Epilepsy Talk
Autoimmune Epilepsy — Cause of Previously Unexplained Seizures?
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Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the mainstay of treatment for epilepsy, but seizures continue in one-third of patients despite appropriate AED therapeutic trials.
Even in the current era, the etiology of epilepsy often remains unclear.
Some patients with unexplained partial seizures which are medication resistant may have “autoimmune epilepsy” — epilepsy characterized by autoimmune antibodies.
Although autoimmune epilepsy is still rare, it’s become an increasingly recognized cause of epilepsy, which might have been previously thought to be of unknown cause.
What is the immune system and what are the types of immune disorders?
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
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What have you dreamed — or achieved — beyond your wildest dreams?
Celebrities Supporting Epilepsy
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There are some people who don’t turn a deaf ear to what everyone else doesn’t want to hear. The phobic fear of epilepsy.
For example, Greg Grunberg is a true “Hero.” Not just as a TV star but also as the spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation of America. He is joined in his support by:
Harrison Ford of Star Wars fame, auctioned off his “The Force Awakens” signed one-of-a-kind leather jacket for $191,000 to benefit NYU’s non-profit Langone Medical Center in light of his daughter’s successful treatment. He is quoted as saying: “This is a cause near and dear to me.”
Tags: celebrities supporting epilepsy, Chanda Gunn, Charlie Sheen, Claudia Schiffer, Courteney Cox, Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Craig, Don Rickles, Emma Thompson, Geoff Pope, Greg Grunberg, Harrison Ford, Hugh Laurie, Jason Snelling, Jennifer Garner, Jonathan Pryce, Larry King, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mike Simmel, Neil Young, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sir Roger Moore
A Fallen Football Hero…
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This is a story about life’s hard knocks. Literally.
It’s the story of former NFL Browns running back Jerome Harrison and how his occasional seizures, thought to be a result of concussions from the game, saved his life.
Memory games to boost your brain…
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The problem I had writing this article was that I was having too much fun! I kept on getting detained playing games, but it was worth it. Some I did o.k. on, others I flunked miserably. They’re fun, they’re challenging, and I think you’ll really like them.
(A personal word of advice. Go to Games.com first. You’ll be hooked!)
Memory Tips You (Hopefully) Won’t Forget!
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I have a confession to make.
I’m the queen of “Post-Its”. I have Post-Its on tables, counters, walls, doors. I don’t know how I lived without them.
I guess, in the “old” days, I was the same with lists. Many lists. And way too much Scotch Tape.
Factoid: The man who invented Post-Its was an employee at 3M (also the maker of Scotch Tape) who went to his boss with a bright new idea. I don’t know if he got a raise, but he gets no royalties. Just my undying admiration and thanks.
Anyway, short of taking stock in 3M, here are some other suggestions…
Epilepsy and Memory…
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To say that lack of memory is a major worry for those of us with epilepsy is hardly a surprise.
In fact, it’s the number one concern.
Simply put, memory is our brain’s ability to store information and find it again later.
Chemical and electrical changes happen in your brain when new memories are made.
It’s a natural brain process that requires continuing attention and recording by parts of your brain.
Tags: confusion, memory loss, number one concern, seizures
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!)
Interestingly, The Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona did a survey and it revealed that half of the people with epilepsy had tried CAM at some time for seizure control. Almost half used them for other reasons.
Overall, people found CAM to be generally beneficial to their health. The most helpful were stress reduction, yoga, and botanicals (herbs). Nonetheless, half of the patients taking botanicals had an increase in their seizures.
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, Orrin Devinsky, reflexology, relaxation techniques, seizure control, stress reduction, tai chi, yoga
Marijuana by the Numbers
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The world is going cannabis crazy.
Canada is set to legalize recreational use of marijuana on Oct. 17.
And spending on recreational pot will surge to $32 billion globally by 2022 — triple its current size — U.S. Research firms Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics say.
At least three Canadian pot companies have stock market values of more than $10 billion each.
And new companies are popping up by the day.
Yup. It’s turned into an investor’s market.
Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
Medical Marijuana — What the Experts are Saying
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“It doesn’t have a high potential for abuse, and there are very legitimate medical applications. In fact, sometimes Marijuana is the only thing that works… It is irresponsible not to provide the best care we can as a medical community, care that could involve Marijuana. We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that.” — Dr. Sanjay Gupta / Neurosurgeon.
Tags: age-old remedy, alternative, anecdotal evidence, DEA restrictions, doctors', Dr. Orrin Devinsky, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dravet Syndrome, help relieve pain and suffering, legitimate medical applications, medical marijuana, non toxic, relief, Research, safe, scientific evidence, success
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