Digestive problems and lots of seizures

[lindsayschu2]

Hey guys--I'm in a pattern where I have a lot of heartburn and am having nightly myoclonic seizures. I've noticed (sorry if this is TMI) that I'm passing my meds through undigested. I'm on a long acting med but there's a definite pattern--sometimes they come through looking very dissolved out, sometimes looking like I took a med right out of the bottle and threw it straight in the john. When the latter happens I also have a ton of breakthrough seizures. My long acting med is not the kind that is plastic with a little hole--it is plastic with med coated with medication on the outside, which is supposed to slowly dissolve off and that isn't happening right now. I think I have low stomach acid due to my stage in life and am wondering if anyone has tried apple cider vinegar or anything like that to increase digestion and med absorption. I'm on night 5 of nightly seizures and am hoping to not have another tonight. I was up seizing for a solid hour that I know of last night let alone what I don't know of and everything hurts. Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[masterjen]

Before adding anything new to your diet, first determine if you have added or otherwise changed your diet around the time your problems began including up to 2 weeks or so before the problem started (it can take a while for symptoms to develop). Consider things as simple as adding a spice rarely used, a new type of beverage or more of a particular beverage or food, has timing of food intake with your medication changed, etc. One of the medications I am on, for example, is better for me taken with food or else it can cause me nausea, diarrhea and excess stomach acid (which causes heartburn).
Put a call through to your neurologist, and in the meantime cut out acidic foods like citrus fruits and tomatoes/tomato juice, soft drinks and coffee. I'm sure there are others as well. If nothing else this should relieve some of the heartburn. Try eating foods that slow down passage of food into the bowels (sorry, a little gross) by increasing intake of soluble fiber (part of a healthy diet anyway) and somewhat decreasing insoluble fiber which is known to speed up passage. Maybe these ideas are worth a shot until your doctor gets back to you?

 

[Nakamova]

Have you been able to reach your neuro about this? Is there another form of the med that might be chewable or liquid? Don't know if this applies to you, but some generic forms of medication don't digest as well as the brand-name versions.

You could have low stomach acid, but it would be worth seeing a gastroenterologist to find out for sure. There's a difference between low stomach acid, acid indigestion, and digestion that's too fast, and they are treated differently. Signs of low stomach acid = burping, bloating, gas, problems digesting meat, etc. If this sounds like what's going on for you, then there are a few things you can try, including apple cider vinegar, as well as pineapple and mango chunks. But if this doesn't describe your situation, hold off. If your digestion is too fast for instance, then you would want to add a little fiber to your diet as masterjen recommends -- but this is the opposite of what you would do with low stomach acid.

In either case, don't do anything drastic -- with a delicate stomach you should go slowly and make minor adjustments to see if they help or make things worse.

 

[lindsayschu2]

This comes and goes, but hasn't been a problem in a very long time. Jen you are right--I have a problem with nightshades, and cut them out for about 8 months. Per the sensitivity protocol I've been trying to very slowly reintroduce peppers. It's super hard to not be able to eat ANYTHING with potato or cayenne or paprika (plus all glutamates), virtually cuts out eating in a restaurant. I suspect though cayenne is what is doing it since I've had it several times in the past three weeks. I'm about on my cycle though and it's a super bad one, where I normally have myos and when hormones are high, when people will often have low stomach acid (during peri), so I was thinking along those lines but I don't have all the symptoms you describe Nak, just heartburn and mild diarrhea, undigested meds etc. Maybe I go on a bland diet and wait it out. I did try a little ACV (very little) when I took my meds and so far so good, acid stomach feeling is actually finally better. But I may just need to live without cayenne forever or at least only have a little very irregularly, which is drag but I suppose there are worse things. It used to be that if I ate cayenne or paprika I'd have myos within 10-30 minutes so at least there's improvement there (my gut was super messed up at the time). Nak, I agree, the generic keppra has this waxy coating that is supposed to slowly dissolve and I seem to have this problem more with certain brand generics more than others. Every time I get a script filled it seems to be yet another manufacturer. At least I haven't had this problem in months and months, since I changed my diet. Thanks all

 

[Nakamova]

Good luck! Maybe the ACV will do the trick, and you can get a decent night's sleep.

