Epilepsy and other conditions?

[ehinOWHEN]

Hi everyone,
Living with epilepsy can be overwhelming on its own, but I know some of us here might also be dealing with other health conditions on top of it. For me, I have to manage high blood pressure in addition to my epilepsy, which often feels like a delicate balancing act.

I’d love to know are you navigating epilepsy alongside other health conditions? If yes, how has that affected your day-to-day life or treatment plan? Would you say it’s been more challenging, or has it shaped your outlook in some unexpected way?


Owhen.

 

[CQ:)]

Apart from epilepsy as mental health issues which is mainly stress and anxiety. It’s hard keeping controlled as I over analyse everything but I’m much better then I was and am now in a better work environment then I was which has helped

I also have IBS which I was only diagnosed with this year, I’ve modified my diet under the guidance of a dietitian to help with that.

Otherwise I just live life as well as I can

 

[Porkette]

Hi Owhen,

Besides my epilepsy I have 2 herniated discs in my back and I have hypothyroidism and that can often mess
up things for me when it comes to seizures. I have found that if I watch my diet then I'm okay. I also have
a low white blood count thanks to my seizure meds but I can't do much about that.
Wishing you only the best and May God Bless You,

Sue

 

[ehinOWHEN]

Hi Owhen,

Besides my epilepsy I have 2 herniated discs in my back and I have hypothyroidism and that can often mess
up things for me when it comes to seizures. I have found that if I watch my diet then I'm okay. I also have
a low white blood count thanks to my seizure meds but I can't do much about that.
Wishing you only the best and May God Bless You,

Sue

Hello Sue,

Thank you so much for sharing this with me. It takes a lot of courage to open up about stuffs like this, and it’s inspiring to see how you’re managing it all, especially with diet and other strategies.

I’m curious, how do you find balancing epilepsy with the challenges of hypothyroidism and your herniated discs? Do they tend to trigger each other?

Wishing you strength, and sending good thoughts your way

Owhen.

 

[ehinOWHEN]

Apart from epilepsy as mental health issues which is mainly stress and anxiety. It’s hard keeping controlled as I over analyse everything but I’m much better then I was and am now in a better work environment then I was which has helped

I also have IBS which I was only diagnosed with this year, I’ve modified my diet under the guidance of a dietitian to help with that.

Otherwise I just live life as well as I I’m glad to hear that things are better now and that your new work environment has had a positive impact on your mental health. It’s also great to know that you’ve found ways to manage your IBS with the help of a dietitian—taking those proactive

Apart from epilepsy as mental health issues which is mainly stress and anxiety. It’s hard keeping controlled as I over analyse everything but I’m much better then I was and am now in a better work environment then I was which has helped

I also have IBS which I was only diagnosed with this year, I’ve modified my diet under the guidance of a dietitian to help with that.

Otherwise I just live life as well as I canI’m glad to hear that things are better now and that your new work environment has had a positive impact on your mental health. It’s also great to know that you’ve found ways to manage your IBS with the help of a dietitian—taking those proactive steps isn’t easy!

Keep pushing forward and living life the best you can. Wishing you continued strength and good health.

Apart from epilepsy as mental health issues which is mainly stress and anxiety. It’s hard keeping controlled as I over analyse everything but I’m much better then I was and am now in a better work environment then I was which has helped

I also have IBS which I was only diagnosed with this year, I’ve modified my diet under the guidance of a dietitian to help with that.

Otherwise I just live life as well as I can

I’m glad to hear that things are better now, and that your new work environment has had a positive impact on your mental health. It’s also great to know that you’ve found ways to manage your IBS with the help of a dietitian.

Keep pushing forward and living life the best you can. Wishing you continued strength and good health.

 

[Porkette]

Hi OWHEN,

I don't take any hormone meds to help with the hypothyroidism because that will just trigger seizures but I have
found eating almonds helps me with that because it has progesterone it it which helps both the hypothyroidism
and epilepsy. In regard to the disc in my back I have found using hempvana which is medical marijuana that you
can buy in either a cream or lotion works great for my back, and you can buy it in Walmart right over the counter
and you don't need a prescription for it. If my back is sore, I just put the hempvana on it and the pain is gone in
a couple of minutes.
Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You,

Sue

 

[ehinOWHEN]

Hi Sue,

It’s amazing how you’ve found natural ways to manage both your hypothyroidism and epilepsy with almonds and hempvana! I had no idea almonds could help with progesterone levels, that’s such useful insight. It’s also really good to hear how effective hempvana is for your back. I’m definitely going to try and keep these tips in mind, especially since it’s great to always find new options that don’t trigger seizures.

