I remember the first time I saw those many medicine boxes in Mark’s bathroom cabinet. We hadn’t been together for so long, and I was very interested in the medications he was taking. I asked him and he said he was taking them because of the seizures. I didn’t really understand what he meant by that, he said it was under his control, so I didn’t take much care of it. I was glad that Mark shared this sensitive personal information with me, even though we were still at the very beginning of our relationship.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Introduction to Ayurvedic Epilepsy Treatment
In Ayurveda, Epilepsy is called Apasmara where“Apa” means loss, and “Smara” means consciousness. So, Epilepsy is a disease that results in seizures associated with loss of consciousness. In Ayurvedic Epilepsy treatment, the Ayurvedic medicines are prepared with natural organic ingredients and herbs. These Ayurvedic medicines have zero side effects.
As per Ayurveda, there are four types of Epilepsy:
Vataja
The seizure comes every 12 days. The major sign of this kind of epilepsy are convulsions with repeated seizures. It also includes –
Seeing Straight
Unusual moaning sounds
Foam from mouth
Unsteady Head
Stretching of Head and feet
Pain in the head
The patient feels the aura of unsteady, moving, shaky, rough, dry or black shapes.
Pitaja
The seizure comes every 15 days. The major sign of this kind of epilepsy is repeated seizures at short intervals with recovery and always being thirsty. It also includes –
Sweating and fainting attacks
Seeing fierce, shining and frightening objects
Yellowish foam from the mouth
A sensation of hot surrounding
The yellow color of face, eyes, and skin
Restlessness
Kapahaja
The seizure comes every 30 days. The major sign of this kind of epilepsy is long gaps between seizures and delayed recovery of consciousness. It also includes –
Fainting
Increased watering of the mouth
Whitish nails, face, eyes, and skin
A sensation of cold
The patient feels heaviness in the body
Erection of hair of skin
Nausea
Sleeplessness
An aura of white shadow entering the body
White foam from the mouth
Sannipataja
The combination of all the three dashas of the body is the cause of this type of epilepsy. Symptoms overlap from each of the above types.
Causes of Epilepsy as per Ayurveda
As per Ayurveda, the causes of Epilepsy are directly related to the lifestyle of a person. The causes can be grouped as follows -
Diet: Bad eating habits may lead to epilepsy. Bad eating habits like not maintaining Hygiene and an unbalanced diet can lead to seizures or epilepsy.
Lifestyle: Improper care of the body like overwork, bad postures, lack of exercise, suppression of natural urges, sexual intercourse during menstruation and excessive or improper use of sense organs can lead to seizures or epilepsy.
Emotional: The emotional factors like Passion, anger, fear, greed, bewilderment, joy, grief, worry, anxiety, excitement, or agitation can lead to seizures or epilepsy.
Foreign Agent: Poisons of animals and poisonous food can also cause Epilepsy.
As per Ayurvedic treatment for Epilepsy, avoid the following to reduce Seizure:
Shining, fast moving or rotating objects
Climbing hills or trees
Eating too many sweets or oily foods
Drinking too much alcohol
Feeling very cold or hot
Eating too much red meat
Excessive masturbation
As per Ayurveda, there are four types of Epilepsy:
Vataja
The seizure comes every 12 days. The major sign of this kind of epilepsy are convulsions with repeated seizures. It also includes –
Seeing Straight
Unusual moaning sounds
Foam from mouth
Unsteady Head
Stretching of Head and feet
Pain in the head
The patient feels the aura of unsteady, moving, shaky, rough, dry or black shapes.
Pitaja
The seizure comes every 15 days. The major sign of this kind of epilepsy is repeated seizures at short intervals with recovery and always being thirsty. It also includes –
Sweating and fainting attacks
Seeing fierce, shining and frightening objects
Yellowish foam from the mouth
A sensation of hot surrounding
The yellow color of face, eyes, and skin
Restlessness
Kapahaja
The seizure comes every 30 days. The major sign of this kind of epilepsy is long gaps between seizures and delayed recovery of consciousness. It also includes –
Fainting
Increased watering of the mouth
Whitish nails, face, eyes, and skin
A sensation of cold
The patient feels heaviness in the body
Erection of hair of skin
Nausea
Sleeplessness
An aura of white shadow entering the body
White foam from the mouth
Sannipataja
The combination of all the three dashas of the body is the cause of this type of epilepsy. Symptoms overlap from each of the above types.
