Epilepsy Talk
Violence and Epilepsy
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No question about it. Epilepsy’s been the victim of bad press since ancient Greece. There, it was sometimes called the “Herculean Disease” because Hercules was thought to have murdered his family in a fit of uncontrollable rage.
Two thousand years later, Michael Crichton wrote in The Terminal Man, “Epileptics are predisposed to violent, aggressive behavior during their attacks.” Which didn’t exactly help.
In later editions of his novel, Crichton softened his stance with a postscript, but many physicians and laymen still truly believe that those with epilepsy are dangerous and potentially violent people.
Health Insurance — No-Cost & Low-Cost
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These days, health insurance costs an arm and a leg (literally), if you can even get it. But before you lose hope, here are some resources that might just make the impossible become possible…
Tags: assistance, debt, health insurance, low income, low-cost, no cost, resources
Prescription Switching. Do You Know What You’re REALLY Getting?
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How many times have you had a prescription switched without your knowledge or permission?
Not just switched to a generic version of the prescribed drug, but to a different drug altogether.
Yet the practice of swapping out medications is perfectly legal in most states…
7 Myths About Medication — and the Facts Behind Them
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From The Cleveland Clinic: By Family Health Team
Misconceptions about medicine are as common as pills on a pharmacy shelf.
We could all use a healthy dose of the truth.
Cleveland Clinic drug information pharmacist Katie Stabi, PharmD, BCPS, debunks seven of the most common myths about medications below:
Tags: best results, Epilepsy, facts and fiction, medication, most effective
Rewiring the Brain with Cell Transplantation
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Cell transplantation is an emerging approach for treating drug resistant epilepsy.
Regenerative medicine such as this, is a relatively “simple” process in that stem cells are often cultured from the patient’s own tissue, then processed and transfused back into the body.
Laser Surgery — Breakthrough Epilepsy Treatment!
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Revolutionary laser surgery — a safer, less invasive alternative to brain surgery as we know it — has slowly been achieving success with brain tumor patients.
Instead of the more traditional craniotomy, in which a bone flap is removed from the skull, neurosurgeons are using MRI-guided laser technology to destroy lesions in hard-to-access regions of the brain.
Tags: breakthrough, Epilepsy, laser surgery, less invasive, life-changing option, MRI-guided, safer, success, thermal ablation
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) — Reducing Seizures By As Much As 50%
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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been called “a promising therapy for epilepsy,” as reported by the BBC. According to the article, it’s designed for the considerable number of patients suffering from medically refractory epilepsy who are not candidates for resective brain surgery.
This seizure-interrupting device, also called a responsive neurostimulator system, is for those with temporal lobe epilepsy, bi-temporal epilepsy, and neocortical epilepsy.
Epilepsy And Complementary Medicine
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Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) is just what it sounds like. Something to complement the AED regimen you’re already on. And perhaps take an extra step (with your doctor’s go-ahead) to alleviate seizures.
There are lots of alternatives, so I’ll touch on the most popular ones here. (Somehow, I don’t think you’re going to be turning to stones or amulets for relief!)
One third of the patients felt that CAM helped treat their epilepsy better than the AED. However, very few patients considered stopping the AED. Almost all of the patients stated they would feel comfortable informing their physician about CAM use.
“Modern medical therapy often fails, yet modern medical therapy exists because complementary and alternative medicine often fails. Both sides have to recognize each other.” Dr. Orrin Devinsky
Tags: acupressure, acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, chiropractic care, Complementary Alternative Medicine, essential oils, herbal medicine, Homeopathy, massage, meditation, Naturopathy, reflexology, relaxation techniques, seizure control, stress reduction, tai chi, yoga
Brain Food for Your Health…
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Please understand, I am NOT saying that these supplements will cure, treat or prevent epilepsy — but I am saying that we folks with epilepsy have to do everything we can for our brain health.
And these supplements can help a lot with that.
In fact, the nutrients they contain are so important for your brain cells, you really should seriously consider them. That’s how strongly I feel. And the science backs me up.
Tags: Acetyl-L-Carnitine, B Complex Vitamins, B12, B6, brain health, Calcium, CoQ10, fish oil, Folic Acid, magnesium, supplements, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, vitamins, zinc
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