Doing mathematics to offset seizure?

[BillK]

I swear I had this experience over the past two days. In Epilepsy : a new approach, Dr. Reiter notes that many of his patients with partial complex epilepsy showed an overabundance of theta brain states on their EEG. Personally I can feel myself slipping into brain states like that when a seizure is ready to happen and have had some success with a friend doing "startle and shake."

But the other night I was alone and scared since I had had multiple seizures during the day after having gone almost a month without any. I hit upon the idea of doing math, as simple as 6+7+8, etc., and it appeared to put them off, perhaps because it raised my brain state to beta, at least for awhile.

Does anyone else have experience like this?

Thanks!

-Bill

 

[epileric]

A couple of decades ago a neurologist suggested that when I feel a seizure coming on I count backwards by 2's starting at 99.

I never get very far (got as far as 97 this morn) but sometimes it seems to lessen a bit but often the seizure will still seem strong but the post-ictal effects afterwards are minimal when I'm expecting them to be drastic.

Sadly it didn't work this morning but it has sometimes helped.

 

[Bernard]

Mental exercises or behaviors designed to distract the brain or change your thought process are a technique of neurobehavioral / cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

 

[epileric]

I"d forgotten about CBT. I should review what we did I've been having a lot more seizures than normal recently.

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f32/cognitive-behavioural-documentation-6412/

 

[BillK]

Sorry to hear it, epileric. I usually have a pretty long aura or even just a feeling of it's going to come. The book I mentioned, Epilepsy : a new approach, is at the bottom of the cognitive-behavioral link under alternative epilepsy treatments. I guess the cheap version for people that don't want to or can't spend the money to go down to California and do the whole training. Anyway, I'm excitedly reading the book as it seems to be better than just passively taking the drugs they give me. Checking into neurofeedback but I don't think it will be covered by insurance.

 

[epileric]

I've got the book & only read part of it haven't picked it back up yet.

I'd also love to try neurofeedback. I know Robyn has tried it with her daughter & had good results but I also know that the reason it's not covered for epilepsy in Canada is that there's been no scientific proof yet, just lots of anecdotes so far.

Also, if you'd like to add your review of it feel free to do so at the Critics Corner. I'm sure it'd be appreciated.http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f40/epilepsy-new-approach-7189/