Causes of Epilepsy as per Ayurveda
As per Ayurveda, the causes of Epilepsy are directly related to the lifestyle of a person. The causes can be grouped as follows -
Diet: Bad eating habits may lead to epilepsy. Bad eating habits like not maintaining Hygiene and an unbalanced diet can lead to seizures or epilepsy.
Lifestyle: Improper care of the body like overwork, bad postures, lack of exercise, suppression of natural urges, sexual intercourse during menstruation and excessive or improper use of sense organs can lead to seizures or epilepsy.
Emotional: The emotional factors like Passion, anger, fear, greed, bewilderment, joy, grief, worry, anxiety, excitement, or agitation can lead to seizures or epilepsy.
Foreign Agent: Poisons of animals and poisonous food can also cause Epilepsy.
As per Ayurvedic treatment for Epilepsy, avoid the following to reduce Seizure:
Shining, fast moving or rotating objects
Climbing hills or trees
Eating too many sweets or oily foods
Drinking too much alcohol
Feeling very cold or hot
Eating too much red meat
Excessive masturbation
x
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Epilepsy among Indigenous peoples in Central and South America (anthropological research)
Epilepsy itself was a well-known disease even in pre-Columbian cultures. However, studies on epileptics in native cultures are currently scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the myths, magical-religious healing rites and ceremonies surrounding epilepsy present in indigenous cultures, as well as the natural remedies used by archaic cultures.
The method of research was that anthropologists conducted fieldwork in Central and South America between the indigenous people of Tzeltal Maya (Chiapas, Mexico, 1995), Kamayurá (Mato Grosso, Brazil, 1999), and Uru-Chipaya (Bolivian Andes, 2004). They gathered information from shamans and healers about epilepsy beliefs and about traditional cures and treatments.
The method of research was that anthropologists conducted fieldwork in Central and South America between the indigenous people of Tzeltal Maya (Chiapas, Mexico, 1995), Kamayurá (Mato Grosso, Brazil, 1999), and Uru-Chipaya (Bolivian Andes, 2004). They gathered information from shamans and healers about epilepsy beliefs and about traditional cures and treatments.
Why are there so "few" people at epilepsy events in Hungary?
Let’s face it, it’s not easy to come to the first Epilepsy meeting of our lives. It's almost like a first date. You don’t know what to expect, you don’t even know what kind of people you’re going to meet. The fact that the planned programs are already readable does not yet reveal.
Why should you come?
Because you will find people you like. No one has told you that you need to have the same relationship with everyone, it is not mandatory at all. Sometimes you come, you look, then you don't go to the next one.
It is also worth coming again to those who have received what they expected from such an event. Because it is not right to leave other comrades alone. Everyone remembers the very first Epilepsy meeting they attended and also remembers how easy/difficult it was for them to fit in with the others.
The ages are very mixed, from retirees to preschoolers, people of all generations and genders can be found. Everyone is absolutely open about the epilepsy topic and they always understand each other, be it strange experiences, drug side effects, social acceptance. Everyone walks in one shoe, you won’t even find a more understanding company.
Filled with positive energy and making new friends, that is what you get.
What's wrong with events?
That time passes too fast, so you don’t have a chance to talk to everyone.
What memories do you have of the first Purple day event you attended? Write in a comment, either negative or positive, helping others who haven’t dared to come yet or didn’t even think it would be helpful for them!
Why should you come?
Because you will find people you like. No one has told you that you need to have the same relationship with everyone, it is not mandatory at all. Sometimes you come, you look, then you don't go to the next one.
It is also worth coming again to those who have received what they expected from such an event. Because it is not right to leave other comrades alone. Everyone remembers the very first Epilepsy meeting they attended and also remembers how easy/difficult it was for them to fit in with the others.
The ages are very mixed, from retirees to preschoolers, people of all generations and genders can be found. Everyone is absolutely open about the epilepsy topic and they always understand each other, be it strange experiences, drug side effects, social acceptance. Everyone walks in one shoe, you won’t even find a more understanding company.
Filled with positive energy and making new friends, that is what you get.
What's wrong with events?
That time passes too fast, so you don’t have a chance to talk to everyone.
What memories do you have of the first Purple day event you attended? Write in a comment, either negative or positive, helping others who haven’t dared to come yet or didn’t even think it would be helpful for them!
