seizures and inflammation

[Molly97]

I have made an observation about a cycle that happens to my little ecosystem, better known as my body. I have found that I either have seizures or inflammation in my joints and surrounding muscles. I have observed this tradeoff for the last two years.

After my seizures of the past two weeks, I am experiencing tremendous pain in my right elbow, all of the connecting muscles and it has extended down into my hand. It is developing in my left arm as well. I am by no means a whiny bird; I can't lift anything without causing extreme pain. Normal everyday activities without pain are a thing of the past. I was on Levaquin, a heavy-duty antibiotic, the end of April for bronchitis; the two side effects I experienced were immediate seizures followed by inflammation. The drug manufacturer says that the side effects can last for up to six months. I go to my PCP Friday; I hope it's just the Levaquin hanging around longer than my doc originally thought it would.

I googled and found that there is some evidence that seizures release inflammation-producing substances into the brain. Mainly in children. So I am wondering if anyone here has seen a similar relationship between inflammation and seizures in themselves or someone they know. And does anyone have any new links on the subject? The links that Robin has provided in the past are the same ones I found, I believe.

[RobinN]

Epilepsy: An Autoimmune Disease?

Scientists Shed Light on Causes of Epilepsy

[Molly97]

Robin,
Thanks for the links; I'd already looked at these. I was wondering if there was anything else I'd missed.

I take a strange kind of comfort in knowing that the tradeoff, as I call it, between seizures and inflammation that I've observed isn't just me being a hypochondriac.

[RobinN]

At the University of Illinois in Chicago, Christopher G. Engeland, PhD, assistant professor of periodontics, worked with a team of researchers to examine the impact of stress on wounds to mucosal tissue in the mouth. They assessed wound closure rates in 65 dental students who volunteered to receive two small wounds (under local anesthesia) to the hard palate of the mouth on two different occasions -- during exam week and during summer vacation. The students’ healing rates and inflammatory responses were assessed regularly afterward.

During the presumably stressful exam weeks, researchers found elevated levels of inflammation in tissue and a delay in healing time of approximately 20%... and other stress studies have found it to be even higher. Any delay in wound closure increases infection risks, a fact that makes these findings particularly important, warns Dr. Engeland -- noting that researchers were interested to see that "a stressor as relatively mild as university exams can delay healing rates, even in experienced students." The findings were reported on March 5, 2009, at the 67th annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society in Chicago.

WHAT TO DO

Dr. Engeland recommends not scheduling elective surgery (e.g., wisdom tooth removal) during or immediately after any period of added anxiety. He noted that if you have other medical issues that are known to slow healing, such as advanced age or diabetes, it’s important to recognize that adding stress to the mix will make matters even worse. Pain, too, is a stressor, so don’t assume it is better to "tough it out" rather than take pain medication. Relaxation techniques, massage therapy, meditation and other natural modalities have been shown to help reduce pre- and post-surgical stress and can improve healing outcomes.

Dr. Engeland notes that this research focused specifically on mucosal healing in the mouth, adding that it is likely also true for other mucosal tissue (for instance, in the gastrointestinal tract) but further research is required to learn more.

Bottom Line
Daily Health News
7.16.09

[Molly97]

Thanks Robin.

[Zoe]

I take a strange kind of comfort in knowing that the tradeoff, as I call it, between seizures and inflammation that I've observed isn't just me being a hypochondriac.

Molly,

Hardly a hyperchondriac. You may be on to something really important. The quote below is from a fairly recent study on how inflammation [which can be triggered by some anti-epileptic drugs by the way] affects the seizure threshold. Maybe if you meditate on what is causing your inflammation and address it, you will stop those seizures it is triggering.




Yonsei Med J. 2008 February 29; 49(1): 1–18.
Published online 2008 February 20. doi: 10.3349/ymj.2008.49.1.1. PMCID: PMC2615265

Copyright © 2008 The Yonsei University College of Medicine
Role of Brain Inflammation in Epileptogenesis
Jieun Choi1,2 and Sookyong Koh1
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Northwestern University Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.
2Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Corresponding author.
Reprint address: requests to Dr. Sookyong Koh, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Northwestern University Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 2300 Children's Plaza, Box 51, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. Tel: 773-880-3179, Fax: 773-880-3374,Email: skoh@childrensmemorial.org
Received January 25, 2008.
Inflammation is known to participate in the mediation of a growing number of acute and chronic neurological disorders. Even so, the involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of epilepsy and seizure-induced brain damage has only recently been appreciated. Inflammatory processes, including activation of microglia and astrocytes and production of proinflammatory cytokines and related molecules, have been described in human epilepsy patients as well as in experimental models of epilepsy. For many decades, a functional role for brain inflammation has been implied by the effective use of anti-inflammatory treatments, such as steroids, in treating intractable pediatric epilepsy of diverse causes. Conversely, common pediatric infectious or autoimmune diseases are often accompanied by seizures during the course of illness. In addition, genetic susceptibility to inflammation correlated with an increased risk of epilepsy. Mounting evidence thus supports the hypothesis that inflammation may contribute to epileptogenesis and cause neuronal injury in epilepsy. We provide an overview of the current knowledge that implicates brain inflammation as a common predisposing factor in epilepsy, particularly childhood epilepsy.

-------
Link to full article:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2615265

[RobinN]

Zoe

[Zoe]

Zoe

Hi Robin,

[Molly97]

Zoe,
Thanks for the link.

I went to my doc Friday to have the inflammation problem addressed and mentioned to him that I was having an increase in seizures. He said that that was typical considering the extreme inflammation that I am experiencing. He ordered a gizillion blood tests and I was put on a pulse treatment of Celebrex/Piroxicam; I go back Aug 3.

