Vitamins and seizures

[RobinN]

I bought Ester C as well, but then I have read lately that finding it in liquid form is better for the body to absorb. So I also have picked up some Emergen C. It has other minerals too, so if you think that your electrolytes are low you might consider trying this. I think it is a good idea for Rebecca, since she works out very hard every day. This is without sugar, and I also contacted the company and they assure me that there is no MSG related byproducts in the flavoring.

Of course consider the amounts along with your other vitamins so that you aren't getting to a toxic level. Or at least know what those side effects are.

[skillefer]

*sigh* I had to cut back to taking the vitamin pac every other day. For some reason I was getting piercing headaches. As soon as I cut back to taking the vitamin packets once every other day, the headaches disappeared. Strange.....

[RobinN]

It is possible that there is one vitamin in the pack that you have adequate amounts. You could try an elimination schedule with the variety to see if you want, to know for sure.

I know there are certain vitamins that if I take them on an empty stomach, I feel nauseous.

Have you noticed any positive changes?

[skillefer]

I'm taking epsom salts first thing in the morning every morning, and vitamin pacs every other day. I think maybe I'm overdoing the magnesium. Let's just say that on days when I take the vitamin pacs, I'm more than regular... The headaches that I was getting were sharp stabbing pain, and then it would go away and then come back in a pulsing pattern. When I was taking the vitamins every day, the only seizure acitivity I had was a petite mal. Which for me, is really good. I normally have grand mals. Since cutting back, I had a grandmal, but I think that was more due to stress and only getting an average of 5 hours of sleep a night for one week.

[RobinN]

Somewhere I heard of kids, when put on certain vitamins they had pain or discomfort, and the parents then saw an incredible leap in positive changes. I am not a doctor so I have no idea what that meant. Did the brain start functioning in a new way with the added nutritionall support? I have no idea.

Does your pack show what kind of magnesium is in it? Perhaps you could try substituting it for oxide, or an ionic form. Sounds like you were getting something right but need a bit of a tweak somewhere. When you were taking the vitamins did you not experience stress and less sleep? I hope you are keeping somekind of a journal or chart.
Certainly sounds like you are close to getting complete control.

At least we can hope so...

[skillefer]

Oh I hope we're close to control. When I was taking the vitamin packs everyday I was sleeping better (less tired on waking) but was getting about 6 hours of sleep per night. Occasionally 7 hrs. The diet, other then the vitamins, didn't change. I had to deal with a death in my hubby's family and the emotional drain of trying to be there for him, as well as the physically exhausting aspect of driving back and forth for viewing and funeral. Then of course, there was finishing up a class I needed to finish my credential renewal, and getting slammed with about 5 major IEP meetings the last two weeks. My coffee consumption is still one cup of regular in the morning and about 3 cups of decaf throughout the day, followed by a cup of warm milk at night before bed. I'm thinking that I might need to work my way up to 1 vitamin pac per day. Right now, I take a vitamin pac 3 times a week. I think I just tried to do too much too quick. That might be what caused the headaches. Oh, and hubby says the last week I've been snoring more. I'm using the nasal strips, so I don't know what (other than the twice broken nose) is causing it. He thinks that maybe I'm immune to the nasal strips.. I honestly don't know.

[RobinN]

# Vitamin B-12. This is found only in animal foods so if you've cut out all dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and fowl, you'll probably need to add it to your diet. You may find it in some fortified soy milks, yeast, and breakfast cereals (like Grape-Nuts): The body can store enough B-12 for up to four years, so it can take a while for a deficiency to show up. If a deficiency develops, nerves can be damaged irreversibly and brain function can decrease.

[BuckeyeFan]

# Vitamin B-12

If a deficiency develops, nerves can be damaged irreversibly and brain function can decrease.

Robin - I had never read or was told about any possible nerve damage from a B12 deficiency. I take it almost every morning now since I had those problems a few years ago. Doctor never really investigated the root cause, just that I was low on B12 (fatigue), iron (fatigue), and thyroid (fatigue) along with taking dilantin (fatigue) and that virus I told you about the other day (fatigue). I was one whipped puppy. I could barely sit up at my desk the day before I went to the ER.

My B12 levels are fine now. However, I never looked into any possible long term damage.

[RobinN]

It is all new to me. I find it I post it here for safe keeping. I learn and I attempt to make changes in my families lives. Other than that I don't expect much from our medical providers.

When I was little the "Family" doctor use to come to the house when we were sick. He knew all the family history and could base his judgement on that. Now... kind of a joke how we practice medicine in this country. Vitamins have NEVER been suggested for Rebecca, by our doctors, that are covered by insurance. For some strange reason it is only the doctors practicing on their own with no one looking over their shoulder that go the extra mile for us.

