, you could've been talking about me a year ago!

Stress can be a powerful trigger for seizures, so I can only recommend exercise as some of the best holistic medicine your friend will find. Especially if she's turning to stimulants and depressants with such frequency; exercise will make it easier for her to get up in the morning so she doesn't have the caffeine dependence, and it will level out her moods if she's self-medicating with marijuana. And to be frank, when you're tee'd off about your meds' side effects, or worried about your driver's license, there's nothing quite like cranking out a few pushups to blow off a little steam.

She's probably going to have to see a neurologist, and yeah, it's not going to be very fun or exciting, but such is life for those who have seizures.

[valeriedl]

Aside from smoking weed, it's something I don't do so I can't give you any advice about that, but all the other things are triggers for me having a seizure. Stress is a huge tigger for me.

I would suggest she see a nurologist, it can't hurt and what she's going through maybe alot more serious than she thinks it is. She can discuess with the dr about the medicine, but if it's something that she'll need to take to help her with what she's going through then she may need to realize that.

[Fyr]

Thanks for your help and support. It seems like you guys have a great community here. Thanks again.

[Blythe]

I assume you are in your late teens to 20"s. I first had my seizures when I was 13. Had Grand mal at 17. Lost my licence then ( Just got it too). Then 40 years of anti seizure meds. Are you kidding, would I take it all back? NO But do guard your bones!!!!!