Seizures induced by eating

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Some patients take advantage of a refractory postictal period by inducing a seizure to avoid a later attack in an embarrassing setting.

Kind of goes along the line with the other thread where we are discussing the "will" to have a seizure or not.
 
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Some patients take advantage of a refractory postictal period by inducing a seizure to avoid a later attack in an embarrassing setting.
Kind of goes along the line with the other thread where we are discussing the "will" to have a seizure or not.

It does have a familiar ring, but I'm very skeptical of others making blankent statements about why people do things (i.e., crazy making). Lot's of people diagnosed with pseudoseizures are told they do it to get attention. Statements like that hark back to Victorian times and show incredible lack of insight into why someone may be experiencing a symptom.GRRR!!!!
 
Yes in my research of this, I found similar suggestions. Terrible for the one going through it to feel like others think they are faking the events. I am just not sure I buy into the whole term.

Now going back to the point of this thread, I am understanding that smells and taste can bring on a seizure. So would that also not be a reason to "fear" going to a table to eat. Sets up quite a cycle. If one has stomach seizures, it would be difficult to think about eating also. What a terrible predicamant. Yet as some smells can be relaxing, maybe they can be used to turn the "fear" to pleasure.

Nocturnal seizures are common in some, so of course going to sleep would be frightening. Setting up a pleasurable experience would perhaps turn the tides.
 
Yes in my research of this, I found similar suggestions. Terrible for the one going through it to feel like others think they are faking the events. I am just not sure I buy into the whole term.

Now going back to the point of this thread, I am understanding that smells and taste can bring on a seizure. So would that also not be a reason to "fear" going to a table to eat. Sets up quite a cycle. If one has stomach seizures, it would be difficult to think about eating also. What a terrible predicamant. Yet as some smells can be relaxing, maybe they can be used to turn the "fear" to pleasure.

Nocturnal seizures are common in some, so of course going to sleep would be frightening. Setting up a pleasurable experience would perhaps turn the tides.

I think you are right on target! Think kindling and how repetition, creates anticipation [fear] and how the seizures are conditioned over time.
 
Thinking is the Best Way to Travel....

And here's one more quote from the ILEA article. I think this was my problem but I've quit doing it now.
:)

Seizures induced by thinking

Seizures induced by thinking (Wilkins et al 1982; Goossens et al 1990, Andermann et al., 1998) (“noögenic epilepsy”) occur in response to nonverbal higher cortical function and have been reported with a variety of stimuli, including arithmetic, drawing, playing cards or chess, decision-making, and solving Rubik's cube. These seizures do not typically appear to be activated by reading, writing, or by explicitly verbal tasks, but about 80% of patients are found to have more than one effective trigger. Seizures can be triggered in at least some of these patients without any real or contemplated movement of the hands, e.g., by a task requiring a spoken answer to an orally presented arithmetic or spatial problem. Unlike in primary reading epilepsy, most have spontaneous seizures. The reflex and spontaneous attacks include bilateral myoclonus, absences, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures and almost all reported patients have had generalized convulsions. Often these begin after a period of myoclonic jerks, but myoclonic jerks occurred without a following convulsion in 76% of patients reviewed by Andermann et al. (1998) and 60% of patients had absence seizures often associated with myoclonic jerks. Pure absence epilepsy with seizures triggered by thinking was not seen, but not all patients had myoclonus although some probably had JME. Myoclonic jerks and absence attacks may be ignored or unreported until a generalized seizure occurs and the patient then comes to medical attention. Seizures induced by thinking usually occur in the context of a generalized epilepsy. Partial seizures and clear focal EEG abnormalities have been reported but are the exception. The essential component in the seizure trigger appears to be nonverbal thought, the processing of numeric or spatial information, and possibly sequential decision making.

Seizures induced by thinking are typically associated with both spontaneous and evoked generalized or bilateral synchronous spike or multiple spike and wave complexes. They may only appear after reduction of medications in some patients. Although occasional patients have temporoparietal or frontal spontaneous EEG abnormalities, typically over the right side, these are at times mixed with generalized epileptiform activity. (Beaumanoir et al 1989; Goossens et al 1990).



http://www.ilae-epilepsy.org/Visitors/Centre/ctf/reflex_seizures.cfm
 
Birdbomb
What is suprasylvian lesion and teomporolimbic-onset seizures?

Brain
You mentioned startle seizures. I had a startle seizure yesterday. Today, I have an upset stomach. So that is what causes my upset stomachs.

Apparently, types of food are causing my stomach seizures. This was after eating oatmeal. Would oatmeal cause it? The other week, I had a week of stomach upsets, after each meal. Non-fat yogurt helps my stomach. What caused my week of painful upset stomachs?
 
Birdbomb
What is suprasylvian lesion and teomporolimbic-onset seizures?

