Epilepsy and Seizures - How are your gums?

[elizzza811]

When these seizures kicked in, my gums, especially the gums surrounding my lower front teeth began to dissolve on me and recede very badly. Could strep be involved?

I also have severe OCD, and I've been reading that a high strep antibody might be the cause of OCD, crossing the blood-brain barrier and confusing the brain by acting on brain enzymes.

Could a high strep antibody also be triggering my seizures?

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/11/08/strep-throat-cause-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

I wish I had my old computer...I would post pictures of my receding gums.

On top of the gum issues...

...I suffered one sinus infection after another.

...I developed a vocal chord polyp on the left side.

...I burst my left eardrum. (Blood was found in my left ear.)

...I have a very prominent 'network' of blood vessels covering only the left side of my chest (it looks like a road map of very prominent veins), but when I show doctors my 'veiny' chest, they don't seem very concerned, and strep can damage the heart.

...My rheumatoid factor is high and has been for years.

 

[epileric]

First of all, I take what the news says about medicine with a grain of salt. It might be medical news but they still tend to make things a bit overdramatic.

Secondly, this repetitive behaviour (assumed to be OCD behaviour) has only been shown to exist on rats so far. It's a great preliminary experiment but despite how the media presents it, lots more research needs to be done. I'd love to read the report of the actual study.

Also, Dilantin (phenytoin) is notorious for effecting peoples gums. Have you been on it?

 

[elizzza811]

No, I've never been on Dilantin. The only seizure meds I've ever been on are Klonopin (years ago) and Lamictal (currently), and my gums didn't start receding until I stopped the Klonopin years ago - and most importantly, when doctors began refusing me antibiotics. Certain antibiotics were the only thing that helped my symptoms...dramatic, medically explained or not.

And I do happen to believe that strep (or some infection) is behind OCD, and if you suffered with OCD as severe as mine, you wouldn't want to wait for more research. You'd want a cure already. I'm 46 and I've had 'classic OCD' since at least the age of 20...that's 26 years. Read 'Saving Sammy' (it's about the strep/OCD connection).

Coincidentally, I did read 'Saving Sammy', and the best part of the book for me was on pages 100-101 where the boy describes to his mom what he feels and why he persists with these OCD behaviors. Specifically, he describes sensing invisible "beams" and "lasers", sprouting out from electrical outlets and portable telephones and the like, which he needs to maneuver his body around and avoid.

I've posted in the past on this forum about how I believe electromagnetic fields from wireless technology (cell phone towers, wifi) might be triggering my seizures, too, and most people on this forum didn't care about that theory.

 

[Endless]

I've heard that Dilantin can affect gums, but usually it makes gums get swollen and over-grow.

I'd ask your dentist about all the rest. He'd be the best source for information.

I'm having dental problems, too, since I've been on Lamictal. The enamal is coming off my teeth, and my gums are receding and swollen. The dentist says it's evidence of acid reflux. Guess my stomach doesn't like Lamictal. I'm now on a precription acid blocker.

Electromagnetic energy... I do believe the microwave-like radiation from cell phones causes brain tumors, and possibly makes seizures worse. WHO agrees. It excites the neurons. And we usually hold the cellphones next to our temporal lobes. That's where my seizures come from.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/index.html


Easy fix, though. Just use a bluetooth speakerphone (I even have one in my car), or an old fashioned wired ear bud. Also either keep it in a purse, or in a holder that keeps the phone an inch away from the body. Easy.

Let us know what your dentist says about the gums, okay? I'm interested in it's possible implications for me, too.

 

[Jfpinell]

Get on a high quality calcium for your teeth (not to mention your other bones 20 years down the road)! I take a product sold under "isotonic" by Market America. Look that up on Altavista.com I'd also suggest a high quality anti-oxidant such as OPC (also sold by Market America) or Thai-go sold by Natures Sunshine available on-line as well. (I get it from my herbalist.)
Contrary to popular belief drugs are NOT entirely flushed out of your system without help. (All this stuff about half-life of drugs is only part of it.) The residue from drugs stays and builds up in your organs. (What do you think causes tolerence to build up?) Did you ever let a kettle of water boil dry? You see that white film on the bottom? That's a similar analogy to what happens to drugs in your body. (Something else companies like Pfizer and Merck won't let you in on!)