new here, and to epilepsy in general.
 |
|
|
UPDATED: Sun, 10/05/2008 - 11:27pm
corneli
Possible relation between TLE and stomach problems?
- Login or register to post comments
- View/Print content
Hi! I was diagnosed with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy a couple of years ago (just started out of the blue when I was just over 30) but it hasn't affected me that much - just one or two epidoses a year consisting of a couple of days of auras and a few short petit mal seizures. Annoying and frightening, yes, but luckily it is not more serious. I have refused medication - I don't feel it is bad enough and I really don't want to take more tablets.
I was also diagnosed with stomach erosion (the first stage on the way to a stomach ulcer) earlier this year, brought on by years of using Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs for monthly girl pain. I often took them without food and now it has been proven to really harm your stomach. Asprin does the same. After the trouble I've had, I urge everyone to eat when you take tablets! Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Anyway, I was surfing the web one day and read something which suggested that stomach problems can trigger Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, or at least, the same symptoms. I cannot find the reference now but it keeps nagging at me and I've noticed that a couple of my episodes have coincided with times that my stomach has really been playing up. Of course, part of me thinks, if the doctors haven't found the correlation then why would there be one? But I am still curious if anyone out there has any thoughts or experiences with this sort of thing...?
By corneli at Sun, 10/05/2008 - 11:12pm | 39 views | 4 comments
Topic: New to Epilepsy.com
Recent Comments on this Discussion
I also have made a connection between stomach or, more specifically, the "digestive system" as a whole and seizure activity. My diagnosis is partial complex, although my medical records state that my diagnosis is questionable. In most cases, when these "seizures" occur, they will be over a three day period of time, the same time that, on average, it takes anything to completely be removed or "flushed out" of your system. In many cases, I can trace back this activity to something that I consumed such as pork, dairy, stimulants (caffine) and, going the opposite direction, alcohol. I do what I can to moderate these foods if I cannot avoid them entirely. In most cases, they don't bother me but, when there is seizure activity present, I can trace it back to something that has a negative impact on my digestive tract. In most cases, the cause is one of the substances mentioned above.
As far as your physician pointing out this observation, don't bet on it. I spoke to my former family practioner about a similar circumstance. His response was "it's not in their best interest to refer you outside of their own field of study" $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ This was a "salt of the earth" country doctor and he did not believe in unnecessary Rx's or treatments for simple conditions. Being cautious is one thing but he wouldn't make a "mountian out of a mole hill" so he could make some bucks off of unnecessary testing, procedures, treatments, etc.
I don't know if this helps or not but I have also made a connection between seizure activity and "stomach" issues.
Thanks for this - it has given me more encouragement to really monitor this and take notice of what's going on inside! I have found, as have many people I'm sure, that sometimes you have to really fight to get solutions to medical problems and sometimes it means visiting different doctors, but then, who has the time or resources to do that?
Do you have any idea why those particular foods might affect the seizures? Pork, dairy and caffeine don't seem to have anything in common...?
I'll try not to be overly graphic but, excessive fatty foods, stimulants, alcohol and even stress all can cause loose stool (sorry). Not necessarily out right diarrhea but loose. There is a connection between seizure activity and the lack of magnesium in the system. Diarrhea causes your mag. level to decrease. This is the connection that I have found to my seizure activity and it occurs way too often to be a coincidence.
Wow...very interesting. I didn't know that about Magnesium, but then again, I also don't know if complex partial seizures (which I understand to be involving the body physically) works the same way / is affected by the same things as simple partial seizures (just involving the mental part). I guess I need to do some research. I am not squeamish about digestive stuff because it's just a fact of life and I have found that keeping all that part of you moving certainly makes a difference to how good or bad you feel... Thanks again!