Expert: Brenda Martin - 1/29/2006

Question
How does one control epilepsey/blackouts/fainting.We are vegetarians and living a normal healthy life on a good diet.  Unbelievably Bob the husband has started having seizures now in his mature years.  He has been perscribed sodium valproate.  We do not take drugs of any kind and I hate for him to have to take drugs.  Is their a good alternative to this complaint.  I have tried Turine and gaba, my latest find is glutathione but how much and what strength.  Can you advise on this complaint please.  Do you know what is the cause of these complaints.

Bronwen

Answer
Hi there, I have a friend (mature man) who also took 1 seizure just recently, the hospital immediatly assumed it was the start of Epilepsy and put him on the appropriate medication and banned him from driving for a year.

But him and his wife were not happy with that so they questioned the dr. and stopped taking the medication, he has never had another seizure since and is back driving.

so that is my first piece of advice, dont just believe everything the dr. says, there could be a hundred reasons why your hubby took a seizure, it doesnt have to mean he now has Epilepsy. Of course ignore all this if he has been taking many and regular.

Now as for the medication; "Sodium Valproate" is one of the oldest drugs, if not THEE oldest drug used to control seizures,(over 50 years old) it has many, many side effects and there are now many and better drugs available to control seizures.Tell the dr. you want your hubby put on a newer drug with less side effects, they have gave you "sodium valproate" because its the cheapest.

I know the feeling of "hating taking drugs" I have never liked it myself, in the early days I would stop taking them to see what would happen and it wasnt long before I took a seizure.

The reasons for Epilepsy are many,from a knock on the head to- damage in the womb. A friend of mine was jumped by a gang of youths and needed a metal plate put in his head, that in turn led to him taking seizures. After a while on drugs he decided to stop taking the medication and he too has never had another seizure (20years now)

I on the other hand started taking them at 15 for no apparent reason and although put on drugs, still took seizures once a month at least.(25years)

However I went to an alternative medicine clinic over 10 years ago now and she prescribed 1 Multivitamin & mineral tablet daily + 1 Vitamin B Complex tablet daily, I continued taking my drugs for Epilepsy along with these supplements and to this day I have never taken another seizure.

all the best
Brenda