There IS a cure for Epilepsy.

[kind2creatures]

It's legal medicinally and for recreation now where I live, and many people have moved here for the cannabis to help with their medical conditions, like mothers of children suffering with cancer and the harsh standard chemo/radiation treatments. Some have just made the trip to purchase a small amount to relieve their conditions. It should be legal all over, IMO. A lot less dangerous than the pharmaceutical drugs with the laundry list of side effects. But the powers that be want to make all the money, and will try to ban the marijuana, hemp, etc.

[llanarth]

It should certainly be legal for medicinal purposes, IMO it's just ridiculous what people have to go through. And I would certainly try cannabis rather than be on the 1500mg of sodium valporate which plunged me into a horrible depression and very nearly returned me to hospital. It does exceedingly nasty things to your liver, not to mention your appendix at that dosage (I'm around 55kg). The specialist's answer was to put me on anti depressants! Although I have to say that same specialist was quite open minded about me reducing the meds.

I generally agree that 9 times out of 10 there are much gentler things available which do the same or a better job without the side effects. Or at the very least can be combined with a significantly lower dose of the 'nastier' drug. There should be much greater of availability of results where people have successfully used alternative remedies be it mineral or with alternative medicines such as cannabis.

In modern life there is always additional complexity. Many people need to work and need their condition (say it is epilepsy) controlled now-they have bills to pay, children to support. I at least have had the luxury of defining my hours of work so I have had no early morning hours (I have waking epilepsy). This has given me the luxury to experiment and to try different things. Though I'll probably never be rich!

[lan]

I would like to know how this has worked for people who have epilepsy similar to my own. I have grand mal seizures with a non-coherent after spell that lasts maybe 20-40 minutes, no previous head trauma, nothing on imaging at hospital or any reaction to pulsing lights. Once my neurologist suggested it could be the way my "brain" deals with stress and other neurologists laughed at the notion. (I have had many odd and uncaring neurologists) However within the 12 years of having epilepsy starting at puberty, I have noticed when I do have an "episode" it tends to be the day of-before-after or closely to my menstrual cycle leading me to believe it's hormonal (leading back to the stress thing). They almost always occur in the morning within 3 hours of waking up. Currently I take 500 mg twice daily of the generic keppra. Any answers or thoughts to hormones and this remedy?

I will definitely keep a stash for emergencies either way!

[llanarth]

Ian, I am 40 years old but my epilepsy also started when my hormones kicked in. Stress and epilepsy are known to be linked (at least I have read numerous books which mention this link) so the reaction of the neurologists surprises me.

However, progesterone is a known anti convulsant and Estrogen a known trigger for epilepsy. Proof of this was when I was pregnant I gave up my AEDs- progesterone as you know rises through the roof when you are pregnant-no seizures. My consultant was absolutely furious. Actually I managed to keep of AEDs for 10 years but as I've grown older I think my progesterone has naturally lowered and my epilepsy has returned. I currently take 500mg valporate a day which is a very low dose, but I do have an occasional seizure around my menstrual cycle which I am trying to control now through various means-to soon to measure success yet. But probably magnesium salts won't be the only supplement that you need.
As mine happens on waking I am now experimenting with a variety of things (magnesium sulphate, taurine, B complex and breathing exercises https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhK549uGvhc buteyko-watch here if you're interested.) I have also read the vitamin D can be helpful.
Don't let neurologists put you off. Often epilepsy isn't their specialty and they may not be interested in this area. I stopped going to neurologists to be honest because so many of them were just not interested in you as a person, and some have such blinkered perceptions it really put me off. Anyway, you may have to try several. I did go on he progesterone coil which controlled my seizures for a time, and then they broke through again, although this is not always healthy method of control either.

Oh the cannabis! I'm not with it today. No, personally I haven't tried it. It might be worth trying but it might have an detrimental effect on your memory. I would try the breathing first-it's free and it's relaxing. I'm going to see if the breathing works first. Personally I would save up your money for biofeedback

[Maydoy]

My son (age 24) has tried every natural therapy for his daily attacks of epilepsy. We have not gone down the drug path (yet) although he was on Kepra for a while (some months). We have used supplements, herbs, homeopathics, cranial sacral work, acupuncture, Ayurvedic diet and medicines. His epilepsy in the last 6 months has been much worse. He has mainly seizures of a night time and he was having 1 to 5 per night, some gran mal (1/3 to 1/2), some less severe. Then I realized that his body was cold. We piled on the donas, put loads of blankets underneath his bottom sheet, got him to sleep in a balaclava and wear a beanie and more clothes and wool jumpers during the day. The results were an instant, a 90% reduction in the seizures. I have also been reading about frankincense and I ordered some and we have been putting it on his feet for the last two nights. It has been a month since keeping him extra warm and.... no grand mals in that time. Since using the oil (only a couple of days)..no seizures for the last 3 days. This is very exciting and I will keep you posted. We still maintain an excellent diet.

[llanarth]

I have found something else that does definitely work. That's brainmaster. You control your brainwaves training them to natural suppress seizure activity.

Another thing to be aware of is amoxicillin. It sent my brain completely bananas and I had 3 fits in a row. I've finished the antibiotics now, and I'm fine but do bear in mind this can have bad effects on your brain. While using brainmaster, my theta activity measured 25 + instead of the usual 8-12 range. It has even been known to give people who are non epileptic seizures.

[Maydoy]

It is now 6 days of our regime of extra warmth (including wearing a balaclava to bed and extra donas) and using frankincense essential oil on the big toe, soles of the feet and back of the neck. NO SEIZURES. Not bad after having 1 to 5 nightly many of those being grand mals. Nothing else has changed. My son is beginning to come out of the fog!

[llanarth]

That's fantastic and really interesting to read about. Cross fingers my daughter won't suffer from epilepsy but I really won't know until she hits puberty in about a year's time.

I hope the grand mal free period continues. The drugs they give you are dreadful. I've managed to cut my dosage down to 500mg once a day. With any luck I may be able to reduce that again. At least the dosage allows me to be pretty clear headed.

[Maydoy]

Glad to hear that you have been able to cut down on the drugs. Most people don't know what an impact epilepsy has on lives. Try the frankincense, who knows it might help you too. I bought mine from an essential oil supplier that I found on line. Good luck!