 

[MrE]

What's your diet like...maybe you are eating stuff that you are allergic too???

 

[AlohaBird]

I second the ACV idea plus, I know we are all trying to stay hydrated but that can be overdone too. If you chug a bunch of water with or right before a meal, it can dilute your stomach acid so those high tech coated pills might sneak on past.
You might try adding some plain lemon juice to your water for some extra acidity.

 

[valeriedl]

I have runny stool, I don't know when the last time was that I'd had a solid bowl movement. Sorry if that's TMI! I told my neuro about it and he said that it's side effects of some of the meds that I'm on so it's really nothing to worry about.

You said this comes and goes then it could be caused by some foods that you eat. There are some foods that give me diarrhea (if you want to consider it that) because it comes out very soon after I eat it and I go to the bathroom more than usual a day too. I always look at what's in the toilet before I flush and I've never seen any of my meds. Again sorry if that's TMI.

I agree you might want to give your neuro a call or even maybe your PCP. There have been times that I'm having problems with things that I think are epilepsy related and my neuro will suggest seeing my PCP or other type of dr about it and they are usually able to help better because they know more about the issue that's going on than he dose.

 

[lindsayschu2]

Yeah I will call someone tomorrow if this isn't better tonight. My stomach is a little better today but still more seizures last night--not as bad as the night before but enough to ruin yet another night's sleep, and I added another Keppra, now to 3,000 (my doc told me I could add in another during my cycle every month but doesn't seem to be doing the trick this time). I'm back to thinking this may be more hormonally related--I usually have this problem, both diarrhea and seizures, and sometimes undigested meds, around my cycle but it just won't come! Spotting very lightly for a week now but no feeling at all like my hormone level is dropping back down like it normally does and my full cycle refuses to start. I may call my OBG since I know something is out of whack there, my last cycle was bizarre too.

 

[masterjen]

There is an AED that also works as a diuretic called acetazolamide (Diamox) should fluid retention be an issue at certain times of the month. There are a couple of other so-called loop diuretics that are known to benefit seizures. Here is one article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC320962/ I don't think one wants to mess with diuretics, though, if they don't have fluid retention because some can affect electrolyte balance. I'm seeing my neurologist this week because of fluid retention caused by a couple of the medications I am on. Not sure yet what if anything she will do (not sure if it is of a degree to be concerned about), but have done a little research so I can come up with good questions to ask her.

 

[MrE]

but yeah go get a food allergy panel done if you already haven't...or not...your choice

 

[lindsayschu2]

MrE I had a smaller panel done several years ago and I was allergic to a few things--I don't eat those anymore. I haven't had a big one done because my doctor doesn't like to do those (too expensive, not enough focus). I do want one though! I did finally sleep last night seizure free and whatever it was seems to be settling down. Thanks all for your help!!

 

[MrE]

Good...I'm feeling kind of out of it right now...just woke up from another vivid dream...and my stomach hurts but now I'm dealing with it...feel tingly too...bleh

 

[lindsayschu2]

Sorry MrE--that sucks. I hope you feel better soon! After 6 nights of seizures I finally had a good night, hoping you do too!

 

[Zolt]

Hey Linda,

For me the trigger is very spice or salty foods that give me heart burn. My moms cooking use to give me HB with all the spices in it. Now i stay away from most of that type of foods, since i cook for myself.

Hope you find your foodie gremlins.

Cheers,

iano: op:

 

[MrE]

Sorry MrE--that sucks. I hope you feel better soon! After 6 nights of seizures I finally had a good night, hoping you do too!

Yeah it's rough for all of us...but that's why we're here...to remember that we are never struggling alone...but always fighting together