Saturday, June 18, 2011
Epilepsy and Inflammation - one reason I drink Nopalea
It has long been known that some inflammatory diseases can affect that brain and cause seizures. There is now increasing evidence that inflammation in the central nervous system may be involved in both creating seizures foci (the process of epileptogenesis) as well as maintaining them over time, even in patients without underlying inflammatory disease. This evidence derives from both animal models and from examining tissue removed from seizure foci in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. For example, in animal models in which a seizure focus has been created, there is an increase in inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, and specifically a cytokine called IL 1B. Also, around an area where a seizure focus has developed, inflammatory cells such as reactive microglia can accumulate. Inflammation can precede the development of seizures, and also occurs after each seizure. Now there is evidence from animal models of epilepsy that this type of inflammatory mediators, and specifically IL 1B, can actually calm the inflammation, and seems to reduce or eliminate seizures in some animal models. At the NYU Epilepsy Center, we have begun to explore whether similar types of inflammation occur in human seizure foci. There is already good evidence for inflammation in some types of epilepsy, most notably temporal lobe epilepsy and epilepsy associated with Tuberous Sclerosis. Inflammatory cells are seen close to the seizure onset zone in tissue resected from patients with uncontrolled seizures, and diminishes in areas not involved in seizure generation.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
How's your medicine working?
Just wanted to tell everyone about Health Warehouse. I get my Lamotrigine (Lamictal) for 75% less than thru my normal pharmacy. They several anti-convulsants listed.
http://www.healthwarehouse.com/
http://www.healthwarehouse.com/
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Overcoming Epilepsy: Sezures in your sleep
Overcoming Epilepsy: Seizures in your sleep
If you're having nocturnal seizures find a good epileptologist and be prepared for several procedures coming your way. None of them are painful, maybe a little depending on your pain tolerance, just inconvenient. My advice would be to get it checked out and do whatever is necessary to take care of it. Why is it a VERY serious issue? For infants it could a cause for SUDEP, for adolescents and adults it could easily result in suffocating ones self in their own bed. Rolling out of bed and hitting your head on something, sleep walking and falling down while doing so. I've experienced all of them and am still here to tell you about it but don't take that chance. Read more here:
http://my.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/newsletter/august10_sudep
Wikipedia Definition:
Nocturnal epilepsy is a seizure disorder in which seizures occur only while sleeping[1]. Several common forms of epilepsy, including frontal lobe epilepsy, can manifest in a nocturnal state.
Epilepsy can be nocturnal if the form of epilepsy one has only triggers seizures while one is asleep, or if one normally has seizures that occur at the same time. In the latter example, if one stays awake at a time when s/he is usually asleep, s/he can have the seizure while awake.
Diagnosis
The condition may be difficult to diagnose. The subject himself/herself may be unaware s/he is having a seizure disorder[2]. To others, the involuntary movements made during sleep may appear no different than those typical to normal sleep[3].
One who suffers a nocturnal seizure may notice some unusual differences upon awakening in the morning, such as a headache, having wet his/her bed, having bitten his/her tongue, a bone or joint injury, or lightheadedness. Others may notice unusual mental behaviors with the person, consistent with the aftermath of a seizure[4]. There may also be objects in the vicinity of the bed knocked on the floor, or the subject him/herself may be surprised to find him/herself on the floor.
A possible risk of any nocturnal seizure is that a concussion, possibly a significant one, could occur and the patient thus would be in danger and might not know it until late in the process.
Treatment
Like other forms of epilepsy, nocturnal epilepsy can be treated with anticonvulsants[5].
Don't kid your self, or let any one else kid you, epilepsy can kill. The chances of it ever happening to you are a million to one, or better, but be safe and take the steps necessary for you to prevent it from ever happening.
If you're having nocturnal seizures find a good epileptologist and be prepared for several procedures coming your way. None of them are painful, maybe a little depending on your pain tolerance, just inconvenient. My advice would be to get it checked out and do whatever is necessary to take care of it. Why is it a VERY serious issue? For infants it could a cause for SUDEP, for adolescents and adults it could easily result in suffocating ones self in their own bed. Rolling out of bed and hitting your head on something, sleep walking and falling down while doing so. I've experienced all of them and am still here to tell you about it but don't take that chance. Read more here:
http://my.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/newsletter/august10_sudep
Wikipedia Definition:
Nocturnal epilepsy is a seizure disorder in which seizures occur only while sleeping[1]. Several common forms of epilepsy, including frontal lobe epilepsy, can manifest in a nocturnal state.
Epilepsy can be nocturnal if the form of epilepsy one has only triggers seizures while one is asleep, or if one normally has seizures that occur at the same time. In the latter example, if one stays awake at a time when s/he is usually asleep, s/he can have the seizure while awake.
Diagnosis
The condition may be difficult to diagnose. The subject himself/herself may be unaware s/he is having a seizure disorder[2]. To others, the involuntary movements made during sleep may appear no different than those typical to normal sleep[3].
One who suffers a nocturnal seizure may notice some unusual differences upon awakening in the morning, such as a headache, having wet his/her bed, having bitten his/her tongue, a bone or joint injury, or lightheadedness. Others may notice unusual mental behaviors with the person, consistent with the aftermath of a seizure[4]. There may also be objects in the vicinity of the bed knocked on the floor, or the subject him/herself may be surprised to find him/herself on the floor.
A possible risk of any nocturnal seizure is that a concussion, possibly a significant one, could occur and the patient thus would be in danger and might not know it until late in the process.
Treatment
Like other forms of epilepsy, nocturnal epilepsy can be treated with anticonvulsants[5].
Don't kid your self, or let any one else kid you, epilepsy can kill. The chances of it ever happening to you are a million to one, or better, but be safe and take the steps necessary for you to prevent it from ever happening.
Seizures in your sleep
I'm taking Lamictal, 1200 mg a day. I'm doing ok as far as the dizziness goes, my seizures are just about under control but it's happening frequently now, I have seizures when I'm napping. I'll lay my head on my desk, midday usually, and am awakened by a seizure cluster. I have to wake up to get them to stop, go through the grieving process - quickly, and then get back to what I was doing. This is getting annoying.
I mentioned going through the grieving process. Do you know what I'm talking about? I'll talk more about it and how it can help you deal with your seizures next time
I mentioned going through the grieving process. Do you know what I'm talking about? I'll talk more about it and how it can help you deal with your seizures next time
Sunday, June 5, 2011
How to overcome epilepsy?
I've created this blog to tell you how to overcome epilepsy not just cope with it, deal with it, or ignore it. The first thing I need to say is YOU ARE NOT AN EPILEPTIC. YOU ARE A PERSON with epilespy. You may think its just symantics but it makes a huge difference. If you have epilepsy, or know someone who does, you/they are not epileptics. Epilepsy is what you have, not what you are. You are not an epileptic. You are a person with Epilepsy. Epilepsy is a part of your life. It is not your whole life. You are not different from other people in any major way except for the brief time you’re having a seizure. Other people may expect that having epilepsy makes you different but that’s their mistake. Given the chance you can probably live, work and function in the world just as well as anyone else.
In my future posts you'll find this as an underlying theme i.e. I'll sound like a broken record. In my opnion, one of a person who's been working to overcome epilepsy for 32 years, I feel that making that distinction is one of the first changes in ones mindset that needs to be established in order to overcome epilespy.
In my future posts you'll find this as an underlying theme i.e. I'll sound like a broken record. In my opnion, one of a person who's been working to overcome epilepsy for 32 years, I feel that making that distinction is one of the first changes in ones mindset that needs to be established in order to overcome epilespy.
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