Brain
You mentioned startle seizures. I had a startle seizure yesterday. Today, I have an upset stomach. So that is what causes my upset stomachs.

Apparently, types of food are causing my stomach seizures. This was after eating oatmeal. Would oatmeal cause it? The other week, I had a week of stomach upsets, after each meal. Non-fat yogurt helps my stomach. What caused my week of painful upset stomachs?


Feast,
Do a google search on these topics: "gluten sensitivity" "seizures" and "lactose intolerance" "seizures". Many people who are gluten sensitive are also not able to tolerate oats. They may not contain gluten, but do have a protein, avenin, that can be difficult to diegest. When gluten is not properly digested, it causes a chronic inflammatory response which can lead to the development of seizures and many other neurological symptoms. If you want to reduce your risk of seizures, you may want to try a gluten and lactose free diet. You may also want to look at the GARD diet information here at CWE. You know better than anyone what foods are most likely to trigger a seizure for you. Removing the triggers should improve you seizures.
:mrt:
 
This is a really interesting thread. I recently attended a workshop by Dr. Sally Popper, of the Chrysalis Institute, in Kansas City. While the subject of the workshop was, "Attachment, Trauma, and a Baby's Brain," I think it has some application to what is being discussed here. She said that PET scans have shown that just thinking about doing something causes the same neurons to fire in the brain as if you were actually doing it. So, thinking about having a seizure, or thinking that a certain food, certain smell, certain situation is going to bring about a seizure then serves as additional kindling for the brain and gives it more practice having the seizure. In the case of a child, it explains why someone who grows up watching one parent beat up on another and swears they'll never be abusive then grows up to become an abuser him or herself. By watching it happen, the neurons for that behavior were being hard-wired into the brain simply by the child's watching and thinking about what they saw happening in their own home. Now, of course this doesn't happen every time. Some people are just naturally more resilient than others. But, in Dr. Popper's words, "What fires together, wires together," which means that whether our neurons fire in unison with someone else or by replaying something in our mind, we are making the neuronal groove deeper and more difficult to escape in our own brains. However, she also said that the good news was that we can develop new grooves even as adults although it's a lot harder. While she wasn't talking about epilepsy, I thought it was somewhat applicable. If I'm way off target, go ahead and delete me, Bernard!
 
... However, she also said that the good news was that we can develop new grooves even as adults although it's a lot harder. While she wasn't talking about epilepsy, I thought it was somewhat applicable.

This is what I'm talking about all the time with regards to neurofeedback. That's what it's all about.

If I'm way off target, go ahead and delete me, Bernard!

:roflmao:
 
Makes perfect sense to me, Bernard. Interesting how it all fits together. I just wish Wichita would catch up with other parts of the country and start offering biofeedback..................Roxie
 
Zoe

Thank you, I will try your suggestions. I did not think of gluten sensitivity as a problem. I will try eating something different for breakfast and see if that makes a difference.

I have never been lactose intolerant.

Kansas Educator

That does make sense. Changing one's diet, which is hard to do. I will check into it.
 
Zoe

Thank you, I will try your suggestions. I did not think of gluten sensitivity as a problem. I will try eating something different for breakfast and see if that makes a difference.

I have never been lactose intolerant.

Kansas Educator

That does make sense. Changing one's diet, which is hard to do. I will check into it.

Seizures may be the only symptom of gluten sensitivity and one of its common forms, celiac disease. This is well known and documented. Taking gluten out of a single meal will not stop the long term effects of untreated gluten sensitivity. These can include lesions and calcifications in the brain as well as decreasing blood flow to some areas of the brain all of which could trigger or worsen seizure disorders. Below are links to some articles on this subject. If you are at all interested in reducing your risk of having seizures, this information should not be ignored.

Epilepsy and Celiac Disease12 patients with celiac disease and epilepsy (series B) underwent computed tomography. ... The Italian Working Group on Celiac Disease and Epilepsy Gobbi G; ...
www.celiac.com/articles/116/1/Epilepsy-and-Celiac-Disease/Page1.html

Dr. Alessio Fasano's presentation on Celiac DiseaseEpilepsy occurs twenty times more often in persons with celiac disease than those in the general population. Calcium deposits form in the brain because of a ...
www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/cdf-fas.html


Epilepsy and celiac disease: favorable outcome with a gluten-free ...BACKGROUND: There is a well-documented relationship between epilepsy and celiac disease, including a syndrome characterized by epilepsy, ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17122729
 
Zoe
I looked up Dr Alessio Fasano's presentation. Here is what I found.
1.Wheat, rye, barley and oats are responsible for celiac disease genetically. My epilepsy is genetic, heridatary.
2. What is the poison? HLA (human leukocyte antigens). They are a genetic fingerprint.
3.You can becom celiac at age 65. (I am 65).
4. Celiac disease affects the stomach.
5. Epilepsy occurs 20 times more often in persons with celiac disease.
6. It is an immune-based disorder, such as diabetes. I have Diabetes Type 2.
7. Keep free of gluten. Thank you Zoe
 
