Epilepsy Talk
The Trouble with AEDs
12 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?
Tags: anti-epilepsy drugs, benefits, dangers, seizures, side effects, uses
Epilepsy — Top Financial and Medical Assistance Programs
23 Comments
With so many people at the end of their resources, we could all use a helping hand.
Below is my attempt to research viable resources for financial and medication aid…
Tags: aid, benefits, financial, free, information, links, medication, prescriptions, resources
Clinical Trials Explained
8 Comments
New therapies, including medications, medical devices and surgical procedures, are evaluated in research studies known as clinical trials.
Often these new therapies are investigational, which means they are not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for general use.
Participation in clinical trials offers the potential for new treatment options and allows patients to participate with researchers in driving the discovery of effective therapies for epilepsy…
Tags: 3 phases, benefits, clinical trials, Epilepsy, information, NIH, risks
The Miracle of the Coconut
20 Comments
Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.”
And there are plenty of reasons to love it: Health, healing, immunity. Liver, kidney and bone health. Energy, weight loss, hair and skin care…and that’s just scratching the surface.
Tags: benefits, coconut oil, external benefits, food, health, internal health, superfood
Epilepsy: Meditation vs. Medication
29 Comments
You can have medication without meditation. Most of us do.
You can do meditation without medication. Most of us wouldn’t and shouldn’t take that risk.
But together, they can enhance one another.
Tags: benefits, Complementary Alternative Medicine, enhance, Epilepsy, medication, meditation, relaxation, risks, seizures, stress
Calcium — Friend or Foe?
25 Comments
After talking to a famous epileptologist, I learned that calcium is really a two-edged sword. Which surprised (and scared) me.
I’ve always read that calcium was imperative if you were taking antiepilepsy drugs — especially Dilantin. Even if your doc “forgot” to tell you!
Speaking of which, a survey found that fewer than one-third of neurologists routinely evaluated AED patients for bone disease. And fewer than 10% prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D.
Tags: benefits, bone mineral density, Calcium, calcium rich foods, controversy, DEXA scans, Dilantin, Epilepsy, heart disease, Mysoline, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, Phenobital, risks, supplements, Tegretol, Valproate, Vitamin D
Why Your Pharmacist is Your Best Friend
22 Comments
Your pharmacist is the least expensive and most accessible health resource you have. They fill prescriptions and provide expert information about medications — a very important role considering the prominent use of seizure medications to treat epilepsy.
While it might seem easier to forge a personal relationship with one pharmacist at a small mom-and-pop pill dispensary, smart patients can and do establish great relationships with superstore pharmacists, too.
You can see the pharmacist anytime you want, without an appointment, and all consultations are free. In medicine, that’s extraordinary.
Tags: access, benefits, costs, EFA, Epilepsy, expert information, free consultations, interactions, knowledge, pharmacists, prescription, risks, seizure medications
Epilepsy and Exercise
22 Comments
You may have been told or thought that exercise can bring on seizures. Not necessarily so. At lease for a large population of those with epilepsy…
While some medical literature in the past reported that seizures could be induced by exercise, there are also more recent reports that exercise can be beneficial to those with epilepsy.
About the author
