Natural treatments

[ammeread]

So I was in the health and nutrition store the other day and they had a section particularly for brain health. There was herbs called bacopa and ashwagandha. Vitamin E, fish oil, krill oil and a bunch of other stuff.

Has anyone tried these? Are they affective?

Second point I have also heard that clear quartz crystal when rubbed together in your hand neutralizes electrical charge and stops the seizures sounds like a myth to me anyone heard this or tried this?

My plan is to try and control my epilepsy completely naturally and then publish my findings here. Bear in mind my epilepsy is not that bad so I think it may be a possibility for me but not for all :-(

Look forward to yet another productive conversation . With my new group of supportive friends

 

[epileric]

I've tried numerous supplements & found them to be no better than their placebo effect.

Please research Every supplement before trying it. Despite being "natural" they all have different side-effects & can possibly interact with the anti-epileptic drug(s) you are already taking.

Ashwagandha is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth short-term. The long-term safety of ashwagandha is not known. Large doses of ashwagandha might cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting.

It’s not known whether it’s safe to apply ashwagandha directly to the skin.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Do not use ashwagandha if you are pregnant. It is rated LIKELY UNSAFE during pregnancy. There is some evidence that ashwagandha might cause miscarriages. Not enough is known about the use of ashwagandha during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Stomach ulcers: Ashwagandha can irritate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Don’t use ashwagandha if you have a stomach ulcer.

“Auto-immune diseases” such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or other conditions: Ashwagandha might cause the immune system to become more active, and this could increase the symptoms of auto-immune diseases. If you have one of these conditions, it’s best to avoid using ashwagandha.

Surgery: Ashwagandha may slow down the central nervous system. Healthcare providers worry that anesthesia and other medications during and after surgery might increase this effect. Stop taking ashwagandha at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-953-ASHWAGANDHA.aspx?activeIngredientId=953&activeIngredientName=ASHWAGANDHA

I would be careful with Bacopa (also called Brahmi) though. It is used to increase memory & you can only increase memory by increasing neural firing. If it does help memory it might increase your seizures.

Brahmi is POSSIBLY SAFE for adults when used appropriately and short-term, up to 12 weeks. Common side effects include increased bowel movements, stomach cramps, nausea, dry mouth, and fatigue.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of brahmi during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Slow heart rate (bradycardia): Brahmi might slow down the heart beat. This could be a problem in people who already have a slow heart rate.

Gastrointestinal tract blockage: Brahmi might cause “congestion” in the intestines. This might cause problems in people who have a blockage in their intestines.

Ulcers: Brahmi might increase secretions in the stomach and intestines. There is concern that this could worsen ulcers.

Lung conditions: Brahmi might increase fluid secretions in the lung. There is concern that this could worsen lung conditions such as asthma or emphysema.

Urinary tract obstruction: Brahmi might increase secretions in the urinary tract. There is concern that this could worsen urinary obstruction.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-761-BRAHMI.aspx?activeIngredientId=761&activeIngredientName=BRAHMI

 

[SlimBlue]

Good luck on your quest, I hope you can get to a controlled state without meds

Various studies into the effects of crystals have shown they don't seem to have any more benefit other that the placebo effect. In fact it works so well 'believers' report the same healing properties from fakes in the control section of the experiment.

There are certainly a whole load of brain supplements available. However it would be best to read up on them and get professional unbiased advice before deciding to start a course, as many can have side-effects as well.

E.g. bacopa on the above webMD link is listed as "is an example of a memory supplement that carries a higher risk of drug interactions. For this reason, she doesn't recommend using it until further study is conducted. "

 

[SlimBlue]

lol snap

 

[MrE]

Meh I always believe YOU are your best teacher...not some doctor or whatever...the only way to know if something will work for you is to try it first...of course common sense is always helpful but not everyone has it...unfortunately

I've stopped taking a few supplements as I found I did not achieve the desired effect...apparently this monster needs a trainquilizer...rawr baby!

 

[kirsten]

Alternative medicine that has been proven to work is called medicine. If crystals could negate electrical activity in the brain, they'd be hanging them over epilepsy patients in the emergency room instead of feeding us AEDs through our arms. As for herbs, I simply do not trust them because many of them can be powerful--take aspirin as an example. It's simply a chemical copy of tree bark, but it can give you stomach ulcers and cause uncontrolled bleeding. So since herbs are not put through the same rigorous testing that medication is, I will not take them. I'm not averse to supplements but again, the medical community publishes its findings about nutrients in pier reviewed journals, so if there is proof that some vitamins and minerals can help, it will be found in viable scientific data, at which point I am happy to use them.