Luckily they have proven that the brain can grow new neurons. Nerve repair I know nothing about.

[RobinN]

I was just reading today about the FDA wanting warnings on certain antibiotics. I have been following this because the same is true for quite a few anti-seizure meds.
The antibiotic warning was interesting because of what we all know an antibiotic does to the intestinal tract. It wasn't until recently that doctors began suggesting that you take a probiotic while you take the antibiotic so that you keep the good bacteria in the gut.
It seems that Vitamin B is manufactured by the body in the gut. When the intestines are out of balance so is the Vitamin B. Doesn't get produced or absorbed. Seems that vitamin B is necessary for Tendon health.

Warnings are up due to problems with tendons and this is a direct link to antibiotics.
So... I got to thinking... as I do a lot these days... and wondering if this link to unhealthy intestines is only related to antibiotics. Wouldn't it also perhaps be linked to other drugs as well? So now we have a depletion of Vitamin B, and we all now know how important that is for neurological function too.

Hmmmmmmm.........

[RobinN]

A recent study of 285 people with epilepsy found that almost half (44.5 percent) were clinically deficient in vitamin D, especially the men. Some anti-seizure medications lower vitamin D-3 levels and several studies have shown that supplementing with vitamin D-3 can reduce the number of seizures and even increase
the effectiveness of anti-seizure medications. One way vitamin D-3 prevents seizures is
by reducing excessive immune reactions in the brain, a central cause in all seizures. Studies of seizure patients have shown that most have elevated levels of brain inflammatory cytokines. Medications which are effective in reducing seizures reduce inflammation and excitotoxicity. Vitamin D-3 has also been shown to rid the brain of free radicals, which are also associated with seizures. This may explain why fish oil
supplements reduce seizures, since most contain high levels of vitamin D, especially cod liver oil. The DHA in the fish oil has other benefits as well:
Reduces brain inflammation

Dr R. Blaylock - Vitamin D - Sept. Report

[RobinN]

Vitamin B12, a nutrient found in meat, fish and milk, may protect against brain volume loss in older people, according to a study published in the September 9, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the study, 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87 underwent brain scans, memory testing and physical exams. Researchers also collected blood samples to check vitamin B12 levels. Brain scans and memory tests were also performed again five years later.

The study found that people who had higher vitamin B12 levels were six times less likely to experience brain shrinkage compared with those who had lower levels of the vitamin in their blood. None of the people in the study had vitamin B12 deficiency.

“Many factors that affect brain health are thought to be out of our control, but this study suggests that simply adjusting our diets to consume more vitamin B12 through eating meat, fish, fortified cereals or milk may be something we can easily adjust to prevent brain shrinkage and so perhaps save our memory,” said study author Anna Vogiatzoglou, MSc, with the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. “Research shows that vitamin B12 deficiency is a public health problem, especially among the elderly, so more vitamin B12 intake could help reverse this problem. Without carrying out a clinical trial, we acknowledge that it is still not known whether B12 supplementation would actually make a difference in elderly persons at risk for brain shrinkage.”

“Previous research on the vitamin has had mixed results and few studies have been done specifically with brain scans in elderly populations. We tested for vitamin B12 levels in a unique, more accurate way by looking at two certain markers for it in the blood,” said Vogiatzoglou.

Vogiatzoglou says the study did not look at whether taking vitamin B12 supplements would have the same effect on memory.

taken from a NewsMax bulletin 9/9/08

[Andrew]

I have read so many stories of people who use vitamins (vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin B9, vitamin B6, vitamin E… etc.) in the hopes that these vitamins will have positive effects on their seizures.

With their doctor’s consent some people with epilepsy use vitamins in conjunction with certain anti-epileptic drugs, to reduce/stop some of the side effects which are created by their anti-epileptic drugs.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCL) was the only seizure medication I used to control my major seizures for approx. the first 19 years of my life. With my doctor’s consent I then added a multi B complex tablet to my daily intake of already prescribed vitamin B6. I have never used any anti-epileptic drugs with my B vitamins to control my seizures.

In my case there was no depletion (that I am ware of) of any other nutrient in my body while I was taking a mega dose of vitamin B6 only.

I attended a normal school thanks to B6.

Without vitamin B6 I would probably have died or become mentally impaired during an episode of status epilepticus.

Question: I would like to know if there is anybody who uses a single vitamin, with no other medication (i.e. anti-epileptic drugs, minerals… etc.) to control their epileptic seizures. If so, which vitamin do you use?

I would love to hear your stories.

I am particularly interested in hearing your story if you have gained controlled of your seizures with a vitamin other than vitamin B6.

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

Regards,

Andrew