Monday, April 20, 2020
When your male partner has epilepsy
I remember the first time I saw those many medicine boxes in Mark’s bathroom cabinet. We hadn’t been together for so long, and I was very interested in the medications he was taking. I asked him and he said he was taking them because of the seizures. I didn’t really understand what he meant by that, he said it was under his control, so I didn’t take much care of it. I was glad that Mark shared this sensitive personal information with me, even though we were still at the very beginning of our relationship.
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Epilepsy through Spain
Even today, epilepsy is one of the conditions we are still unable to understand and control 100%. A mystical disease even for doctors and researchers, especially when a person becomes epileptic from scratch. Francesca Turauskis ’life changed when she went through the first bout of her life.
“My first seizure happened 7 years ago when I was still 21 years old. At that time I was a graduate of the university. No one in my family had epilepsy, so my doctors bombarded me with questions like, “Did I drink this alcohol? Did I take this drug? ” Of course, my answer was no. When I had my first seizure, I was just cooking risotto for my friends at home. I understand why doctors ask me these questions, but I still felt so reluctant about them. 4 years later, my seizures multiplied, that’s when I got the diagnosis. ”
For Franciska, the happiest thing that happened to her in her life was when she was diagnosed with epilepsy. From here, he received the right medication, from which his seizures were over, he was able to live freely again. 3 years later he hiked nearly 790 km through Spain on the road of St. James (Camino de Santiago).
“During the pilgrimage, I was afraid that I had brought enough antiepileptics with me on this long journey. I also had an inscription on my backpack: I have epilepsy (in Spanish: Tengo epilepsy). Someone said I looked like a Paddington Bear. ” During her long journey, Franciska met a lot of people with whom she shared her story. Many of them knew very little about this disease. There were those who, after hearing his story, became insecure about him, but it only reinforced in him that he needed to talk to more people about epilepsy and gave him the strength to be able to walk the road.
“The more I walked and the more I talked to more and more people, the stronger I felt, thereby also showing people what an epileptic can do. In Britain, 52% of people with epilepsy live without seizures. For those whose epilepsy is not well controlled, panic is the last thing they want to hear from you. ” Franciska knows that her seizures can come back at any time, but living in fear is not really healthy. Therefore, he preferred to travel through Spain.
source: http://differentbrains.org/man-epilepsy-walks-across-spain/
“My first seizure happened 7 years ago when I was still 21 years old. At that time I was a graduate of the university. No one in my family had epilepsy, so my doctors bombarded me with questions like, “Did I drink this alcohol? Did I take this drug? ” Of course, my answer was no. When I had my first seizure, I was just cooking risotto for my friends at home. I understand why doctors ask me these questions, but I still felt so reluctant about them. 4 years later, my seizures multiplied, that’s when I got the diagnosis. ”
For Franciska, the happiest thing that happened to her in her life was when she was diagnosed with epilepsy. From here, he received the right medication, from which his seizures were over, he was able to live freely again. 3 years later he hiked nearly 790 km through Spain on the road of St. James (Camino de Santiago).
“During the pilgrimage, I was afraid that I had brought enough antiepileptics with me on this long journey. I also had an inscription on my backpack: I have epilepsy (in Spanish: Tengo epilepsy). Someone said I looked like a Paddington Bear. ” During her long journey, Franciska met a lot of people with whom she shared her story. Many of them knew very little about this disease. There were those who, after hearing his story, became insecure about him, but it only reinforced in him that he needed to talk to more people about epilepsy and gave him the strength to be able to walk the road.
“The more I walked and the more I talked to more and more people, the stronger I felt, thereby also showing people what an epileptic can do. In Britain, 52% of people with epilepsy live without seizures. For those whose epilepsy is not well controlled, panic is the last thing they want to hear from you. ” Franciska knows that her seizures can come back at any time, but living in fear is not really healthy. Therefore, he preferred to travel through Spain.
source: http://differentbrains.org/man-epilepsy-walks-across-spain/
Friday, April 17, 2020
Epilepsy: living with an invisible disease
For people, too, it was just an average day. But to me, it was as if the end of the world had come. Or at least almost.
At the age of 16, full of hope, I sat inside the neurologist, waiting for the results of previous tests. What could be in me that caused me to lose consciousness one day in the kitchen, fall to the ground that December, and still experience the first seizure of my life that day? I have no recollection of the day I opened my eyes in the ambulance, I didn’t know what my name was, I didn’t even recognize my own mom.