 

[MrE]

If crystals could negate electrical activity in the brain, they'd be hanging them over epilepsy patients in the emergency room instead of feeding us AEDs through our arms.

That's why I always carry Kryptonite with me

 

[Abilene220]

Natural remedies

I so understand your desire to treat your seizures with natural remedies. I am not an expert; however, my research indicates bacopa can be helpful. Have a look at drweil.com. He has a short but helpful post on it.

Good luck, and do let us know if you find a useful remedy or combination of remedies.

 

[epileric]

Be careful of what Dr. Weil says. I was a fan of his many years ago & would check his site religiously until he started making claims that I felt were just ridiculous.

Weil has snowed a lot of people because he offers so much excellent science-based information and advice that is consistent with what other doctors say. But he promiscuously mixes that good advice with questionable advice in a way that makes it impossible for the average consumer to tell which is which. The textbook Consumer Health: A Guide to Intelligent Decisions characterizes Weil’s advice as “a mixture of sense and nonsense.” The Quackwatch website lists Weil under “nonrecommended sources of health advice.”

Some of Weil’s advice is frankly dangerous. He encourages self-care and irresponsible trial-and-error experimentation. For example, he recommends that patients with rheumatoid arthritis avoid pharmaceuticals and experiment with a series of lifestyle changes, dietary manipulations, alternative treatments, and diet supplement products. Patients who follow this advice risk joint deformities and disabilities that might have been prevented by taking disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) early in the course of their disease. It is irresponsible for a doctor to recommend that rheumatoid arthritis patients try unproven treatments like bee-sting therapy, feverfew, and homeopathy while avoiding any mention of the proven benefits of DMARDs.

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/andrew-weilaafp-article-rejected-by-slate/

 

[kirsten]

Weil says that sickness is a manifestation of evil, effectively blaming and shaming every one of us on this forum. Not a healthy opinion for any of us to take on and certainly not something that should form the core of our care.

 

[epileric]

Weil says that sickness is a manifestation of evil

Sounds more like something that would have been believed in midieval times.

 

[kirsten]

I've looked into just one of the herbs you're proposing to try: Bacopa. Every site I visit regurgitates the same eight or nine side effects and interactions, telling me there is very little data about it: Usually when researching a herb or medication, I can collect plenty of information about one substance. The trouble with lack of data is that it comes with lack of safety information. Bacopa is also not too commonly associated with epilepsy treatment. A few sites do mention it, but most punt it only as a memory aid (other applications have little to do with the brain). The potential side effects include exhaustion, irregular and slowed heart rate, fertility problems, abdominal spasms and vomiting. One site says it has much in common with barbiturates, and most recommend the usual allopathic warning of not driving or operating heavy machinery while taking it. With all those effects, I'm wondering why anyone would bother trying an as yet unproven herb with as many side effects as a proven allopathic medication? This site has the most information: http://dietpillsworld.org/side-effe...ood-and-the-bad-in-this-diet-pill-ingredient/

 

[MrE]

Dr. Weil is a manifestation of Dr. Evil :roflmao:

 

[MAB]

So I was in the health and nutrition store the other day and they had a section particularly for brain health. There was herbs called bacopa and ashwagandha. Vitamin E, fish oil, krill oil and a bunch of other stuff.

Has anyone tried these? Are they affective?

Second point I have also heard that clear quartz crystal when rubbed together in your hand neutralizes electrical charge and stops the seizures sounds like a myth to me anyone heard this or tried this?

My plan is to try and control my epilepsy completely naturally and then publish my findings here. Bear in mind my epilepsy is not that bad so I think it may be a possibility for me but not for all :-(

Look forward to yet another productive conversation . With my new group of supportive friends

As for stopping meds, probably not a good idea. If you do or don't you can still try some natural things. Fish oil, krill oil, co-10, PPQ, etc. Also try good quality frankincense essential and orange oil if seizures originate of right side of brain or lemon oil for left side of the brain. Rub one drop of oil into your big toe each morning or night. Also inhale the frankincense if you feel a seizure coming on, either directly from the bottle or rub a couple drops together in the palms of your hands and cup them over your mouth and nose and inhale.

 

[MrE]

Yeah I don't eat alot of fish which is why I take fish oil...it is processed but oh well...I only supplement where it is absolutely necessary...I get some omega 3 in some foods in my diet but the fish oil helps fill in those gaps...flax seed is also another good source of omega 3...my wife bought some in powder form...she believes it is better absorbed into the body than in capsule/softgel form...she's probably right as with fish oil and any other supplement but there are also many other factors one must consider such as the person taking them...

Oh and don't even waste your time with that "omega 3 peanut butter" it's a clever deception hiding in plain sight...