Wait - caffeine's OK?

In general....

OK - like I've said, I'm still learning all there is to know about epilepsy - and one thing I can't stress enough is that the plethora of information available is often questionable in accuracy or simply too generalized. There are so many different theories and ideas surrounding epilepsy - and this blog of mine can't possibly cover all of them - but, I'm trying to deliver sound information, which means taking a step back at times.

I'm relying on two main sources from now on: the National Institute of Health (there's a nice little slideshow all about epilepsy that you should check out); and the Epilepsy Foundation. As it turns out - caffeine is equal to stress and hormones in so much as it may be a trigger for seizures but it's not a risk, in general, for all epileptics. There's plenty of reasons to limit caffeine intake, but seizures isn't necessarily one of them unless an individual is exceptionally vulnerable to it. Now - I know that caffeine effects me in a profound way - which may mean that caffeine is one of my triggers - but I'm not even sure about that. However, caffeine and anti-seizure meds are not a great combination - but that's putting it generally. There I go, generalizing. =)

Remember that I'm not a doctor - but I've been going back to my sources and have seen another blunder in my reports: Alcohol CAN cause seizures. I stand corrected and have now been sacked for a second time on this issue. This time I'm confident about it. So - the caffeine and alcohol blog that I wrote awhile back may not necessarily be altogether wrong: i.e, individual cases vary in regards to caffeine and alcohol intake making it possible for some and dangerous for others. But, overall, revision is needed. And, I made a huge oversight when I wrote about do's and don'ts - which the NIH reports reminded me of - I neglected to address the issue of illicit drugs and seizures. Illicit drugs have been known to cause seizures - in fact, that's an understatement. Aside from being illegal and all; epileptics should stay far away from substances such as speed, cocaine, or anything in that realm of evil. Yes, I just called it a realm of evil (I've got strong feelings about illicit drugs). However, to clear up any confusion: epileptics aren't the only people who are vulnerable to seizures from illicit drugs - ANYONE can have a seizure from the use of cocaine, for instance. It's natural for the body to react dramatically to abnormal substances that mess with the body's function - and a person can go into a seizure just by using a drug that directly interacts with neurological functions. Look it up on the NIH website - in fact, this is such an understood concept that you can find information about this practically anywhere.

So - don't do drugs. Alcohol, although not illegal - can cause problems with neurological function and provoke seizures - so, epileptics, don't drink; and people who do drink: watch yourself.

OK - now that I've addressed that; let me re-emphasize a key point that I want all people to remember. One seizure doesn't mean epilepsy. Two seizures doesn't even mean epilepsy. Let me explain: seizures can be provoked by brain injury, infection, substance abuse (or use), and fever. ANYONE can have a seizure. The healthiest person you know could have a seizure. The poor, the rich, the active, the inactive, the liberal, the conservative - ALL can have a seizure as a result of a multitude of causes. Two or more unprovoked seizures, though, can mean epilepsy. Unprovoked, meaning a seizure occurs and there's no infection, injury, illness, or substance use that can be named to have triggered it. However, just one unprovoked seizure doesn't necessarily mean epilepsy either. Only tests and time can determine whether one is epileptic - and even then, sometimes, a person may be put on medication "just in case," even though they may not be epileptic. It's so difficult to diagnose epilepsy in many cases. Mine was easy - I made a connection between the episodes I had on June 21st with episodes I'd had in the past, and from that, I was able to determine on my own that I have epilepsy. To make it easier, my EEG came back with seizures actually recorded on it - meaning my seizures hadn't ceased even while I was on medication. My doctors didn't question it - and I easily believed it. In other cases, though, its not so clear cut.

Kids and teens who have seizures don't know whether or not they have juvenile epilepsy or generalized epilepsy until they reach adulthood, when juvenile epilepsy normally edges off. This means that a person may have seizures as they grow up and there's no way to tell if it'll ever stop until they get to a certain age when they undergo trial periods and testing. Can you imagine how chaotic and uncertain this must be for people with that condition? Or even more confusing, some people have seizures that may have been provoked, although the cause may be unknown; but, since the cause is unknown, they may be labeled epileptic for lack of a better explanation. Does this make sense? It's an endless cycle of questions and confusion - but my doctor explains it much better than I do. This is only my understanding of it, based on people I've spoken with and my own experience.

Now that my head hurts - I'll leave you with what I've written today. Forgive me for being over zealous with my findings - but, definitely do the research if you're interested in anything I've said or if you wish to compare sources. It'll teach you a lot.