Epilepsy Talk

A Caregiver’s Guide to Survival…

February 25, 2022
2 Comments

It’s called “burn out.”

Because, let’s face it, being a caregiver is exhausting.

You may feel guilt, resentment, anger, anxiety or helplessness.

You may have to give up your income and career prospects to care for someone.

Even if you love the person very deeply, it can feel as though the focus is always on them and your needs and wishes go unnoticed.

Often you deal with the situation alone and feel very isolated. (My mother-in-law didn’t leave the house for two years when my father-in-law was dying.)

But you can’t do anything to help another person if you’re a basket case yourself.


How Music Soothes Your Seizures… 

January 19, 2022
6 Comments

Music is food for the soul, the mind and the body.

Great music, when carefully selected, can change our moods, energize us, calm us, improve our mental focus, lift us up spiritually, and help us become more healthy.


Sodium — How Much Does Your Body Need?

November 22, 2019
13 Comments

You may think that sodium is a “bad guy” to be avoided or reduced at all cost, because too much is linked to high blood pressure.

But sodium is actually an essential electrolyte, and a deficiency can trigger seizures.

Seizures from low sodium levels are most likely to occur from a serious disease, acute infection or because you tried to run a marathon on a hot day.

One-time or isolated seizures from these causes don’t warrant a diagnosis of epilepsy.

However, epilepsy is sometimes misdiagnosed and you may have an underlying health condition that’s causing an electrolyte problem.


A Caregiver’s Guide to Survival…

September 18, 2019
15 Comments

It’s called “burn out.” Because, let’s face it, being a caregiver is exhausting.

You may feel guilt, resentment, anger, anxiety or helplessness.

You may have to give up your income and career prospects to care for someone.

Even if you love the person very deeply, it can feel as though the focus is always on them and your needs and wishes go unnoticed. 

Often you deal with the situation alone and feel very isolated.

(My mother-in-law didn’t leave the house for two years when my father-in-law was dying.)

But you can’t do anything to help another person if you’re a basket case yourself.

To be the best caregiver possible, you need to be physically and emotionally well, yourself.

After all, how effective can you be…


Epilepsy and Electrolytes

September 12, 2019
32 Comments

It’s a situation often mentioned but rarely understood – the effects electrolytes have on seizures.

But a simple blood test can detect the danger of unbalanced electrolytes.

Taking extra doses of certain minerals can help to prevent side-effects that may follow the long-term use of some seizure medicines.

And taking supplements can help protect the brain (as can a B-Vitamin complex), but it’s no guarantee of seizure control, since there are a lot of different factors at play that can trigger a seizure.

But, making sure you have the right nutrients is just as important as having the right balance between all of them, so that proper electrical connections are maintained.


How Music Soothes Your Seizures…

August 6, 2019
2 Comments

Music is food for the soul, the mind and the body.

Great music, when carefully selected, can change our moods, energize us, calm us, improve our mental focus, lift us up spiritually, and help us become more healthy.

Not surprisingly, music has also been found to have a profoundly positive effect on people with epilepsy.

In fact, one research study even found that when patients are treated with music therapy as well as conventional anti-seizure meds, as many as eighty percent of seizures were reduced by seventy-five percent!


    About the author

    Phylis Feiner Johnson

    Phylis Feiner Johnson

    I've been a professional copywriter for over 35 years. I also had epilepsy for decades. My mission is advocacy; to increase education, awareness and funding for epilepsy research. Together, we can make a huge difference. If not changing the world, at least helping each other, with wisdom, compassion and sharing.

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