[Zoe]

Zoe,
Thanks for the link.

I went to my doc Friday to have the inflammation problem addressed and mentioned to him that I was having an increase in seizures. He said that that was typical considering the extreme inflammation that I am experiencing. He ordered a gizillion blood tests and I was put on a pulse treatment of Celebrex/Piroxicam; I go back Aug 3.

Hi Molly,

I hope the tests will identify what's going on. Maybe your pharmacist can give you pointers on how to offset any side effects from any of the drugs you are taking. Are you doing anything with your diet that may help? Have you done a google on homocysteine and inflammation? That's a pretty common cause of it, which can be addressed with diet and supplements. What do you think might be causing it, and what can you do for it? You might want to do a google on " homocysteine" "joint inflammation" and "homocysteine" "seizure threshold". Sorry you are hurting.

[Molly97]

Hi Molly,

I hope the tests will identify what's going on. Maybe your pharmacist can give you pointers on how to offset any side effects from any of the drugs you are taking. Are you doing anything with your diet that may help? Have you done a google on homocysteine and inflammation? That's a pretty common cause of it, which can be addressed with diet and supplements. What do you think might be causing it, and what can you do for it? You might want to do a google on " homocysteine" "joint inflammation" and "homocysteine" "seizure threshold". Sorry you are hurting.

Zoe,
If you look over in The Padded Room, you'll see my post about my Levaquin experience. It is clear to me that Levaquin is the source of my current inflammation. I won't repeat myself here; I encourage you to read the thread.

I will do the google you suggest. Thank you for that suggestion.

[RobinN]

Dr Hyman says that almost every modern disease is caused by inflammation. "Regular inflammation is perfectly normal. However, when the immune system shifts out of balance, inflammation goes into overdrive, wreaking havoc on the body and contributing to serious health issues."

The first trick of following the "Ultra Simple Diet" is to eliminate those foods that ignite an internal flame within the body. Prepare to swear off processed foods, refined sugars, trans fat, artificial compounds, preservatives, sweeteners, caffeine and alcohol. All of the above can hinder the body's ability to function at optimal levels.

Among the foods that you'll be eradicating from your diet are...

Sugar of all kinds (white sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, honey, etc)
Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol and more
Artificial sweeteners (aspartame)
Natural sweeteners (Stevia)
Alcohol
Caffeine
Citrus fruits and juices
Yeast
Dairy products
Beef, pork adn lamb
Corn
Gluten
All flour products
Fast food
Junk food
Processed food
Refined oils and hydrogenated fats

By replacing the foods that are toxic with whole natural foods, the body automatically heals and repairs itself. As you modify your diet, the body undergoes a detoxification process eliminating the foods that contribute to inflammation. What many people don't realize is that the body actually has an intolerance of some very common foods including eggs, dairy, gluten, yeast, corn and others.

There are food sensitivities which are part of the immune response to food. It is a subtle thing that ends with a delayed reaction. It is a drawn out reaction that causes weight gain and/ or chronic illness. Most individuals do not know what is going on.

Here is what you should eat:
Filtered water
Fish (sardines, herring, wild salmon, block cod, sole and cod)
Lean white meat chicken breasts
Fresh or frozen non-citrus fruits
Fresh vegetables
Fresh vegetable broth
Legumes (lentils, navy beans, adzunki beans, mung beans, tofu)
Brown rice
Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and pumpkin seeds)
Flaxseeds (ground)
Lemons

[Nakamova]

How come lemons are okay but other citrus fruits aren't? Lemons have sugar in them too (even if they don't taste as sweet).

[RobinN]

I was curious about the same thing, but I think there must be a different chemical reaction. I know that lemons are very good in the morning water for liver function and detox.

Something to look into further.
What I notice over and over again, is that similarities are showing up in "diets" used for HEALTH.

[Brent]

That is an odd exclusion. It would have nothing to do with sugar though (an overused term). There is a lot of confusion about carbohydrates and "sugars" that have led to some really bad dietary decisions. It may be the case that lemons are on the list because the author recognizes the benefit of vitamin C and chose the lemon as a preferred source because it is as high as, say the orange, but with less sugar. Also, many people digest lemons more easily.

Still, I should say that such an exclusion is probably misguided. The key to citrus fruits is simply to eat them in moderation. Perhaps this makes the lemon an ideal representative of the citrus fruits, since people are not likely to eat them in excess.

Overall sound nutritional advice though. Odd that chicken is on there. There is very little healthy about the modern factory-farm chicken. It is better than red meat, but only as the lesser of two evils.

Myself, I just try to keep it simple. I don't eat meat of any variety (for ethical reasons primarily), try to avoid disaccharides (sucrose and lactose), try to minimize refined flours, opt out of corn when convenient, don't drink or smoke, and try not to eat anything with trans fat. I never put aspartame into my body. The research, if you haven't already seen it, will mortify you.

Since I don't eat meat, there is a long list of things I don't need to worry about avoiding. Minimizing sucrose and processed flours, that pretty much cuts out most of the remaining bad things out there (since bad things generally come with either a meat product, refined sugar, or refined flour). Keeping it simple like this means I pretty much eat whatever I want. Funny thing too, with these groups of foods off the menu, I crave the things that are good for me. So, I eat plenty of those.

Does any of this improve or worsen my seizures? Hard to say. I don't have anything to compare it to. I do know this though. I used to get sick all the time, but since I stopped eating meat about 8 years ago I've been sick maybe 2-3 times. Since I mostly cut out refined sugar and flour, I don't even think about my weight. I wear the same size pants I did when I was 18 (a long time ago).

We know how to eat properly. Our bodies tell us. Funny that we don't often listen.

-Brent