Epilepsy Talk
12 THINGS YOUR DOCTORS WON’T TELL YOU…
30 Comments
Modern medicine can do miraculous things — but every test and treatment has a downside.
And your doctor may not disclose the dangers without prompting, a new survey finds.
Researchers surveyed 2,700 patients who’d recently decided whether or not to have surgery, take a medication, or undergo cancer screening.
Most reported their physician spent far more time talking up the benefits of each choice than explaining the risks.
Tags: alternatives, benefit, choose wisely, cost, disclose dangers, insurance, misuse, overuse, quotas, referrals, risks, side effects, underuse, unnecessary tests
7 Myths About Medication — and the Facts Behind Them
10 Comments
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
Epilepsy Studies: True or False?
13 Comments
There’s a “Golden Rule” which says: “He who has the most gold makes the rules.”
And who might that be? And what are the methods used?
Some are simply amazing. (Or at least I thought so.)
But they all follow the “Golden Rule.”
Tags: epilepsy studies, favorable outcomes, fixed results, health risks, offshore testing
Anti-Epilepsy Medication Side-Effects
21 Comments
They’re necessary but not necessarily nice.
And every med has its own side-effects.
Just as different people experience different difficulties.
But here‘s the low-down on the possible side-effects.
I hope you don’t have to suffer any of them. (Or as few as possible.)
Tags: AEDS, different, Epilepsy, medication, possible, side effects
Epilepsy and Melatonin – Yes? No? Or Maybe So?
27 Comments
Most of us are familiar with melatonin and it’s purpose: To help you sleep. Or at least to help you get to sleep.
In fact, melatonin is one of the most commonly used supplements in the United States. (Lots of sleepless people out there!)
Scientifically speaking, melatonin is a hormone synthesized from serotonin, the “feel good” hormone.
Sleep and Seizures
24 Comments
Sleepless nights. Exhausted afternoons. Confusion. Memory loss. Trouble with concentration, mood swings and of course, seizures.
Which may increase in frequency or severity. Or may even contribute to intractable seizures. It seems like an endless cycle.
For people with epilepsy, sleep problems are a double-edged sword; epilepsy disturbs sleep and sleep deprivation aggravates epilepsy.
Medical Marijuana — It’s Here to Stay…
53 Comments
Let’s face it. The time has come.
Even the FDA has opened its eyes with new clinical trials.
Although the AMA chooses to keep their heads in the sand. For now.
It used to be popular to debate the merits and dangers of medical marijuana.
For example, it could lead to addiction. Like cocaine. (Oh please!)
But now, there’s clinically proven scientific proof, with more to come…
“After 4,000 years of humans taking cannabis for epilepsy, we have scientific evidence it works.” — Orrin Devinsky MD, Harvard University, on results from his team’s late-stage clinical trial of cannabidiol to treat Dravet syndrome.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…
The Great Debate — Medical Marijuana
18 Comments
Even though the cannabis plant has a long history of medicinal use, with evidence dating back to 2,737 BCE, it’s still a subject of hot controversy.
It appears to be a standing battle between politics and science.
The legality requires proof of medical marijuana’s effectiveness.
Reports of success are anecdotal.
Yet there are no funds for clinical trials and it remains on a back burner for further NIH funding and research.
(Wow. What a surprise!)
The Trouble with AEDs…
29 Comments
At the very best, finding the right anti-epilepsy drug is a crap shoot. There’s always the hope that this one will do it.
Or maybe adjunct therapy will work. Or, sigh, the side-effects derail you and you’re on to the next.
Is asking for seizure control too much?
The good news is that many newer AEDs are better tolerated than the older, standard AEDs. Although they, too, come with side-effects.
Newer AEDs often cause less sedation and require less monitoring than older drugs.
Tags: AEDS, anti-epilepsy drugs, benefits, dangers, seizures, side effects, uses
Brain Surgery Alternatives
6 Comments
“It’s not brain surgery.” And it doesn’t have to be.
There are a host of epilepsy procedures that are minimally invasive.
For example…
Tags: biofeedback, Brain Surgery Alternatives, Cell Transplantation, counseling, Deep Brain Stimulation, gamma knife surgery, Gene Therapy, Homeopathy, Hormone Imbalances, laser surgery, Naturopathy, The Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, trigeminal nerve stimulation