Thank you again for sharing so openly, it’s really helpful to learn from your experiences. Wishing you continued strength, and may God bless you as well.

Take care,
Owhen

 

[suebear]

Was in a car accident as of 1998 that damaged lower back nerves so have been managing with a damaged back. Somedays it's workable and there are other days it doesn't wish to cooperate. I have a pain management specialist that does nerve ablations which set me for eight months so I can function again.

Due to the temporal lobe removal in 1995 I got the side effect of having chronic migraines which can hit at any time. Usually can judge by the barometer but there are times when the nerve starts over acting. Thankfully my pain management specialist has been wonderful with nerve care.

Lastly, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis that has been quite a learning curve. Still learning how to manage as the one day things seem simple then the next day it's like jigsaw puzzle pieces scattered all over the table. Taking me time to figure this out but I'm slowly getting there. Only thing I can do is take things one day at a time one step at a time with this because it changes so much.

 

[Cint]

Hi everyone,
Living with epilepsy can be overwhelming on its own, but I know some of us here might also be dealing with other health conditions on top of it. For me, I have to manage high blood pressure in addition to my epilepsy, which often feels like a delicate balancing act.

I’d love to know are you navigating epilepsy alongside other health conditions? If yes, how has that affected your day-to-day life or treatment plan? Would you say it’s been more challenging, or has it shaped your outlook in some unexpected way?


Owhen.

I've had epilepsy for 40+ years. In the beginning, I only had E. But when my seizures increased and non of the meds worked at the time, I had brain surgery and was only seizure free for a year. They returned with vengeance and deep, deep depression. So the neuropsychiatrist had me try different anti-depressants. Then he put me on Zyprexa and it caused Diabetes for me. Now I do insulin shots plus my seizure meds. I also had the VNS and will need the battery replaced soon. And now because of the diabetes, I'm having eye/vision problems. My optometrist has me using OTC eye drops + prescription eye drops. And I was sent to a retina specialist and he said I have a tiny tear inside my eye, so they're watching that. But I'm having trouble keeping my glucose levels within range and my endocrinologist keeps increasing the insulin. And like sue bear, I suffer from chronic migraines.

So yes, it has been very challenging and unpredictable. Some days I want time to stop and I want to jump off this earth.

 

[ehinOWHEN]

I've had epilepsy for 40+ years. In the beginning, I only had E. But when my seizures increased and non of the meds worked at the time, I had brain surgery and was only seizure free for a year. They returned with vengeance and deep, deep depression. So the neuropsychiatrist had me try different anti-depressants. Then he put me on Zyprexa and it caused Diabetes for me. Now I do insulin shots plus my seizure meds. I also had the VNS and will need the battery replaced soon. And now because of the diabetes, I'm having eye/vision problems. My optometrist has me using OTC eye drops + prescription eye drops. And I was sent to a retina specialist and he said I have a tiny tear inside my eye, so they're watching that. But I'm having trouble keeping my glucose levels within range and my endocrinologist keeps increasing the insulin. And like sue bear, I suffer from chronic migraines.

So yes, it has been very challenging and unpredictable. Some days I want time to stop and I want to jump off this earth.

Hi Clint,

Thank you so much for sharing your story. It sounds like you’ve been through so much over the years, and I can only imagine the resilience it’s taken to navigate all of that. Hearing about your journey with epilepsy, surgery, and now managing diabetes and vision issues on top of it is truly eye-opening.

Sometimes, the weight of all these health struggles can feel like too much to carry. I’m in awe of your strength in facing it, even on the hardest days when it feels like stopping is the only option. Your resilience is surely inspirational for me as far as the journey with this condition goes, I’m a baby. And hearing stories like yours can be very helpful
Take care, and thank you again for opening up.

Warmly,
Owhen

 

[suebear]

I've had epilepsy all my life.. I'm in my mid 50's. Was in a car accident that damaged my lower back nerves as of 1998 so have been slowly going through recovery on that factor. Due to the epilepsy, I went through brain surgery in 1995 which brought on chronic migraines I cannot get rid of. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2013 so have been going through the changes with joint pain and swelling every so often. Then in 2020 had a heart attack out of nowhere, I'm very blessed to be alive, count my blessings daily and thank the Lord above daily. I've got a cholesterol issue I need to watch daily because of the heart issue so eat well, exercise, stay hydrated for the heart factor.

I have specific medication for my heart that is taken daily, specific medication that is taken for the epilepsy that is taken daily, specific medication that is taken for the chronic migraines that is taken every 3 months and monthly. I also have medication that is taken weekly and daily medication for rheumatoid arthritis. Needless to say I feel like a pharmacy at times but the medication take at different times keeps me going so I can do the best I can one day at a time one step at a time.