Months later, my neurologist diagnosed me with epilepsy. A nervous system disorder that causes recurrent seizures. From then on, my life changed.

Refusal and shame
My first reaction was not only not to take my illness seriously, but I didn’t even want to hear about it. Ignoring the illness came from feeling ashamed. Because this disease is characterized by great stigma.
My friends have told each other many times that you look like you have an epileptic seizure when they did bullshit, which of course everyone laughed at.
My condition
When my seizures started to accumulate over the next few years, I already knew from here that I had to accept that I had this disease. I had to learn to live with it, which isn’t always invisible to my friends.
There are several types of epilepsy, it can affect people in several ways. I have been diagnosed with primary generalized epilepsy and have generalized tonic-clonic seizures with loss of consciousness and severe nerve twitching.
When I woke up from these seizures, I couldn’t remember anything for the next 24 hours. My tongue was full of bites, my body had injuries, all my muscles ached.
For me, the worst part is when I wake up after a seizure when I see the terrified faces of my friends and family as they look at me. I want to apologize to them for causing me so much fear. After every seizure, I’m afraid to go to bed because I’m afraid I’m not going to get up the next day.
Talk to other people
It’s not easy to share this information with others without having a dramatic impact. For the first 3-4 years, I always told my friends, co-workers about my epilepsy, and what to do if I had a seizure. I didn’t feel like I always had to tell me my condition because I’d rather have talked about an interesting book I’m reading right now, my love life, or other social experiences.
When I made myself aware that epilepsy had become a part of my life, I also knew that I didn’t expect anyone to take any special treatment to see me differently.
My epilepsy may have dominated many times when I talked to people, "Yeah, but you don't really have epilepsy." Many times I have felt that people think that I just invented this disease for myself, just to notice me.
Because I had big bouts, I wasn’t able to drive. It’s always been frustrating, especially since I lived in the suburbs and many times I could only get there by car. I had an acquaintance who said, "I don't understand why you couldn't drive." I may not have had daily seizures, but I often had to enlighten people as to why I couldn’t get a license. I knew these conversations stemmed from a misunderstanding that stigmatizes this disease, making it hard to talk about. Many people have admitted that they know little about this condition.
Road to acceptance
When my mom read about this disease, I saw how many people in the world live with epilepsy. That’s why I didn’t understand why more people don’t talk about this disease. By then I knew I was not alone. Epilepsy is not a rare disease. This made it easier to talk to people about epilepsy, which is just a part of my life.
There are moments when it’s not easy for me to bring up this disease. Like when I have a date. I'm afraid I have to tell him, I'm afraid he'll look at me differently afterward. A situation like this is when I’m in a job interview or at my new job, I have to explain to my boss and co-workers what to do if I might have a seizure at work.
While I have a hard time talking to others about epilepsy, I get a lot of encouragement and love from my family and friends. Acceptance helped me the most from myself as well as my relatives.
It has been 12 years since he was diagnosed with epilepsy. I have transformed my life so that I can rule out the factors that cause my seizures. What triggers and what doesn’t, I had to figure it out for myself, I think it depends on the person who triggers it. At first, these changes were frustrating, but they are now completely normal for me. Enough sleep, taking medication properly ... etc.
Break down the stigma
An outsider may have plenty of questions about epilepsy. IF I’m in a company that doesn’t know about my epilepsy and I come out of the party too early, they think and I don’t like their company. Even in the early years, it bothered me, but today I don’t care.
Living with an invisible disease is not easy, but over time it will only be easier to talk about it in front of others. I know that if someone looked at me, they wouldn’t even think I was epileptic because I don’t show any signs of looks. I know that the stigma surrounding the disease not only makes it difficult for patients to talk about it without fear, but it also does not reduce the lack of information.
Just talking openly about any disease, whether invisible or not, can only reduce the stigma surrounding the disease. It took me a long time to be brave enough to talk openly about epilepsy with people. And I feel no shame that I have to live with that.
If my epilepsy is invisible, it doesn’t even have to make it invisible to society.
Source: http://mashable.com/2016/11/22/epilepsy-invisible-illness/#T9Kjgjgv8qqq
At the age of 16, full of hope, I sat inside the neurologist, waiting for the results of previous tests. What could be in me that caused me to lose consciousness one day in the kitchen, fall to the ground that December, and still experience the first seizure of my life that day? I have no recollection of the day I opened my eyes in the ambulance, I didn’t know what my name was, I didn’t even recognize my own mom.
