Eating/Drinking Causes/Prevents Seizure

[TactiK]

Does not eating/drinking well/enough make it easier for you to have a seizure?

If I dont eat a decent sized meal with protein in it and try to go do something I have a seizure. Not hydrating myself well before, during or after the meal can do the same as I could have a beer or soda if I wanted but not just one of those.

Fruit is an amazing, instant relief if I need it. Especially a smoothie!
I am on a decent diet now eating every 3 hours but I still am not sure exactly what I should be having most of, and why I am having seizures (partial complex)!

I am not diabetic or hyper/hypoglycemic!

A new neurology department I will be seeing soon may be able to help me after all of the unhelpful doctors I have seen who usually gave up on me by referring me to someone else.

 

[masterjen]

Anything that weakens the body or stresses the body can be a seizure trigger. So that being said, for some people inadequate/inappropriate food or beverage intake can be a trigger for seizures. Anyone can have episodes of a drop in blood sugar without necessarily having diagnosis of hypoglycemia as a chronic condition, so if blood sugar is too low for too long at a given time this may be a seizure trigger for you.
For me being in a weakened state (ill, exercised too much, poor eating) can also be a potential seizure trigger.

 

[Nakamova]

I am on a decent diet now eating every 3 hours but I still am not sure exactly what I should be having most of, and why I am having seizures (partial complex)!

While the primary seizure cause (genetic? head trauma? infection?) often remains a mystery, secondary triggers can sometimes identified by tracking when they occur. It sounds like you've made a good start by taking a look at your diet. Food-related triggers can include things like absorption issues, food sensitivities/allergies, dietary imbalances and nutrient or electrolyte deficiencies. You might want to have a registered dietician or nutritionist examine your diet and make sure it's healthy and sustainable over the long run.

 

[ChefRG]

Thanks for all the info. I'm 53 yrs old and I have started having Nocturnal Seizures about 1.5 yrs ago. I only have them every 4-5 months and the first one was lack of sleep and I feel asleep on a plane and the flight attendent had to tell me it happened. I thought they were nuts but I did bite my inner cheek. The 2nd one I was again lack of sleep and driving and I got a case of double vision, which I have been getting for several years, I pulled the car over and decided to take a nap and when I woke up and realized that I had severly bitten my tongue. This time I went to hospital and had an EEg and many other tests that all came back normal. They sent me on my way. No Meds. The 3rd seizure was in bed in Colorado and my roommate called 911 and I ended up in the hospital again and the kept me sedated for 40 hrs and re-ran all possible tests on me and they all came back normal. Again I was sleep deprived but this time they gave me Levetiracetam. I was taking the Meds for about 3 months and then stopped. I was feeling great and 2 months later, I was well rested and had another seizure. I only knew about it because I slept(more like unconscious) until 5:30 PM the following day and I had bitten my cheek and tongue. I've seen 3 neurologists and haven't done a sleep study yet but none have even given me any significant info regarding cause and solutions. The only thing they tell me is to take my Meds. Any thoughts on who can help me with my condition?

 

[masterjen]

First of all, during those 3 months you were taking Keppra you were probably feeling great because you were taking the medication and having no seizures (recognized or unrecognized). Never stop taking medication on your own, without the support and guidance of a neurologist.
As for who you should see, ask for a referral to an epileptologist, a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy. He/She would be the best one to do a sleep study EEG. I assume you have had an MRI, but if not it can be helpful to have this test done as well.
Most causes of epilepsy are idiopathic, so you may not ever find out the cause. And as for solutions, generally this is is medication along with adherence to a common sense life-style: avoidance of common seizure triggers such as sleep deprivation, stress management, healthy eating, avoidance of excess caffeine and alcohol (or complete avoidance of caffeine and alcohol unless you are positive these are not seizure triggers), and exercise.

 

[ChefRG]

Triggers

It would be nice to figure out my triggers but when my seizures have the frequency between 4-5 months every time it becomes more difficult to narrow down my causes. Aside from my most recent seizure all the other had sleep deprivation as a trigger although I've been sleep deprived other times and not had seizures. Thanks for your help.

 

[AlohaBird]

If I dont eat a decent sized meal with protein in it I have a seizure. Not hydrating myself well before, during or after the meal can do the same as I could have a beer or soda if I wanted but not just one of those.

Fruit is an amazing, instant relief if I need it. Especially a smoothie!
I am on a decent diet now eating every 3 hours but I still am not sure exactly what I should be having most of, and why I am having seizures (partial complex)!

I am not diabetic or hyper/hypoglycemic!

You may not be diabetic but needing to eat every three hours is not really healthy for anyone (with or without E). It indicated that your metabolism is primarily a sugar burner.
Some friendly advice. More protein. Easy on the fruit. It's fine with a meal, say as your dessert, but if you make it the whole meal it has way too much sugar.
Cut out the beer and soda. Hydration is good but liquid carbs are not.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-fat-adapted/#axzz3YLwwzneJ

This^^^^is a very good article about metabolic flexibility.

 

[valeriedl]

Being tired and stress are two of my major seizure triggers but I will have them out of the blue with nothing that would cause (if that's the right way to put it) them.

I wouldn't say that I'm the healthiest eater. I normally don't eat breakfast. I eat lunch around noon every day and it is a large meal - Meat, vegetable, fruit and some sort of dessert like pudding or a cookie. In the afternoon if I'm hungry I'll have a cookie or something of that sort. I don't always eat dinner but if I do it's usually something small like a sandwich.

I drink a ton all throughout the day. It's caffeine free and has no sugar. I don't know if the meds make me thirsty or if it's just me.

I defiantly don't think it's my diet that causes my seizures because even if I eat differently I won't have one. It seems like they just happen when they want to. Other people's diet can be things that can cause their seizures however. So just because my diet doesn't cause them doesn't mean that yours is too.

 

[ChefRG]

Time between seizures

Thanks for everyones help.
Since my seizures have been 4-5 months apart thing get a little more complicated. Lack of sleep seemed to be a big factor in the my 1st 3 seizures but the 4th one I was well rested. I've done a good job cutting down on refined sugar but I probably eat too much fruit. I've never drank soda but I do like an occasional sweet. I'm very active and not much stress.
I'm curious if anyone else has such long stretches between seizures? Will the seizures eventually get closer together? Neurologists seem to know so little about seizures that occur frequently believe me when I tell you that they know a lot less about Nocturnal seizures that started at age 52 and only happen every 4-5 months. The people have gotten results from diet change will be what can help me.
I am not Diabetic or have any other sugar disorders.
I have been checking sugar levels lately and I'm almost always between 96-104 Although I have peaked at 122 once and I got as low a 64 once but since they only happened one time I didn't get concerned.