Zoe
I looked up Dr Alessio Fasano's presentation. Here is what I found.
1.Wheat, rye, barley and oats are responsible for celiac disease genetically. My epilepsy is genetic, heridatary.
2. What is the poison? HLA (human leukocyte antigens). They are a genetic fingerprint.
3.You can becom celiac at age 65. (I am 65).
4. Celiac disease affects the stomach.
5. Epilepsy occurs 20 times more often in persons with celiac disease.
6. It is an immune-based disorder, such as diabetes. I have Diabetes Type 2.
7. Keep free of gluten. Thank you Zoe

Hi Ruth,
Here are a few more points to consider:
There is some controversy over Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity. Everyone who has celiac disease has a reaction to gluten. Not everyone who has gluten sensitivity has celiac disease.
A growing number of researchers and physicians believe gluten sensitivity should be reclassified as an auto immune\neurological disorder. Gluten sensitivity may show itself as one of any number of illnesses, like epilepsy, with no physical signs of the digestive damage seen in celiac disease.
Try a google search on "gluten" and "Diabetes Type 2". This is turning up in my searching as a diet that may be useful for diabetes also.
Not everyone who develops celiac disease or other signs of gluten sensitivity carry the genetic marker for sensitivity to gluten. You may want to consider whether your hereditary seizure disorder might be due to a hereditary sensitivity to guten.
Regardless, diet is one of the options you have for improving your control of either seizures or diabetes. That's a plus in your favor!
:mrt:
 
Hi Zoe

I have good control over my diabetes Type 2. It is my seizures I do not have control over. That is interesting that my seizures might be caused by gluten. I will have to do more research on the articles that you posted up above.
 
Hi Zoe

I have good control over my diabetes Type 2. It is my seizures I do not have control over. That is interesting that my seizures might be caused by gluten. I will have to do more research on the articles that you posted up above.
Hi Ruth,
Be sure and keep posting how you are doing and what you learn in your searching; what helps, what does not. We all learn together here for sure!
:pop:
 
Hiya ** I hope everyone well. I havent forgot about yas Ive just been overwhlemed. I hope to be back soon. I just scanned this and havent totally digested it yet but I knew it had alot of things many of us have been discussing. I hope this helps.

Below is only one section but it covers alot and in terms to be understood by mere mortals : ) The link will get you to the whole article. I thought it very interesting.

Diet

During a previous study that analyzed the effect of an oligoantigenic diet to treat migraine and hyperactive behavior in children the authors noted those children with epilepsy often had their seizures stop during the study. An oligoantigenic is a “few foods” diet in an attempt to eliminate foods that might be causing a reaction in a person. A study based on this observation in Journal of Pediatrics (13) examined the role of diet in 63 children with epilepsy.

All the patients were put on a restricted diet for 4 weeks. Normal daily helpings of excluded foods were reintroduced one at a time at the rate of one per week. If symptoms reoccurred that had disappeared in the initial stages of the diet, then it was eliminated, otherwise it was incorporated back into the diet.

Although none of the 18 patients with epilepsy alone improved, 40 of the 45 patients with migraine and epilepsy did improve in one or more symptoms. All patients, except for one, reacted to at least two foods. “During follow-up of 7 months to 3 years on diet, 25 of these patients achieved complete control of seizures, four other had seizures only with upper respiratory tract infections, and seven had seizures less than half as frequently as formerly; in all these patients other symptoms also improved. In four other patients, other symptoms improved but seizures did not.” Also, “19 of the 25 patients whose seizures stopped have phased out anticonvulsant therapy, and five are still doing so.”

A large number of foods caused reactions in the different patients. The foods that caused the most seizures and symptoms were: cow milk (seizures: 37%, other symptoms: 63%), cow cheese (seizures: 36%, other symptoms: 55%), citrus fruits (seizures: 29%, other symptoms: 50%), wheat (seizures: 29%, other symptoms: 49%), and food additives (seizures: 25%, other symptoms: 58%).

In 16 of the patients EEG was repeated at least 1 month after the study started. “There was no change in five of six patients who previously had had multifocal discharges, whereas normalization of the EEG occurred in one. The EEG improved markedly in there of six patients whose previous EEGs had displayed unilateral epileptic activity. The EEG of one of the two with moderate abnormalities became normal.”

http://www.healthsentinel.com/org_news.php?event=org_news_print_list_item&id=058


joan*
 
Welcome back Joan.

That is interesting, I have never heard of the oligantenic diet. Is it just for children or does it help adults as well? I will come back later and read the article, I do not have time right now. Thank you for the information.
 
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