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Living with epilepsy - Introduce yourself & meet others
Epilepsy & Seizures | Last Active: Jun 29, 2023 | Replies (462)Comment receiving replies
I am Carissa Dennery, I started having grand mal seizures at the age of 19 years old. I was untreated for 4 years because my husband at the time, divorced since 2011, refused to take me to a Neurologist. I was only treated when I went into the ER because I would have 3 in under 18 hours. I would have 3 or more grand mals a week. I finally saw a Neurologist in 2008 and grand mal seizures ended at the end of 2009. Dilantin did not work and after a year I started on Keppra. I also went away from Gluten in 2009. I tried to follow a Keto diet cuz I heard that it was supposed to help, plus I was learning about Celiac Disease. I still get myoclonic seizures and tremors, but no grand mals. I do have short term memory loss from all the falls and hits. I have gone to Occupational Therapy to help me get back to work and keep a job. I used to not have luck with keeping a job because of my memory loss and I was told by one company they wouldn't hire me because I was a liability. I have come a long way. I have had my current job for almost 1 year, they are so helpful at my new job.
Replies to "I am Carissa Dennery, I started having grand mal seizures at the age of 19 years..."
Carissa, I am 72 and just diagnosed this year with tonic-clonic seizures, so I don’t have much to offer since now learning. I can say, however, that I send “hugs” to you and pray you find much support in joining this group. It is already so much a help to me. Bless you!
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Hi @carissadennery
Welcome to this group :-)!
Happy to know you have control over your tonic-clonic seizures and that they have been so helpful at your work.
I have temporal-lobe epilepsy and a gluten-free diet has helped me much to reduce my seizures. Since one year, I am gluten-free in my diet and my seizures have been reduced from 12/13 seizures a month to 2/3 seizures a month. I do not have celiac disease though, but I have read many studies that gluten does provoke inflammation in the gut and this can be a trigger to seizures. Taking gluten out of my diet, has been much easier than I thought, nowadays there are so many products that are gluten-free. How has it been for you? Do you have celiac disease? I have not tried Keto diet, as this one is really hard to follow.
I also do treat myself with CBD (without any THC), as the traditional meds have worsened my epilepsy or brought more harm than benefits. Hatha yoga has also been very beneficial to me. I am happy to say that this year with those changes in my treatment I am back to life and smiling again.
Santosha