Does anybody have knowledge of both eastern and western medicine?
 

Or even know of natural ways to treat epilepsy, and how to protect liver while on depakote?

I prefer a natural way, but it is hard to find neurologist that practices both natural and chemical.

I've not heard of a neuro who used anything except medication and, maybe, surgery. Of course, that doesn't mean one doesn't exist. :p

I have heard of a few individuals (without physicians) who used diet and no meds to successfully control their seizures, but I sure don't know how to direct you to them.

If Depakote is causing a liver problem for you or someone you know (I lost almost all my hair and gained SOOO much weight so fast it could not affect my liver...it didn't have time), could you switch medications?

No doubt someone better informed than I will be along soon.

I wish you the best.

hi twofish.

check with your dr before adding any supplements...but Milk Thistle is wonderful for the liver. it was what my dr recomended i take when i had a liver test come back with low function. i have taken it ever since and my liver is fine now.

Hi Twofish,
When I took depakene (valproic acid) my neuro had to watch my liver and do blood tests weekly. Later I found that taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. for an adult along with the ketogenic diet which helps control seizures the best thing to do. Also taking a lot of B vitamins will help. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

Nothing is wrong with my liver, i just want to keep it healthy because the medicine can affect it and the liver is important. What is a ketogenic diet? I have a lot of those B vitamins.

Hi twofish,
The ketogenic diet is a diet high in fat but low in carbs and protein. This diet helps build ketones in the body which helps stop seizures. The diet has been out since 1927 and it was used to help control epilepsy before all the meds came out. Today a lot of kids are on the diet and now they are using it on adults. A person has to weigh all their food on a gram scale I'm on a 4:1 ratio meaning I'm allowed to eat 4 grams of fat for every gram of protein. Instead of the body using sugar for energy it uses the fats. I've lost a lot of weight on this diet and it hasn't bothered my cholesterol at all. An average breakfast would be 2 eggs cooked in butter, 5 slices of bacon, or 2 slices of ham, 1 slice of toast with butter, and a glass of juice along with one cup of coffee or tea. You can buy the book titled: "The Epilepsy Diet Treatment" by Dr. John Freeman from Hopkins University. It explains the diet really well. I had a cousin who had gm sz. and during WWII he was flying airplanes and he never has a single sz. until he went off the diet. It works really good. You can see your local dietician to get more detail about the diet. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

Hi Twofish,

Just a suggestion, the sublingual B12 if more effective and the one in b complex. I do not have epilepsy rathe other neuros problems but the sublingual b12 and b complez absolutely help.

Here is some great information in the vitamins and supplements forum.. Mrs D is a whiz!

do you still take medicines too? if at all possible i would like to switch from chemicals to natural ways.

it seems hard to find doctors that will condone anything outside of chemical treatments.

Hi Twofish,
While on the diet people still have to take meds but depending on how well the diet works some people can go off their meds while others can cut back on the meds. I was able to cut back on my meds and the dosage as well. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

now if only i could find some neurologist in arizona mesa/tempe/chandler area that practices both western and eastern medicine..

So far, all the neurologists i have met won't have it any other way but medication alone. no diets, no other treatments, nothing.

Just "oh you haven't had a seizure. That is good. Thanks for the money. Goodbye"

or "you had a seizure? we will increase your dosage. thanks for the money. Goodbye"

seriously. i pay my fees, wait a while, only to have a 5 minute conversation and leave. to me, it isn't worth it. i want a doctor open to other possibilities.

It seems in Arizona there are some in Phoenix, but I'm not supposed to drive long distances. While I can be a passenger, i should not be the driver for very long distances.

Hi Twofish,
I understand very well what you mean by not being able to find a neuro whose willing to put you on the diet and cut back on the AED's. I've found that many of the Drs. like to push the meds so they can make extra money for themselves. That's why when it came to going on the ketogenic diet I just spoke to my local dietician and started the diet on my own without the Drs. okay. Take my word my neuro. wasn't to happy when they found out I was on the diet and it was helping my sz. and how I was able to cut back on my AED's. I also got help from the Epilepsy Foundation of America. They backed me up and gave me a lot of info. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

I definately agree w/the Milk Thistle for regenerating the liver. There's a nutritionalist in Casa Grande who does "live blood" testing - she takes a prick of blood from finger and puts it on a slide under microscope and tells you very interesting things ( I think!) w/what's going on in your body now and in the past. I took my son w/E to her and she saw digestive problems and parasites! Cleared the pars w/herb for 2 months and he's been on dig enzymes ever since. Overall, we see improvement in his attitude and disposition, the seizures still vary. Some days 2, some 8, and once a month, spike to15.
Anyway, I put the most faith in her versus the natural doctors we've seen in Tucson.

Hi Twofish, my wife tried a bunch of different things. Some worked better than others:

EEG neurofeedback - worked great, but took a long time before results were noticable.

Diet - has a strong impact on her seizure threshold. Currently a low glycemic diet is working best for her.

Regular sleep pattern - has a strong impact on her seizure threshold

Acupressure - no noticable benefits after several months

I listed what I could find on alternative treatments in the chart linked below in my sig.

My daughter is currently GFCFSFCF and is using a natural hormone. This has all been done without doctors orders. The neurologist put her on gabapentin, however my instincts are that this did not matter, and before she is too far down the line with it, she is cutting back, ever so slowly and remain seizure free. My belief, is that since the seizures came on in her 14th year, that it will be controlled with nutrition. I don't want to call it a diet, as it is just a better way to fuel her bodies needs. In my opinion many neurological disorders could be controlled by giving the body the proper nutrients. If only we could find doctors that have complete knowledge in this area.