Months later, my neurologist diagnosed me with epilepsy. A nervous system disorder that causes recurrent seizures. From then on, my life changed.

 |
| Epilepsy and Medication |
Refusal and shame
My first reaction was not only not to take my illness seriously, but I didn’t even want to hear about it. Ignoring the illness came from feeling ashamed. Because this disease is characterized by great stigma.
My friends have told each other many times that you look like you have an epileptic seizure when they did bullshit, which of course everyone laughed at.
My condition
When my seizures started to accumulate over the next few years, I already knew from here that I had to accept that I had this disease. I had to learn to live with it, which isn’t always invisible to my friends.
There are several types of epilepsy, it can affect people in several ways. I have been diagnosed with primary generalized epilepsy and have generalized tonic-clonic seizures with loss of consciousness and severe nerve twitching.
When I woke up from these seizures, I couldn’t remember anything for the next 24 hours. My tongue was full of bites, my body had injuries, all my muscles ached.
For me, the worst part is when I wake up after a seizure when I see the terrified faces of my friends and family as they look at me. I want to apologize to them for causing me so much fear. After every seizure, I’m afraid to go to bed because I’m afraid I’m not going to get up the next day.
Talk to other people
It’s not easy to share this information with others without having a dramatic impact. For the first 3-4 years, I always told my friends, co-workers about my epilepsy, and what to do if I had a seizure. I didn’t feel like I always had to tell me my condition because I’d rather have talked about an interesting book I’m reading right now, my love life, or other social experiences.
When I made myself aware that epilepsy had become a part of my life, I also knew that I didn’t expect anyone to take any special treatment to see me differently.
My epilepsy may have dominated many times when I talked to people, "Yeah, but you don't really have epilepsy." Many times I have felt that people think that I just invented this disease for myself, just to notice me.
Because I had big bouts, I wasn’t able to drive. It’s always been frustrating, especially since I lived in the suburbs and many times I could only get there by car. I had an acquaintance who said, "I don't understand why you couldn't drive." I may not have had daily seizures, but I often had to enlighten people as to why I couldn’t get a license. I knew these conversations stemmed from a misunderstanding that stigmatizes this disease, making it hard to talk about. Many people have admitted that they know little about this condition.
Road to acceptance
When my mom read about this disease, I saw how many people in the world live with epilepsy. That’s why I didn’t understand why more people don’t talk about this disease. By then I knew I was not alone. Epilepsy is not a rare disease. This made it easier to talk to people about epilepsy, which is just a part of my life.
There are moments when it’s not easy for me to bring up this disease. Like when I have a date. I'm afraid I have to tell him, I'm afraid he'll look at me differently afterward. A situation like this is when I’m in a job interview or at my new job, I have to explain to my boss and co-workers what to do if I might have a seizure at work.
While I have a hard time talking to others about epilepsy, I get a lot of encouragement and love from my family and friends. Acceptance helped me the most from myself as well as my relatives.
It has been 12 years since he was diagnosed with epilepsy. I have transformed my life so that I can rule out the factors that cause my seizures. What triggers and what doesn’t, I had to figure it out for myself, I think it depends on the person who triggers it. At first, these changes were frustrating, but they are now completely normal for me. Enough sleep, taking medication properly ... etc.
Break down the stigma
An outsider may have plenty of questions about epilepsy. IF I’m in a company that doesn’t know about my epilepsy and I come out of the party too early, they think and I don’t like their company. Even in the early years, it bothered me, but today I don’t care.
Living with an invisible disease is not easy, but over time it will only be easier to talk about it in front of others. I know that if someone looked at me, they wouldn’t even think I was epileptic because I don’t show any signs of looks. I know that the stigma surrounding the disease not only makes it difficult for patients to talk about it without fear, but it also does not reduce the lack of information.
Just talking openly about any disease, whether invisible or not, can only reduce the stigma surrounding the disease. It took me a long time to be brave enough to talk openly about epilepsy with people. And I feel no shame that I have to live with that.
If my epilepsy is invisible, it doesn’t even have to make it invisible to society.
Source: http://mashable.com/2016/11/22/epilepsy-invisible-illness/#T9Kjgjgv8qqq
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