Cigarettes and E

[foreverdark]

I quit smoking January 4 '09. Then 2 months ago I started watching what I ate and tried to start eating healthier. Then the April 29 '10 my mother passed away and that evening I started smoking again and my dieting has gone down hill as well. Since then I've been having a resurgence of my E symptoms, not that they were completely gone just not as frequent. Luckily I've had no TC's. My question is if there a correlation between smoking and E symptoms or is it just probably the stress? I don't see my Neuro till the May 27 but I just thought I'd ask here since I haven't really been around for awhile.

Example symptom (this one is new for me): The other day I was walking up to my daughter's school and I stopped cause I felt dizzy, I got real confused then I had no idea where I was or what I was doing. Then after about 20-30 seconds it was over.

I will say that with the non-smoking plus the healthier, still not the greatest diet but better than it was, eating all my symptoms I was having were a lot less intense. So this eating better is definitely something I am going to continue with.

 

[Nakamova]

Nicotine is a stimulant, so like caffeine it can be a seizure trigger.

And you might want to check out this thread:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/nicotine-smoking-seizures-4910/

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Nicotine is both a stimulant and a depressant to the central nervous system. The nicotine in cigarettes acts on receptors for the excitatory neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, which increases neuronal firing.

But if you want to STOP smoking, here’s a piece of scary information: some nicotine preparations used to help people stop smoking can have a side effect of convulsions. So, if you’re thinking of quitting, check out your smoking cessation program with your doc first.

 

[Aubrey]

I am ok with caffeine, alcohol, and aspartame. Nicotine - I think that may even be a direct trigger. If it is for you, that is a pretty strong motivator to quit.